Breakdown Cranes

Breakdown Cranes

Steam did not completely disappear from British Rail in 1968 and in one area, the breakdown crane fleet steam remained the staple source of power until the mid 1970’s when conversion to diesel power commenced. Here are four steam breakdown cranes from the latter half of the 1970’s

ADM1097 - ADM1097_1977_06_Willesden | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
ADW16 - ADW16_1977_04_Old_Oak | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
ADS1560 - ADS1560_1977_01_Hither_Green | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
ADE330110 - ADE330110_1976_08_March | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Breakdown Cranes

Here are four more steam breakdown cranes from the latter half of the 1970’s

141 - 141_1976_04_Bristol | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
RS1073 - RS1073_1976_03_Ayr | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
TDM1001 - TDM1001_1976_02_Wigan | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
RS1062 - RS1062_1976_08_Dundee | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

As an interesting aside, I believe the last steam working by BR was with its last steam crane in 1995.

 

I thought one of the last in service was DRC80116/LNER 8742 at York but this went to Embsay in 1991/2 according to their website:
Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway - Crane Profile - LNER No.8742 BR No.DRC80116

Anyone know which steam cranes were still in BR service after this?

Richard

 

According to the link below (Breakdown Crane Association) the last BR owned steam cranes were sold in June 1989. Doesn't say when they were last used, although it does list a preserved crane operating on BR metals on a later date in 1989.
Steam replaced by Diesel

 

Appears that I have been fed duff info

 

Not necessarily, I believe that there was a small (5 ton?) engineering crane which remained in service for some time after the disposal of the last breakdown cranes. It may be that the 1995 date you mention relates to this, in which case everyone is right! The BDCA's main focus is, as the name suggests, on (big) breakdown cranes and not (little) engineering cranes.

As far as we (the BDCA that is) have been able to establish, the last lift by a steam-powered breakdown crane on BR metals was actually made by the seminal ex-GWR No 2 36-ton crane whilst in the custodianship of the DVLR in the small hours of Sunday 13th August 1989 at Goodrington when it ventured into a posession to retrieve a gantry signal for reuse. As it happens, this was also the last lift it made of any kind to date, since it had already been sold by the DVLR to a private owner and was awaiting transfer back to Swindon.

If anyone knows of evidence of a later lift on BR metals by a steam-powered breakdown crane, please let us know!

 

Breakdown Cranes

Steam did not completely disappear from British Rail in 1968 and in one area, the breakdown crane fleet steam remained the staple source of power until the mid 1970’s when conversion to diesel power commenced. Here are four steam breakdown cranes from the latter half of the 1970’s

TDM1015/50 - TDM1015_1976_04_Allerton | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
RS1020/30 – RS1020_1979_04_Carnforth | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
TDM1066/30 - TDM1066_1976_08_Inverness | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
TDM1093 - TDM1093_1976_12_Derby | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

The Bluebell Railway Crane was in service until July 1981 - not an especially late survivor, judging by this thread, but still 13 years after the "end" of steam. She was sold to the Bluebell in good order, did various lifting jobs between 1986 and 1996 (including laying the first track panel on the Northern Extension, as the railway moved north from Horsted Keynes) but has been laid up since due to the expense and complication of insurance.

She is a Ransomes & Rapier 45 ton crane,RS1083/45, ordered in 1942 as a replacement for two LNER cranes sent overseas by the War Department. The other crane from the same order is now preserved on the NYMR.

That said, a low-key fundraising appeal is currently underway to restore her cosmetically and then perhaps functionally, and she currently looks rather smarter than these photos show: Bluebell Railway - Ransomes & Rapier 45 Ton Steam Breakdown Crane RS1083/45

The Bluebell also has a Joseph Booth & Sons 12 Ton hand crane: Bluebell Railway Photo Gallery - 1748S


Tom

 

Bluebell Steam Crane RS1083/45, formerly of Gorton and Newton Heath carried in service at both depots to the end of steam, a
number chosen of several carried in service earlier and later as it was carried in steam days in service at both depots.

The crane left Newton Heath for Bluebell in November 1981, restoration commenced in 1983, certificated in all areas in 1985.
Boiler ticket renewed in 1990, derailed 1992 at in Horsted Keynes up sidings, then fairly new, climbed over the rail
when self propelling at slow walking speed. A pinhole leak was setup in the firebox and the fire was withdrawn. That was the end for us.

We had been full-on with the steam crane for 10 years restoration and operation and now at an age where work and life events caused us to give the Bluebell a back seat, the project was handed on and restoration continued, with the expectation of removing the boiler, but this did not happen, it was declared the crane had to move to Horsted Keynes, sometime later its was removed to Kingscote to the northermost buffer stops where trees grew over the top of it. Space on Bluebell's sidings was at a premium at that time, a situation in which the crane would go nowhere. It doesn't pull trains or seat fare-paying passengers.

With the build of the northern Extension out of Kingscote it would be necessary to re-model the area, removal of the crane from its siding was not essential but desirable, as its dereliction would be in view of train passengers once East Grinstead trains could run to Kingscote, so having moved back to Sussex and with some time available to work on the crane, at short notice a move was made at 10mph Kingscote to Horsted Keynes hauled by the 08 diesel shunter aka "Gronk" driven by a past crane colleague and another travelling with him and Chris Hunford, we had to have it removed before the end of February 2012 and this was achieved with several days to spare.

Cleaning, pressure washing and painting of the lower areas of the crane continues, with significant help from the Bluebell Railway 9F Club, where leaders parents and a up to 24 club members aged IIRC 11-16 (they can become working members at the Bluebell aged 16) work on the crane a day per month.

The Northern Extension fundraising was in full swing hence the low key fundraising, but it built sufficient balance to apply for an Arts Council PRISM grant for which a 10% matching amount is required, based on the need to make the crane relevant to the Railway again as an additional interpreted Museum exhibit, restored as a static exhibit capable of running at 25mph between stations and a report prepared for it to be returned to steam.

The statement below appeared in the last copy of the Bluebell e-Newsletter, link to subscribe Bluebell Railway - sign up for our Email newsletter

"To support the Ransomes & Rapier steam breakdown crane project, an application was submitted to Arts Council England in the name of the Bluebell Railway Trust.
I am delighted to report that a grant has been awarded for £15,250. This will enable the cosmetic restoration of the crane to make it presentable to the public and to prevent deterioration. Included is funding for interpretation to explain its historical significance.

The project is headed by Neil Cameron and Chris Hunford. The crane is at Horsted Keynes Up Yard (west side of the station).

In celebrating the grant, we must thank the Breakdown Crane Association for its enthusiastic support and input; Roger Kelly and the Fundraising Committee; the 9F Club, which is playing its part; and everyone else who has supported the project thus far."

By Sam Bee, Bluebell Railway Trust"

The Grant will enable safe working at height when cleaning, restoring painting the upper half of the crane, replace rusted out and missing light metalwork, cab roof, a broken main carriage side spring to replace, exchange and repair plus the many other tasks associated with its restoration. A crane just like ours was scrapped 3 years ago, initial preservation did not save it. This grant and fulfilling its requirements will save ours, and many thanks to those individuals who donated to the crane fund. Collectively we will have saved ours and given it a new purpose, and set it down on the startline for a full restoration if all required factors are present at that time. This is what we anticipate the crane will look like Gorton Breakdown Crane after repaint at Gorton Works in early 1950's, Bert Horridge extreme left | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

NeilC

 

Excellent news.

More info/pix of the crane here:
Bluebell Railway - Ransomes & Rapier 45 Ton Steam Breakdown Crane RS1083/45

I've just found their JustGiving page too:
Bluebell Railway is fundraising for Bluebell Railway Trust

Richard

 

Further information about Breakdown cranes may be found at the website of the Breakdown Crane Association.
Home page of the Breakdown Crane Association

 

many years a go I remember playing on a scrap breakdown crane in a scrap yard in Barrow in Furness I remember there were two cranes there was one steam and one smaller 4 wheel coles diesel crane I would guess this was mid 70s , they disappeared late 70s any one shed any light on were they were from or what they were ?

 

The Embsay crane DRC80116 was not a breakdown crane but an engineering dept. crane in 1988 at withdrawal.

It may have been built as a breakdown crane by the LNER as the website says but it was an engineering crane of 15 tons capacity.

It also took the end off my finger one Christmas. Ouch.

 

Breakdown Cranes

Steam did not completely disappear from British Rail in 1968 and in one area, the breakdown crane fleet steam remained the staple source of power until the mid 1970’s when conversion to diesel power commenced. Here are four breakdown cranes three steam powered and one of the diesel conversions

941602 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/11146814124/
TDM1106/36 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/11146765086/
ADRR95207 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/11146755725/
ARDC96709 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/pics-by-john/11146753795/