|
LNER / BR Steam Crane
This is one of the older members of rolling stock based on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, a steam crane built
in 1945/6 by Cowans & Sheldon of Carlisle as one of a pair. They had been ordered by the LNER as breakdown cranes
(according to the manufacturers drawings), but were certainly used by BR on engineering duties.
LNER No. 8742 is a 15 ton steam crane, becomming BR No. DRC80116, and ending its duties in December 1988 with
permanent way and engineering department duties. Along with its partner BR No. DRC80115, they were the last civil
engineers' steam cranes in BR stock. There is also a possibility (as yet unconfirmed) that these cranes were also
designed to be used in tunnels, as there are several features that support this. More information later.
Both cranes arrived on the railway, having been successfully purchased from BR in 1991/2. 80115 was not serviceable, and was
consequently resold to another railway. 80116 (or LNER No. 8742) had last been used in December 1988, and was able to be
restored quickly, along with its match wagon - a 1961 bolster wagon, built by Cambrian. Since then it has been employed on
the railway for a number of jobs, as can be seen from the photos below.
The BR crane drivers had a soft spot for the steamers in their last days. As spare parts became increasingly hard to get hold
of, 80116's driver kept it in service by using sawn-up sections of bulhead rail for firebars! Thanks to Mr. Yeomans for his
memories as No.80116's last driver on BR, taken from YDR News.
The photos above are from quiet moments during the work done in January 2003. Both (c) Tim Warner.
The crane was in intensive use during January 2003 to help with the relaying under Holywell Bridge,
and the other work connected with that. Photos are now available below. The crane now needs a boiler overhaul and then an
inspection of the ropes. no timescale has been set for this yet.
More photos of the steam crane at Embsay
|
When Stoneacre Loop was being constructed as a passing place, the steam crane was unsed in preference to the diesel crane as it
has much finer, more controllable movement. Here it was being used in conjunction with 22 to position
the bracket signal onto its new base.
(c) Pete Walker.
|
The following photographs were taken during the P-Way team's post-Christmas /
pre-New Year working days, 2002, showing the steamcrane in use to move materials
ready for the relaying under Holywell Bridge during January 2003.
|
View from the cab of the steam crane as the train is shunted into the right order, ready to be propelled to Prior's Lane by
Cranford.
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
Again from the cab of the crane, but this time looking at the main drive, with the gears. Although the crane cannot propell
itself, it can raise and lower the jib and hook, as well as slew. It is ideal for precise movements, as there is a lot of
control, although after this two-day work party, the crane driver was rather tired...
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
For most of the time when the steam crane was in use, Tom Ireland was acting as its fireman (the rest was spent taking photos!),
as can be seen from this shot of the cab and the main 'works' of the crane.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
Before any of the track components could be loaded up, the flat wagons had to be unloaded of the S&T gear. Here the load
is about to be fastened.
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
Lifting the load of a point motor from the wagon...
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
...slewing across (in colour)...
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
...and in black & white...
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
...and more colour!
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
...before finally lowering down into the correct place, only to have to move it again when it is required for installation!
(c) Tom Ireland.
|
|
These next five photos show the process of lifting, slewing and lowering, although they are not all from the same lift. First
of all the hook is lowered down to the required position, allowing the load to be slung.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
When the load is ready, the person in charge of signalling to the driver will do so, and instruct him as to where he wants it
positioned, using standard hand signals. Here the load has been lifted so that it can clear bothe the wagon and the wall.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
The jib is then slewed across to the correct place, before being raised or lowered as required in the particular situation.
The steamcrane moves slowly and so is ideal for precise lifts.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
The load is the lowered to the ground vrew whose job is to guide the load into the correct position and then detach it. Here a
drum of cable is being lowered.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
This view is of the same stage in the process, but shows the driver and roughly what he can see of the operation.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
The following day the crane was used to load rails and sleepers at Prior's Lane. Here the crane is just commencing a lift
using a lifting beam to crane flat-bottomed rail to where the rail wagon could load itself.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
Another shot of the same process. Further photos of this work can be found in the P-Way section
of the Departments website.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
Finally the steam crane is show lifting some concrete sleepers ready to slew round and load them onto a flat-wagon, just to the
right of the picture, as the weather threatens.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
The following photographs were taken during the P-Way team's post-Christmas /
pre-New Year working day, 2001, showing the steam crane in use to move containers.
|
This picture shows one of the containers being moved at Bolton Abbey. There
were two that were moved down to the other end of the site, out of the way.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
The crane arrives at Stoneacre loop ready to move the container which was
used during the construction of the signalbox.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
Viewed from the bracket signal, the chains have been fastened to the container
ready for lifting.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
The container is lifted from its resting place in the grass (and in the way
of photographs taken from the signalbox!)...
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
...and swung across onto the rail wagon for transport to Skibeden footbridge.
Cranford provided the haulage.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
Finally at the end of the day as the light grew poorer, the container was
unloaded at Skibeden footbridge to assist with the repairs starting early
in 2002.
(c) Tim Warner.
|
|
