Difference between revisions of "Cowans Sheldon 30-ton steam crane"
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*Removal and reinstallation of [[Bridgnorth Station Footbridge]] in 2004<ref>SVR News 146, 147</ref> | *Removal and reinstallation of [[Bridgnorth Station Footbridge]] in 2004<ref>SVR News 146, 147</ref> | ||
*Installation of [[Highley Station Footbridge]] in October 2009 | *Installation of [[Highley Station Footbridge]] in October 2009 | ||
| + | *Repairs to the [[Accommodation bridge near Severn Lodge]] in 2018 | ||
| + | *Removal of the old water pipes from the [[Elan Valley Aqueduct]] in 2018 | ||
*Removal and replacement of signal posts such as the [[Bewdley South signal box#Signalling controlled from the Box|Bewdley South Down Inner Home bracket]] in 2020 | *Removal and replacement of signal posts such as the [[Bewdley South signal box#Signalling controlled from the Box|Bewdley South Down Inner Home bracket]] in 2020 | ||
*Removal of the old water tank at [[Eardington]] in April 2021 | *Removal of the old water tank at [[Eardington]] in April 2021 | ||
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</gallery> | </gallery> | ||
| − | Since the acquisition of the Steam Crane, the [[Bridgnorth Loco Works#Boiler shop|Bridgnorth boiler shop]] was equipped with an overhead gantry crane from opening in 1989, and the [[Bridgnorth Loco Works|Bridgnorth loco works building]] with a smaller gantry crane in 2022, both being able to carry out tasks formerly done by the steam crane. The steam crane's boiler certificate will expire in 2024. | + | Since the acquisition of the Steam Crane, the [[Bridgnorth Loco Works#Boiler shop|Bridgnorth boiler shop]] was equipped with an overhead gantry crane from opening in 1989, and the [[Bridgnorth Loco Works|Bridgnorth loco works building]] with a smaller gantry crane in 2022, both being able to carry out tasks formerly done by the steam crane. The steam crane's boiler certificate will expire in 2024. |
==RS 1087 in service and preservation== | ==RS 1087 in service and preservation== | ||
Latest revision as of 12:03, 2 July 2024
The SVRSevern Valley Railway is home to a 30-ton breakdown steam crane built by Cowans Sheldon of Carlisle in 1960. A second crane of the same type was also present on the SVRSevern Valley Railway for some years but later scrapped. The two cranes and jib runners originally acquired by the SVRSevern Valley Railway were:
- RS 1091/30 (later BRBritish Rail or British Railways DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. number ADM 1091/30), paired with Cowans Sheldon 4-wheeled Crane Jib Runner numbered BRBritish Rail or British Railways DB 998524.[1]
- RS 1087/30 (later BRBritish Rail or British Railways DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. number ADM 1087/30), paired with Cowans Sheldon 4-wheeled Crane Jib Runner numbered BRBritish Rail or British Railways DB 998520.[1]
Both were part of a batch of eight such breakdown cranes, each of which was fitted with a Spencer Hopwood boiler, working at a pressure of 150psi, which provided steam for self-propulsion and steam braking when working independently. The steam also provided the power for lifting loads up to 30 tons, using hydraulically powered control gear. 1,000 gallons of water were carried. The crane could be towed at up to 60 mph when travelling to attend breakdowns and accidents, and was vacuum braked for that purpose. Each crane was paired with a 'jib runner'[2].
RS 1091 in service and preservation
RS 1091/30, Cowans Sheldon works number 65 of 1960, was allocated to Chester West. It was later given BRBritish Rail or British Railways DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. number ADM 1091/30.
By 1997 the largest steam crane in use on the SVRSevern Valley Railway was the Smiths, Rodley DW35 6-ton steam crane 'Toby Jiblets' which was mainly used for P-Way work. Larger lifts such as such as locomotive frames and boilers or civil engineering projects required the use of hired cranes, so the opportunity was taken in that year to acquire a 30 ton crane from BRBritish Rail or British Railways to reduce the spend on hire charges.[3] RS 1091 arrived from Chester in June 1977, paired with a Cowans Sheldon 4-wheeled Crane Jib Runner numbered BRBritish Rail or British Railways DB 998524. After being fitted with new chainsAs a unit of measurement, 22 yards or 1/80th of a mile, it was quickly put into use at Bridgnorth; by the following summer the Locomotive Department reported that "This crane is probably the best purchase the Company has made, and has now easily paid for itself by making possible the avoidance of hire charges for road cranes, the only alternative."[4]
Some of the major civil engineering projects involving the steam crane(s) included:
- Removal for refurbishment and re-instatement of the Cleobury Road Bridge in winter 1978-79.[5]
- Installation of the water column at Highley in 1981
- Installation of Bridgnorth Bypass Bridge in 1983
- Removal (for refurbishment) and re-instatement of the Underbridge at Hampton Loade in 1995 and the Underbridge on Station Road, Highley in 1996[6]
- Removal and reinstallation of Bridgnorth Station Footbridge in 2004[7]
- Installation of Highley Station Footbridge in October 2009
- Repairs to the Accommodation bridge near Severn Lodge in 2018
- Removal of the old water pipes from the Elan Valley Aqueduct in 2018
- Removal and replacement of signal posts such as the Bewdley South Down Inner Home bracket in 2020
- Removal of the old water tank at Eardington in April 2021
The crane at Bridgnorth (2015)
Lifting the boiler from 2047 at Bridgnorth, July 2018
The old water tank at Eardington is removed (Chris Bond)
The crane carries the painted number ADM/1091 on its upper works. However the running gear carries the manufacturer's plate with works number 60, originally allocated to RS 1087. It is therefore not certain whether the running gear of the two cranes was swapped at some point prior to one being scrapped. The crane runner on the steam crane in service carries the painted number BRBritish Rail or British Railways DB 998524, although it does not carry a maker's plate to confirm this.
Manufacturer's plate (bottom left) showing Works No 60 of 1960 (2015)
Since the acquisition of the Steam Crane, the Bridgnorth boiler shop was equipped with an overhead gantry crane from opening in 1989, and the Bridgnorth loco works building with a smaller gantry crane in 2022, both being able to carry out tasks formerly done by the steam crane. The steam crane's boiler certificate will expire in 2024.
RS 1087 in service and preservation
RS 1087/30, works number 60 of 1960 was allocated to Hellifield until 1977, and was later given BRBritish Rail or British Railways DepartmentalRolling stock used for the railway’s own functions (engineering etc.) rather than for general passenger or goods traffic. number ADM 1087/30. It was acquired from the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, arriving from Haworth on 15 August 1982. At the time it was intended to assist with the construction of the Bridgnorth Bypass Bridge, although it was ultimately not used on that project, the work being carried out by RS 1091 assisted by 'Toby Jiblets'.[1]
The stock book published in 1990 noted that "One crane is stationed permanently at Bridgnorth at the disposal of the boilersmiths, while the other is free to perform tasks down the line as required. Both have recently received boiler overhauls, although 1087/30 has yet to be re-assembled fully."[1] The comment that 1087/30 had still not been fully re-assembled was repeated in the stock book published in 1998,[2] although in the intervening period a report in SVRSevern Valley Railway News noted that the 'Hellifield crane' was steamed in early 1995 and used to lift the girders of the Underbridge at Hampton Loade in 1995 (see above).
In autumn 2008 the SVRSevern Valley Railway Board agreed to dispose of "…(the unserviceable) one of the two 30 ton steam cranes."[8] Having been unsuccessfully advertised for sale, it was cut up for scrap at Bridgnorth in August 2010 with certain parts (including the crane runner) being retained for spares.[9] Reports in SVRSevern Valley Railway News stated that the scrapped crane was the one acquired from the Worth Valley, ie RS 1087,[10] although as noted above its works number is now carried on the running gear of the SVRSevern Valley Railway's remaining crane.
In early 2024 the SVRSevern Valley Railway began a contract job at Kidderminster Carriage Works to convert a former BRBritish Rail or British Railways 'TUBE' wagon into a rail-mounted survey vehicle for use in a Birmingham University science project. This vehicle having proved unsuitable, the SVRSevern Valley Railway offered the spare crane jib runner for RS 1091/30, DB 998520 in its place. By April 2024 alterations had been carried out and it had been repainted bright yellow. Work to add the required structures then began,[10] and was still in progress during the Supporters’ Day in June 2024.
Crane runner DB 998520
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Eighth Edition, February 1990
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway Stock Book Ninth Edition, June 1998
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 44, Summer 1977, Boardroom Notes
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 48
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 51
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 115, 119, 120
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 146, 147
- ↑ SVRSevern Valley Railway News 163, Autumn 2008, Boardroom Notes
- ↑ SVR-Online forum 2010 thread (broken link)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 SVRSevern Valley Railway News 226, Summer 2024, Carriage notes pp. 44-45.
