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PostPosted: 05 Mar 2013, 00:13 
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Joined: 03 Mar 2013, 19:37
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Gentlemen,
I stumbled across this forum in a search for information about Spencer Hopwood boilers and found quite a bit of useful information. There also appears to be quite a lot of information relevant to projects I am currently working on.

I cannot claim to have any experience of breakdown cranes but have an associated interest of industrial steam cranes. With a friend we have returned Booth 5 ton locomotive crane of 1905 (No. 1887 formerly owned by the Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Co.) to working order and we are now working on Booth 4161A ,of 1931, 2 ton grabbing crane that used to work on the Co-op wharf in Leeds until about 1970.

We have just acquired a Smiths 5 ton crane of about 1952 vintage and are starting to look into its history. It is a 4 wheel crane but appears to have been built for mainline use as it has Spencer Hopwood boiler giving it low headroom within the structure gauge, buffing gear, springs, outriggers and jacks, rail clips and a method of disconnecting the drive from the axles to allow it to be towed.

Through the medium of this introduction post I wondered if I might be able to obtain contact details for Roger Cooke who has posted a lot of information about the Spencer Hopwood boiler in GWR breakdown crane No.2. I have read the posts and found them interesting and inspiring and think we might be faced with similar problems when it comes to rebuilding the boiler. The other cranes we are working on have conventional vertical boilers with cross tubes.

Thank you for an excellent site, I will be spending more time on here in the future.


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PostPosted: 05 Mar 2013, 19:09 
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Hi and welcome to the forum.
The 2 ton Grab crane, Is that the one that used to be on the wharf next to the main station in Leeds?
I used to pass it often.

You mention you have a Smiths 5t crane of 1952, if it is of interest our group is in the throws of disposing of a 1929 5t Smiths ex Steam.
http://www.yorkareagroup.co.uk/plant/
On the link above and scroll down to the Smith and Rodley 5t.

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http://www.nymr-pway.co.uk/


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PostPosted: 06 Mar 2013, 14:46 
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Location: Queens Park, London
Michael,

Please can you advise where the 1905 Booth is - it seems to have escaped me.
Unless it is the ex Parnaby machine stated as taken to a farm in Lincolnshire??

Is 4161A still at Armley Mills?

What do you know about the 1952 Smith? Is it the one that is/was at Murton?

Sorry - cannot help re boilers - but I'll see if BL have a catalogue.

-------------
Bryan, I have the diesel ex steam Smith as 11453/1929.


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PostPosted: 06 Mar 2013, 19:28 
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That's correct and unless some interest is arisen in it, it will be disposed of in the near future most probably to a scrap merchant.

It has been on offer for about a year now with some expressions of interest but when we mention that it will be at least scrap price the interest dies away when realisation of how much it will be.

There is no purpose for it now on the NYMR as it has been superceeded by larger machines.
There is no buffing or draw gear so it cannot be formed into a train.

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http://www.nymr-pway.co.uk/


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PostPosted: 06 Mar 2013, 20:22 
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Bryan,
Yes you would have seen the crane from the train at Leeds. There was a pair of them that worked on the wharf together. I think they must have ceased to be used in about 1970. 4161A was left on the wharf as some sort of exhibit but was removed when the site was developed.

Unfortunately I don't think we could do anything with the diesel crane unless the jib will fit 4161A. If it does go for scrap it might be worth considering the jib as a replacement for 4161A.


Chris,
Thank you for your interest. The 1905 Booth is indeed the ex Parnaby machine and it now resides in West Yorkshire. 4161B is still at Armley Mills and is more complete than 4161A, which lost a lot of parts including the jib when it was still on the Co-op wharf. We would like to obtain a grabbing bucket for it if anyone knows where we might find a 2 ton Priestman single rope grab.

The 1952 Smith is the one at Murton and is a very recent acquisition. Do you know anything about it? It seems to have some very superior features compared to the other two cranes.

Thank you.

Michael.


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PostPosted: 07 Mar 2013, 15:14 
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Location: Queens Park, London
My understanding is that it is -

Running nos. 4896 BTC Docks and Inland Waterways Executive.BR(ER)
Hull Docks transferred to ABP, Hull - St 5T 4W TSSR 20055/52

( One of about five cranes from Smith to Hull Docks about that time )


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PostPosted: 13 Mar 2013, 08:47 
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Chris,

Thank you for the additional information about the Smiths crane. The TSSR number ties up with that on a plate on the jib. I must get to the West Yorkshire Archives Service to see what information they have available about the crane.

Does anyone know where we might find photographs of the crane at work?

Michael.


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