When the Salford Quays regeneration project started in the 1980s two of the giant cargo cranes which had been on South Dock 6 since 1966 were moved to a new position at the head of Ontario Basin as symbols of the industrial heritage of the docks. I'd read some time ago that the cranes should be scrapped as they had become too expensive to maintain, and despite protests Salford Council decided in November 2012 that they were to go ahead with the demolition. I decided that I must take some photographs of the cranes before it happened but had never got round to doing so until I read early last week that the demolition was to take place on Saturday 26th October. Consequently, on Wednesday of last week I managed to take a few photographs of the cranes in the early evening sunlight and this is what they looked like:
On Saturday, the day of the demolition, I went along again to see how the work was progressing and came across this sight:
One of the cranes was being supported by a massive mobile crane and a couple of men were in a cherry-picker at the top of the base.
A closer look showed that they were using an acetylene torch to cut through the base just underneath the cab of the crane.
When the cutting had been done the upper part of the crane swayed slightly as it separated from the base.
The cherry-picker was then moved away and lowered and the giant mobile crane began to turn the upper part of the dock crane round ready to be lowered to the ground.
This continued, with a bit of delay whilst the ropes steadying the structure were manoeuvred over the cables running above the Metrolink Tramway track running alongside the site, until it was safely on the ground awaiting removal......
......like some massive dead beast.
And where are the birds going to roost now in the evening.....
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