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Steamcrane
Built
by Boele wharf and enginefactory in 1945 based on a German Demag
engine
Owners:
Harm van Heijningen
Jacco Los
History
The crane (works number 8) was used on the wharf for transporting
large steel plates from the storage area to the workshops that
were used for the construction of ships. It was riding over a
railway.
The hoisting capacity of the crane is 3000 kg with an arm of 6
m and 1000 kg with an arm of 12 m. Due to water in the cylinder
the engine was seriously damaged and shut down. Cranes number
9 and 10 were put aside some time later as result of reorganisations
of the wharf in Bolnes. Crane no 8 was “lucky” it
was purchased by the firm van de Graaf construction and Engineering
in Zwijndrecht who wanted to restore the
crane. A start was made with the boiler to make it ready for the
so called 40 years inspection (detailed inspection after long
term operation) to look for cracks, especially around the rivet
holes. 12 rivets were drilled out; the inspection showed that
the boilerwall was in good state; The drilled out holes were closed
with nuts and bolts, welded at the outside. Than the boiler was
lagged again.
The vertical boiler is a so called Donkey type boiler. It has
3 horizontal tubes to improve the low thermal efficiency of the
basic boiler, a set of 2 cylindrical walls with water between
the 2 walls.
The total water content is approx 800 litres, heated area 7 m2
working pressure 9 Bar. Feedwater supply is with an ejector.
The
steamengine has 2 cylinders, each working at the full pressure
and is not equipped with the well known Stephenson reversing gear
but with the Joy gear. Drilling out of the cylinders was done
by others. The cylinders and crosshead, connecting the cylinders
with the driving rod was done by the new owners, who also adjusted
the valves. In 1983 the engine was operational and back in steam.
In 1988 the construction firm was reorganised and that meant that
no longer a place was available for the crane. It had to move
after a “farewell party” Mr Ufkes in Dordrecht, near
Zwijndrecht had available a yard where the crane could be parked;
it was saved from demolition.
In
1999 mr Ufkes was
seriously ill and before the end of the year the yard had to be
cleared.
A new move was necessary, but that was not easy: the dimensions
of the crane are 30 tonnes weight, 3 m wide, a length of 20 metres
and a total height of 20 metres.
A new home was found besides the historical ancient naval dock
in Hellevoetsluis (200 years old).
With assistance of a heavy hoisting crane of de Kil BV Dordrecht,
a lowloader of vd Bogerd transports in Bergschenhoek, further
transport over water with a tug and pontoon by the firm Broedertrouw
/ vd Wees transports in Dordrecht and the steamtug Jan de Sterke
the crane was finally transported to Hellevoetsluis. A complex
operation with a happy end.
In Hellevoetsluis transport of material for a 26 metres railway
was done by Blok transport Hellevoetsluis and in the dock area
groundwork for the railway was done by D. Emmerzael.
The
crane is now installed besides the ancient (1802) dock and is
from time to time operational, lifting equipment and materials
for the revision of ships in the historical dock..
More
information re the crane and possible working days can be obtained
from the owners Harm v. Heijningen of Jacco Los via the webmaster
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