DS 1580

     

   

45-ton capacity Ransomes & Rapier steam breakdown crane is described by Colin Chambers

Translate/traduzca/Übersetzen Sie/tradurre/traduire

   

Photo: Tony Wood

   

The crane was ordered by the Southern Railway in 1944 from Ransomes & Rapier, of Ipswich. This type had its origins in a 1939 government order to Ransomes & Rapier for a larger crane to deal with the anticipated bomb damage to Britain's railways. Six cranes were originally built, two going to SR and four to GWR. ( LMS & LNER already had 45-ton or 50-ton cranes )

A further eight cranes of this type were built between 1943/4, six going to the Army ,and two to the LNER (to replace two of their Cowans Sheldon cranes that had gone to the Middle East). DS 1580 was built during 1944/5. Ransome & Rapier records show it being tested on 5th November 1945. One further crane of this design was built in 1946 for the Army.

Of the sixteen cranes of this type, nine have survived into preservation, although currently only three are in use (DS1580, GW No. 19 on the GCR, and LNER 941601 at the NYMR )  Only one of the Army Cranes is known to survive, and is under restoration at Toddington.

   

 

Photo: Tony Wood

   

On delivery DS1580 was allocated to Exmouth Junction MPD, where it replaced a 20 ton Stothert & Pitt crane which may have been too small to cope with the Bulleid Pacifics then being introduced.

 

Photo (12th June 2003): David Couchman

DS1580 was transferred to the Western Region along with Exmouth Junction MPD in 1963, and on this depot's closure in 1965 was re-allocated to Newton Abbot. In 1972 it moved to Plymouth Laira depot, and later again moved to Old Oak Common, and was withdrawn in 1984. At this point it was purchased for preservation and moved to Toddington. It subsequently went to Llangollen and was purchased by its present owners and moved to Mid-hants Railway in 1992. It was overhauled and returned to use in July 1993 and has remain in service since then.

   

Two photos (MHR Steam Gala, September 2007): Matt Allen

   

Report: Colin Chambers
Photos: Tony Wood

Duties of Crane

Propped ( ie with propping beams extended & packed )
45 tons* at 20 foot radius ( i.e. jib right up )
16 tons at 40 foot radius

Unpropped ( free to travel )
15 tons at 20 foot
4.5 tons at 40 foot

* ( 1 Imperial ton = 2240 lb. )

In the unpropped condition the crane can travel under its own power with a maximum load of 15 tons at a speed of 180 feet per minute.

This type were all fitted with Stokes Bogies, a Ransomes & Rapier invention for spreading the cranes axle loading, enabling them to travel over most parts of the British Railway system. They were all also built to the Hasting line loading gauge. A unique feature of DS 1580 is its' Bulleid Firth Brown pattern wheels, which give away its Southern ancestry.

The crane at work lifting the boiler from Thomas           Movie of the boiler lift   (9MB, 22nd September 2004): Tony Wood

The crane at work Movie: refitting the cab of 9F #92212 after major 9F boiler maintenance    (1.2MB, 22 June 2005): Tony Wood

Maintenance Work

..

 

7th February 2003:  The boiler passed its steam tests and has been delivered to Alton for refitting in the crane

3rd February 2003: The boiler of the 45-ton steam crane has passed its hydraulic tests and today was lit for steam test

   

   

Photo (3rd February 2003):  Tony Wood

  

Fine weather on 22nd January 2003 gave Andy and Spud the chance to fit the boiler tubes ...
     ... and expand the ends to seal them.  

By mid-afternoon tea-break, they'd done about half of them

Photos: Tony Wood   

6th January 2003:  

Boiler tubes for DS1580 have been annealed and cleaned ready for fitting

Photo: Tony Wood

18th December 2002 

From: Andy Netherwood
Date: 18th December 2002
Subject: DS1580 boiler repair
Tony
Just thought you may like these pics I took of the new uptake just riveted in place on Tuesday 17th December (as you keep on at me for not sending interesting things for you!)
Regards
Andrew

The 'uptake' carries hot flue gases to the chimney after they have passed over the water tubes (you can see some in pic2, but more are yet to be fitted), and is surrounded by boiler water to transfer still more heat... tw

16th October 2002:  

We pressure-tested the main steam pipe to 450 LB psi, and fitted new supports for the grate. John has just about finished preparing the boiler for re-tubing. Tubes were due to arrive this evening.

Here Andy is painting the mud-hole doors after blueing them in to fit

Photo (16th October 2002): Tony Wood

9th October 2002:

Work continues on the boiler for the 45-ton steam crane, and today there were lots of comments about U-boats!

Second pic (via the man-door just visible on the left in the top pic) and third pic (looking down the chimney from the ladder) shows John Sowerby at work in the space normally occupied by the flue 'uptake' (which joins the ring he's grinding, with the hole behind his head in pic 2). His feet rest on the water-tubes which cross the flue.

Three photos (9th October 2002): Tony Wood

   

4th October 2002:  

Work on the boiler of the crane will include replacement of some tubes

Photos (4th October 2002): Tony Wood

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