16.03.2011

End of the road for an old Gottwald?

Over the past two weeks or so we have been trying to find out exactly what happened to ALE’s 1,200 tonne Gottwald AK912.

We received photographs and information that it had fallen from its transport trailer, on February 25th, while being loaded or even unloaded in preparation for a move to a new job and might have been damaged beyond repair?
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The crane fell from its trailer

ALE confirmed that the accident had occurred but after due consideration declined to comment on what actually happened. No one was hurt in the incident but it might result in the end of a long career for a venerable old crane?
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A view from the rear

From what we understand from several different sources, the crane had just completed a job at the Coryton Refinery near Shell Haven in Essex, UK. It had been stripped out and the main superstructure was being loaded or was self-loading onto a low loader or had even completed its loading but was not tied down, when it slipped from the trailer and fell on its side, landing on its heavy steel outrigger mats.
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The crane landed on its outrigger mats

The fear is that the impact may have caused serious structural damage. This is though a very resilient crane. Two years ago we reported in it when it was still a truck crane and had burnt out while travelling to a job in Tunisia.
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After the burnout - The crane is severely damaged

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After the burnout - the other side is not quite as bad

Since then it was repaired and converted to a pure pedestal crane, not difficult as the ‘truck’ carrier parts of the crane simply unpinned from the central outrigger tub when on site. We understand that the superstructure was designed to jack itself up onto its low loader for transport.
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The crane after it was repaired following the burn-out

This Gottwald started out as an AK850 with Franz Bracht in Germany, it was then purchased by Interlift UK and upgraded to an AK912. When Interlift withdrew from the market it was acquired by Baldwins – the original one – and then by its current owner Abnormal Load Engineering – ALE.
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We believe that this photo, from our archive is the original crane

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The upgraded crane with Baldwins

We will try and keep in touch with developments on this crane and hopefully, may see it back at work sometime in the future. After all a replacement will be very costly.
Click here to see 2008 report
If anyone has further information about this crane in terms of its past or good photos, please do not hesitate to send them to [email protected]