Crane's pre 1970

[beck&pollitzer]

Hi All,

I have been going back through our archives (Beck & Pollitzer Engineering) and have come across these photo's.

Do not have much information on them, so any further greatly appreciated.

Will post more when I come across them.

Regards

Simon

[Jeremy Rowland]

Hi Simon,

Welcome to CMN thanks for posting the crane pics, very interesting although I am no crane expert I'm sure there are members who can enlighten us all on the cranes in these pics.
Are Beck & Pollitzer a national company or just a Midlands company? I do still see trucks in your livery in my area?

Jeremy

[martyn williams]

The photo of the Coles crane in pic 4 is interesting.There is one like it still in use at Newport.
It seems to be used at Rowecord engineering.They are prefabricating structures for the London 2012 games.I will take my camera in to work and see if I can photograph it.
Dinky toys made a model of it I think.
Martyn

[beck&pollitzer]

Hi all

Update

Picture 3 is from September 1958 and is of a new model of Rover Car being lifted into the Royal Festival Hall by crane number 19 for a Press Preview.

Picture 4 is from Belle Vue Manchester and was a lift for the Textile Machinery and Accessories Exhibition taken October 1958. It was a 15 tonne mobile crane made by Coles(thanks B100 LOADER)

Jeremy Beck & Pollitzer is now an international company operating from 16 locations. The company will celebrate it's 150th year in 2013.

Thanks for the welcome

Simon

[Martyn Henley]

Welcome to CMN Simon

Martyn is this the dinky toy you were on about ?

colescrane.jpg

nearly £200 worth of toy

Martyn

[keepitbrief]

Here is a good site for coles cranes http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tonyonthemoon/Coles.html
i think pic 3 coles Endurance 25t with a Double cab normal had a single cab so the jib would swing around for travel ,or on latter cranes carrie extra jib sections.

[BulldozerD11]

welcome to CMN Simon

Great old photos Interesting tressle set up to slide the tank over the river at Decca,.

The first crane looks like a Coles Ranger - details here http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tonyonthemoon/Coles-type-ranger-truck-20T-6x4-1952.html

The second with twin cabs looks like a Colosus - see here http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tonyonthemoon/Coles-type-colossus-truck-41T-8x4-1954.html

hope this info is some use
Dave

Edit: - I see Keepitbreif has provide link to site while i was looking detail up.

[Roger]

As a new member of the group, I hope no-one minds if I post some photos of "heritage cranes" I am (or have been) involved with.

First is a Coles Milo 16-ton diesel electric yard crane. Dating from the 1950's this had a Perkins P6 diesel driving a generator and all-electric motions, including travel. In essence, it is the same crane as in the first post, but on a yard chassis not a road chassis. Very simple to operate, but quite rare in this cionfiguration. I owned this for a couple of years, and sold it about two years ago to a machinery collector in East Anglia.

IMG_0888.JPG

The main reason for disposing of the Coles was the acquisition of a British Hoist & Crane Iron Fairy 6, the original Iron Fairy, which was far more practical for my purposes. This is a 1961 example and when I bought it was effectively one-owner-from-new, having been delivered to a Royal Ordnance Factory when new. This is fitted with the original BMC OEB diesel engine, and is road legal, although with no suspension at all, a top speed of about 12 mph, and rear wheel steering, driving it on the highway is not a pleasant experience (either for the driver or the traffic behind)! Max lift is 6 tons.

P8180671.JPG

The reason for having either of these is to allow restoration to be carried out on the oldest member of the fleet, a 1908 Ransomes & Rapier steam breakdown crane. This is probably the oldest R&R steam crane in the world (anyone know different?), and was the first 36-ton capacity breakdown crane in Britain. Built to an order of the GWR, it was the Swindon factory breakdown crane for its entire working life. It is currently in need of extensive boiler repairs, but is undergoing a long term restoration. Max lift of this is notionally 36 tons when working propped and clipped, but in practice it is capable of lifting around 50 tons.

PA200370.JPG

[Holger]

Welcome to CMN Roger!

[coles crane bloke]

I have been going back through our archives (Beck & Pollitzer Engineering) and have come across these photo's.
Do not have much information on them, so any further greatly appreciated.
Will post more when I come across them.
Regards
Simon

The Machines in your photos are the Coles Ranger around mid 1950s these are fairly early versions as the jibs are tubular section , It came with various options, 6x4 (the single cab one) 6x6 the twin cab one) and 8x4. The second cab was an optional extra, these were not one man operated. The second man was often driving the following truck carrying the extra jib sections. Max lift 25 ton with 30ft jib