An example of the difficulties of crane driving was one night trying to lower pistons into the cylinders of a large Doxford engine. The engine room crane was not commissioned and we had to use the quayside crane. The ship was in the water on a windy night and was moving to and fro quite quickly by normal standards. We could get the piston assembly just about into the cylinder and the ship would move so much and so suddenly that we had to relay, via a man on deck, to the crane driver to rapidly lift the piston out of harms way to avoid damage to the piston and cylinder. Each piston took several attempts install safely and the crane driver would never get a mention.
NORDIC CHIEFTAIN
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NORDIC CHIEFTAIN
by fitter » Sun Apr 07, 2013 11:43 am
Yard number 732. Identical sister of Naess Crusader
Crane art, from the first picture in this post. A reminder that crane drivers were a seldom appreciated, but essential part of shipbuilding. Skillful and patient men who often couldn't see what was happening below and had to concentrate intensely to respond rapidly when large sections and items of machinery had to be moved only a minute amount, and the instructions to do so were hand signals from more than one person. Who knows how many lifts were completed on ships like these and sometimes the crane would have to wait patiently whilst workmen aligned, supported and welded bits together.
An example of the difficulties of crane driving was one night trying to lower pistons into the cylinders of a large Doxford engine. The engine room crane was not commissioned and we had to use the quayside crane. The ship was in the water on a windy night and was moving to and fro quite quickly by normal standards. We could get the piston assembly just about into the cylinder and the ship would move so much and so suddenly that we had to relay, via a man on deck, to the crane driver to rapidly lift the piston out of harms way to avoid damage to the piston and cylinder. Each piston took several attempts install safely and the crane driver would never get a mention.
Crane art, from the first picture in this post. A reminder that crane drivers were a seldom appreciated, but essential part of shipbuilding. Skillful and patient men who often couldn't see what was happening below and had to concentrate intensely to respond rapidly when large sections and items of machinery had to be moved only a minute amount, and the instructions to do so were hand signals from more than one person. Who knows how many lifts were completed on ships like these and sometimes the crane would have to wait patiently whilst workmen aligned, supported and welded bits together.
An example of the difficulties of crane driving was one night trying to lower pistons into the cylinders of a large Doxford engine. The engine room crane was not commissioned and we had to use the quayside crane. The ship was in the water on a windy night and was moving to and fro quite quickly by normal standards. We could get the piston assembly just about into the cylinder and the ship would move so much and so suddenly that we had to relay, via a man on deck, to the crane driver to rapidly lift the piston out of harms way to avoid damage to the piston and cylinder. Each piston took several attempts install safely and the crane driver would never get a mention.
Last edited by fitter on Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: NORDIC CHIEFTAIN
by fitter » Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:51 pm
Launch of Nordic Chieftain 05.04.74 39 years ago when this picture was posted!
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Re: NORDIC CHIEFTAIN
by magoonigal » Wed Apr 10, 2013 11:20 pm
Ore/Bulk/Oil
86,098 Gross. 161,798 Dwt.
81 Cast Heron.
83 Helm.
86 Inci-S.
88 Chihirosan.
89 Eurobulk Carrier.
89 E.B. Carrier.
92 Comrade.
94 Bulk Athena.
New Year, New Name!
Broken up Alang 28th July 1994.
86,098 Gross. 161,798 Dwt.
81 Cast Heron.
83 Helm.
86 Inci-S.
88 Chihirosan.
89 Eurobulk Carrier.
89 E.B. Carrier.
92 Comrade.
94 Bulk Athena.
New Year, New Name!
Broken up Alang 28th July 1994.
Paul Hood. + WSS Tyneside Branch Hon Sec.
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