This vast crane was assembled in LIF over the weekend of 15-16 June to lift the cabins from the Africa House building site (project value £22 million, over-running its original Autumn 2012 completion date).
The huge machine (pictured here just as set up was finished) was required for its long reach – it had to stretch 90 metres to grab the cabins at the North of Gate Street and perform the operation in one go. Otherwise the builders would have required four or so weekend closures to get all the cabins out.
For the machinery fans out there it’s a Liebherr 1500-8.1, I think one of the biggest road-mobile cranes in the country:
‘The eight-axle LTM 1500-8.1 is equipped with a 7-section, 84 m telescopic boom. The lifting capacities are increased considerably due to the jib-suspension. The lattice jib, reaching lengths of up to 91 m, extends the operating range of the 500-tonner to 142 m hoisting height and 108 m reach.‘
Friends of Lincoln's Inn Fields 