Here at Hawks Hire we’ve been busy this month using our Liebherr LTR 1100 telescopic crawler crane on a contract lift for Aniscough at a complicated gas valve installation in Norfolk.

The ‘CPA Contract Lift’, which used our 100-tonne capacity Liebherr LTR 1100 telescopic crawler crane, was required because some of the valves at the gas sub-station in Dereham, Norfolk were old and needed to be replaced with new ones as part of upgrade works for utility company Anglia Gas.

Lifting contractor Ainscough’s mobile crane was unable to access the site because the axle loadings of its crane were too high for the access road to withstand. Looking for a solution, Ainscough contacted Hawks Hire and we were able to perform the works under a ‘CPA Contract Lift’.

“Under a ‘CPA Contract Lift’ Hawks Hire undertakes all the preparation of risk assessments, technical lift drawings, rigging and lifting procedures, while our highly qualified CPCS lift supervisors, slingers/banksmen and operators conduct the lift, which relieves the client of all the responsibilities of the planning and lifting procedure. All the risks during the lift operation are the responsibility of Hawks Hire and are covered by our insurance,” explains Elliot Hawkins, Hawks Crane Hire owner and managing director.

“With the narrow access and load bearing restrictions the LTR 1100’s advantageous transport options really came into play. We were able to break down and dismantle all the ballast off the crawler crane on to two low loaders to ensure a maximum 10 tonne per axle load, whilst it was being transported on the road to site.  The low axle loadings enabled the crane to be safely transported to site within the capacities of the country road.”

Hawks worked with KCS Transport to deliver the LTR 1100 to site. KCS were able to take off the ballast from the LTR 1100, reducing the total weight to be transported in one go, which ensured the loadings from its low loaders were low enough to run on the country roads into the site.

Once at site the 100-tonne capacity LTR 1100 was able to self-rig in a very tight spot and re-ballast with 32 tonnes of superstructure ballast and 15 tonnes of car body ballast before starting the lift.

“The actual lifts were quite complex with lots of preparation required in the rigging system to ensure we were able to level the newly installed valve to fit in the current pipeline,” added Elliot. “To do this pull lifts were used to ensure we could change the level of the valve to be in line with the current pipeline. When ready the crane lifted the 15.2 tonne valve to a radius of 16m.”

It took three weeks to finalise transport and rigging arrangements prior to the lift, with a further week required to draw up the rigging methodology using chain blocks to level the new value correctly to the existing pipeline.

Once the crane was rigged and all safety checks had been completed the valve took around 10 hours to lift and install as it had to be welded into place from the lift, meaning the crane was on site lifting for three days, including lifting ancillary pieces for the valve.

“The lift at Dereham was a great example of our ability to respond to our client’s requirements,” said Elliot, “whilst maintaining the highest standards of health and safety throughout the operation. Our ‘CPA Contract Lift’ services proved to be the right solution at the right time once again!”

See our Contract Lift services