![]() Sinking Īfter the closure of Cockatoo Island Dockyard in 1991, the Australian government decided to sell Titan. Approval for short-term projects was granted over the following two years, including the unloading and reloading of the locomotive Flying Scotsman during its visit to Australia, and the dismantling of a shore-based crane at Cockatoo Island. ![]() The dwindling need for the crane's services and the cost of completely refurbishing the craft saw the dockyard remove Titan from commercial service in 1991. In 1989, surveyors refused to renew the crane's port craft licence because of the age of the vessel in particular, rivets used during the pontoon's construction were showing signs of wear-and-tear. Cockatoo Island Dockyard saw the value of keeping Titan in service, and continued the upgrades, including replacement of the steam-powered system with diesel generators. During the modernisation, the RAN decided that the crane was surplus to requirements, and suspended the upgrade in 1975. Titan lifting a replacement bow for USS New Orleans in 1943Ī modernisation of Titan began in the late 1960s. Early in her career, the crane was used throughout the entire harbour, but the barge's poor seakeeping ability made it dangerous to tow the crane across Sydney Heads, and she was later banned from operating north and east of Bradleys Head. The crane also saw use unloading heavy deck cargo from ships, assisted in the construction of power plants, bridges, and other structures around Sydney Harbour and the attached tributaries, and was occasionally used for the salvage of vessels sunk in the harbour. Titan 's main purpose was to provide heavy lifting services for Cockatoo Island Dockyard installing ships' boilers and propulsion equipment, transporting heavy machinery to and from the island, and launching small craft. Titan had a maximum displacement of 2,125 tonnes (2,091 long tons 2,342 short tons). The only connection between the crane arm and the lattice mast were drive shafts for the slewing (rotational) motors. ![]() Power for lifting and rotating was supplied by a coal-fired boiler supplying three steam generators (two 220 kilowatt generators and a 44 kilowatt auxiliary). The crane was not self-propelled, and required two or three tugboats to manoeuvre her around. The crane was supported by a lattice mast fitted to a riveted-steel pontoon barge that was 176 feet (54 m) long, 79 feet 8 inches (24.28 m) wide, and had a depth of 13 feet (4.0 m). Two 75-tonne (74-long-ton 83-short-ton) counterweights were used to ballast the load water ballast tanks could also be used, but this rarely occurred. The crane could lift up to 150 tonnes (150 long tons 170 short tons) at an arm radius of 90 feet (27 m), or 125 tonnes (123 long tons 138 short tons) at 125 feet (38 m). Titan 's cantilever-jib arm could reach 190 feet (58 m) above the surface at maximum extension. On completion, the crane was handed over to the RAN. The crane could be used in a limited capability, although it was not until 1919 that replacement screws of sufficient quality were acquired. However, during construction, the 40-ton lead screws for the crane's jib arm were lost when the merchant ship Afric was torpedoed. The crane was launched on 5 December 1917. Ordered on 5 October 1916, construction at Cockatoo commenced on 7 March 1917. Titan was fabricated in the United Kingdom during World War I by Cowans, Sheldon & Company of Carlisle, then transported to Australia in parts for assembly at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, Sydney. ![]() During the tow, the crane's barge inverted on 24 December, and the crane was scuttled five days later. Although heritage-listed, Titan was sold to a Singaporean company, and authorisation was given to tow her to Singapore in 1992. She was fabricated in Carlisle in the United Kingdom, then sent to Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney for assembly, before entering service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).Īfter being declared surplus to requirements, the crane became the property of Cockatoo Island Dockyard, which operated it until the dockyard's closure in 1991. Titan was a floating crane that operated in Sydney Harbour from 1919 until 1991. Lift of 150 tonnes (148 long tons 165 short tons) The mast is to be installed at Bradleys Head.Ģ,125 tonnes (2,091 long tons 2,342 short tons) The floating crane Titan, being towed under the Sydney Harbour Bridge with the foremast of HMAS Sydney in 1929. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |