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Rare crane returns after restoration

Allan WatkissEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
Simon Pattern The Scotch Derrick crane in position at the North End Shipyard. The crane is bright yellow and is in the shape of something resembling a Christmas tree. The cab is in the centre - and the arms of the crane come out like Christmas tree branches and converge in a point at the top. Simon Pattern
The Scotch Derrick crane has been put into position at the North End Shipyard

A rare crane has returned to Hull after being restored as part of a £27.5m scheme to showcase Hull's maritime attractions.

The 18-tonne Scotch Derrick crane is a survivor of the shipbuilding industry along the River Hull that ended in the 1990s.

It was dismantled in 2021 by Anglesey-based specialist engineering contractor Mona Lifting Limited and taken away for conservation work.

The crane has now been put in position in the North End Shipyard, which is being developed into a new visitor attraction featuring The Arctic Corsair, Hull's last sidewinder trawler.

Hull Maritime The crane in its original position. The main jib of the crane is hovering over the River Hull. The colour of the crane is beige, rather than the bright yellow that it has been painted into. Hull Maritime
The crane is thought to have been originally installed in the 1950s

The shipyard is credited with building both HMS Bounty, of 1789 mutiny-fame, and HMS Boreas that was once commanded by Horatio Nelson.

The crane was thought to have been installed when the former lock pit was upgraded into a better dry dock in the late 1950s, the restoration company said.

The new visitor attraction at North End Shipyard is part of the Hull Maritime Project, which also includes improvements to Hull Maritime Museum and Queen's Gardens.

The project has suffered a number of delays, but, according to the project timeline, is expected to be completed in summer 2026.

Simon Pattern A lorry carrying parts of the crane. The low-loader articulated lorry has a white cab. It is carrying the bright yellow parts of the crane. Simon Pattern
The crane was brought back to Hull earlier this week after being restored

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