Liebherr cranes prominent in Queensferry Crossing construction

Biggleswade (Great Britain), 10 July 2017 – Liebherr cranes have had an important part to play in the construction of the new Queensferry Crossing across Scotland’s Firth of Forth. Three Liebherr tower cranes were used to build the Crossing’s three towers with assistance from two Liebherr crawler cranes. Over ten different Liebherr mobile cranes types and products from three Liebherr divisions have been used over the life of the project. Most recently a 500 tonne and a 300 tonne crane Liebherr supplied to long-standing customer Bernard Hunter were used in its contract to dismantle the three Liebherr 630 EC-H 40 tower cranes.

From the start of the major Queensferry Construction project in November 2011, Liebherr products have featured prominently. In the earlier stages of construction, three identical 40 tonne Liebherr 630 EC-H 40 tower cranes were erected to build the three 207 m towers that will support the Queensferry Crossing. This new 2.7 km long bridge will be the world’s longest cable stayed bridge with three towers and will sit alongside the existing Forth Road Bridge across Scotland’s Forth Estuary. 

The three Liebherr 630 EC-H 40 tower cranes were supported by two Liebherr LR 1300 crawler cranes, which were owned and operated by Ainscough Crane Hire Ltd. One of these cranes was mounted on a barge in the river. The second machine was based on shore and operated in support of the barge, loading out components to be taken to the base of the towers.

Ainscough Crane Hire also operated a total of twelve different types of Liebherr mobile telescopic and lattice boom cranes on the Queensferry Crossing construction site. These cranes ranged in size from 40 tonnes to 500 tonnes and were used to lift components needed to construct the bridge. At least one model of almost every telescopic crane that Liebherr manufactures was used on the project.

More recently, a long-standing Liebherr customer, Edinburgh-based family business Bernard Hunter, won the contract from Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) to dismantle the three Liebherr 630 EC-H 40 tower cranes and the company purchased two new cranes from Liebherr to fulfil that contract. A 500 tonne LTM1500-8.1 mobile crane with a 35 m fixed fly jib was used to remove the tower cranes’ tie bars from the bridge structure and was lifting five tonnes at a 57 m radius and a 90 m hook height. This crane then went on to remove the tower cranes’ jib sections, head, cabin and slew assembly. Alongside the LTM 1500-8.1, a 300 tonne LTM 1300-6.1 mobile crane was used to remove the tower cranes’ counter jib, hoist unit frame and counterweight ballast blocks. This crane was lifting 22.2 tonnes at a 22 m radius and a hook height of 55 m.