A postcard view from the River Clyde of the Fairfield Crane, claimed to be the "largest crane in the world", around 1915.
The massive 180-ton capacity hammerhead crane was built by Sir William Arrol & Co and is one of Clydeside's most famous landmarks. It was designed to handle boilers, steam turbines and engine parts which could weigh in excess of 100 tons.
The Fairfield Crane is immortalised in the song of that title written by Archie Fisher and Norman Buchan. Also known as The Shipyard Apprentice, it was written for a BBC radio series called Landmarks.
Reference: P9801
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
boilers, engines, Fairfield Crane, Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co, hammerhead cranes, landmarks, marine engineering, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, Sir William Arrol & Co, songs, steam turbines