The crane dismantling operation was in full swing in Cinque Ports Street by 10am on Sunday August 2. Crane contractors had brought a huge second mobile crane (pictured, above and below) alongside the new building (blocking off one side of the road to traffic, as shown below), and had to first lift skyward the heavy counterweights on the Norwegian-built Tornborg tower crane (which kept it upright when it was lifting heavy loads).
By noon, the giant jib section had been unbolted, and was ready to be swung out over the street. Timing and precision were immaculate and never were any buildings (or indeed cars) in danger as the whole section was hoisted and let down expertly in one piece on to the waiting vehicle below (bottom photo).
The whole operation had been scheduled to take five hours and was accomplished without major disruption, with the street subject to traffic light controls for one way only movement. “I’ll bet you’ll be glad to see it go, ” said Jamie of Vertical Transportation Ltd of Leighton Buzzard, the contractors.
The tower crane had been in situ for at least eight months and had come to be a familiar part of the Rye skyline, and a striking silhouette whether by day or against the setting sun. Its removal allows completion of the project and a better stand-alone assessment of its architecture.
Photos by Kenneth Bird and Ray Prewer