Roker Pier

50-ton blocksetting crane. From Engineering 1886/10/08

From Engineering 1886/10/08

From Engineering 1886/10/08

1903. Designed by Henry Hay Wake.

2017.

The entrance to Sunderland harbour had been protected by two short piers, North and South, but in 1885 construction started on the large Roker Pier and the New South Pier to provide 125 acres of calm water at the entrance to the River Wear. Roker Pier was opened in 1903

1884 '..... The northern portion of this space, extending from the site of the old groyne towards the north pier, was prepared as a stoneyard for the manufacture of the concrete blocks, and was protected from the sea means of sea wall or embankment 1,260 feet long by 13 feet in height. A cement store of more than one thousand tons capacity was erected, and also an establishment for the concrete machinery, which is capable of turning out 100 tons per hour of properly mixed concrete. Since January last, the block yard, between the embankment and the sea wall, has been completed and it need only be said that the labour and material expended preparing this manufacturing ground are in harmony with the gigantic nature of the task which the Commissioners are facing. The surface has been laid with concrete, carefully smoothed and levelled, so that the heavy 45-ton blocks may of even surface and in due proportion. Three separate lines of rails traverse the concrete flooring of the stoneyard for the purpose of carrying the 50-ton Goliath crane which has to lift the huge blocks. Overhead timber gearing has been erected for the purpose of carrying portable railways upon which the Midget locomotive draws the small tubs containing the concrete. On this double gearing, which runs the whole length of the yard above the mould boxes, are three separate lines of rails of twenty inch gauge. Along this railway the tubs are drawn by the tiny iron horse from the concrete mixing shed, and their contents are tipped into the moulds, which have now been completed in sufficient number to construct the pier. Considerable progress has already been made in the making of blocks. The outer blocks, forming the sides the pier, have been faced with red granite so as to thoroughly protect them from the action of the sea and the sand. The 50-ton steam Goliath crane, referred to above, has been supplied and erected by Messrs J. and H. Ellis, of Manchester. It will load the trollies or low bogies with the great blocks of concrete, and then they will be drawn to the pier by engines specially constructed for the work, There is a novel arrangement by which a different set of wheels can be "letdown," and the whole crane -structure moved by a cross line on to the rails nearer the embankment. The special set of wheels can then be drawn again, and the crane moved backwards and forwards; along the other side of yard. By this wonderful contrivance blocks made along each side of the stone yard can be lifted on to the bogies by the same crane. This gigantic crane, which is'made of steel and iron, is being used at the present time for the construction of a fifty ton radial block-setting crane, which is already in a forward state of erection. It is being built from detailed drawings (prepared in the Commissioner's office) by the North-Eastern Marine Engineering Company ; Messrs J. Abbot and Co., Gateshead; and by the River Wear Commissioners. When completed it will be the most powerful crane which has yet been built in any part of the world. It will travel along the pier, and the whole of its movements will be made by hydraulic power. The radius of this great lifting macliine from the pivot to the block will be 109 ft, the length of the boom will be 146 ft., and the height of the top the main piece above the ground will be about 60ft. The weight of the crane, without , a load, will reach the imposing figure of 300 tons. The Goliath or frame upon which this powerful structure radiates is at present being built at Roker of pitch pine, of heavy scantlings, and strengthened with wrought iron work. The whole of the booms and girder work of the crane proper are being made of steel. The crane will travel along the pier upon fourteen wheels, placed under volute springs. Rapid progress is being made with the work of building this Titan, which it is expected will be set about the commencement of its important duties by the end of February. The first block of the new pier was laid on the 30th of January last, in the presence of Mr. Laing, Chairman of the Commissioners, and a number of the members. Since then, 366 feet have been constructed, and the public have some idea from this initial portion of the work what the whole is likely to be. Strong and massive are its characteristic features, as, of course, they ought to be; but the red granite facing of the outer blocks imparls a picturesque appearance to the structure and gives some indication of what will be the effect when, instead of stretching 300 feet below the high water mark, the arm runs 2,760 feet into the sea. Starting about 50 yards from the bottom of the embankment, 366 feet of the pier have been constructed, 300 of which are below the high-water mark. The pier is now of very solid formation, 140 feet of the work being solid and carried down tne rock, while the shore portion has been laid upon broad footings of concrete and large stones. Up to the present time the concrete has been deposited en masse, and is faced with red granite blocks, surmounted on the south side by dressed grey granite coping blocks, weighing from four to seven tons. On the north side of the pier for a distance of 300 feet, dressed grey granite parapet and steps are course of construction. From the end of this parapet the same style of coping will be continued as that upon the south side. It is intended to pave the pier with small red granite blocks, and a commencement will shortly be made with the portion already completed. From the point which is now reached it is intended to put in the concrete foundations within cover-dams until the rock is reached, when the 45-ton blocks which are now being made will be used. During the construction of the pier it is intended to throw a bridge over it so as to facilitate access on the part of the public from one portion of the beach to the other. A iron rail has been placed along the top oi the sea and when the pier is completed the public will oe protected a heavy iron ornamental rail on either side. The whole of the plant for the manufacture of the concrete and the railway for its conveyance have been finished, and there is now large stock of material at the works. With respect to future operations, may repeat that, after going a certain distance, the foundations of the pier will be formed 100-ton bags of concrete, the bags being jute. These ponderous bags will be transported, two at time on board a steam barge to the site of the foundation, where they will be lowered into position by means of powerful brake machinery. The rock of course, will have been previously cleared of sand and made ready for the reception of the concrete foundation. The bags will be brought up 1ft 6in. above low water mark, and will then be levelled so as to receive the blocks. The foundations all the way out will from 60 to 65 feet broad, and the width at the top will be 35 feet. The depth of the pier will range from 24 feet inshore to 54 feet at the seaward end. The level of the top will be 10 feet above high water mark, and the foundation of the outer portion will 43 feet 6 inches below high water mark, the depth gradually diminishing shorewards. The pier head will be formed by means of an immense cylinder weighing about 1,500 tons and measuring about 70 feet in diameter. This huge caissoon will be constructed on shore, and floated to its position, where it will be submerged and filled with concrete. A passage will be through made the pier, so that in rough weather, when the waves are washing over it, there will be no difficulty getting to the lighthouse which will «sand at the furthest end. After the Pier, has progressed to about two-thirds of its length, the intention of the Commissioners is to make a start with the construction of the South Pier, which, as we have said, will be extended 1,760 feet, with a slight curve to the north. The work is being satisfactorily carried out under the personal direction of H. H. Wake, the engineer to the Commissioners.'

1886 Description of aspects of construction work, and of the 50-ton capacity steam-hydraulic block-setting crane, used to place the 45-ton concrete blocks for the pier. The blocks were moulded in boxes on a concrete platform in the block yard, and all outside blocks were faced with red granite to give the impression that the pier is constructed from courses of granite blocks 10 in., 11 in., and 12 in. deep. A subway 4 ft. wide and 6 ft. high, was made in the heart of the pier, as an access to the lighthouse in rough weather, and to convey the water and gas pipes necessary for lighting the pier and supplying the radial crane during the progress of the work, and eventually to supply the lighthouse.
Hydraulic power came from four 2 3/4 in. plunger pumps, 15 in. stroke, worked by a pair of direct-acting high-pressure horizontal engines, with cylinders 15 in. in diameter and 18 in. stroke. With a steam pressure of 60 lb. per square inch from a vertical boiler, the engines gave a hydraulic working pressure to the rams of 1000 lb. per square inch. A Cherry 1 cwt. steam hoist of 25 ft. lift was provided for raising the coke for the boiler. Construction of the crane was divided into three parts; the portion relating to the girder work was let to the North Eastern Marine Engineering Co, South Dock, Sunderland; the contract for the engine, boiler, and hydraulic machinery generally was let to John Abbot and Co of Gateshead; the travelling goliath and related components were constructed by the Wear Commissioners’ workshops. Henry Hay Wake, C.E., engineer to the Wear Commission, was responsible for the design.

'ROKER PIER WORKS. THE MONSTRE CRANE.
The Roker pier works continue to progress at a rate which, if not very apparent to the public, is none the less real and substantial. The large crane, which has been under construction several months, is now in working order, and it will greatly facilitate future operations. This mechanical contrivance combines many novel features, which make it, if not the largest crane in the country, at least one of the most powerful. the first place, it built entirely of steel, and is called a 45 ton block setting crane. Most other cranes are built of a compound of iron and wood, or of wood alone, and the substitution of steel will not only make the crane lighter, but much more durable. The crane at Roker Pier works combines other features of interest, one of which is that lieu of steam the motive power is hydraulic, and accumulator is dispensed with in favour arrangement by which the water forced direct into the hydraulic rams. The engine consists of two 15in. steel cylinders with 18in. stroke, and there are four plunger pumps which work between the cylinders. These pumps force the water, as already stated, direct into the rams at a pressure of 1,000 lbs. per square inch. There are in all eight hydraulic rams, three of which have a diameter of 12 1/2 in. with 15ft. stroke, geared two to one to give 30ft. lift. These three rams are for lifting and lowering the block into position. There are two other rams, by means which a block can be set at a distance of 60 feet from the front position of the travelling bogey. Two other hydraulic rams of nine inches diameter and ten feet stroke are intended for radiating or slewing the crane from side side, so as to enable a block to be set on either side of the pier. The eighth or small ram, placed at the top of the hole, is for the purpose of making the return stroke, the rams, of course, being single-acting. The total length of the crane girder work is 143 feet, and the height from the ground the top the column 60 feet. The crane Itself is carried substantial pitch pine bogey, and has a total weight of 290 tons, or, with the addition of the block, 335 tons. It will, it is expected, be put into operation within the next fortnight. We referred at the outset to the progress which is being made with the Roker Pier works, and it may here be as well to state that nearly 300 feet of foundation have been finished this year in addition to the 366 feet completed last year. Should no accident occur, it is believed that the 300 feet of foundation will be completed to coping level before the winter, and here the new crane will be utilised order to raise the 45 ton blocks, and place them in position.'

From the drawings it will be seen that the machinery and the steel boom are supported on a massive wooden structure, the strongest parts being above the two sets of wheels. It will also be noted that the crane only slewed through a limited angle either side of the central axis, this being sufficient to place the blocks and bags and skips of concrete ahead of itself, these items being served on railway trucks which passed under the frame.

See here for a photo of the crane in operation

See here for excellent photos of the crane, and an expensive collection of bigwigs. The photos show details of the blocks, including the granite facing and vertical grooves at the ends to allow blocks to interlock. Also note the navigation lamp on the end of the boom, and two underslung inspection platforms. Also note the rail-mounted skip used to deposit concrete.

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