Restoration of Hull’s Last Remaining Scotch Derrick Crane

Mona Lifting are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the contract to dismantle and restore the final remaining Scotch Derrick Crane from the historic Hull shipyards.

This contract recognises Mona Lifting’s expertise in the careful and sympathetic restoration of historic artifacts and our expertise in industrial heritage. The 18 tonne Scotch Derrick crane, sometimes known as a Stiff leg derrick, is located at the North End Shipyard, and represents 400 years of Hull’s shipbuilding history. Mona Lifting will dismantle the crane into sections, and take it away to undertake the work, retaining its historical detail and significance.

The crane was thought to have been installed when the former lock pit was upgraded into a better dry dock in the late 1950s. Now, a rare survivor of the River Hull, the crane reflects the active shipbuilding that continued in this area in more recent times.

The crane will be given a new lease of life, thanks to funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Hull City Council as part of the Hull Maritime project. Once complete the historic piece will return to a new location within the North End Shipyard site for visitors to appreciate for years to come. This work is undertaken as part of ambitious plans to rejuvenate this part of the riverside and create a new visitor attraction for the city, with the dry dock becoming the permanent home of the Arctic Corsair along with a new visitor centre.

Councillor Daren Hale, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “We’re delighted to appoint Mona Lifting to repair and restore this disused crane, enabling it to become a visitor attraction in its own right. The 20th century Scotch Derrick crane is a key symbol of recent maritime past and vital it’s retained as a heritage feature.”

Work to dismantle and remove the 18 tonne crane is expected to get underway in the coming months.

You can read more about the project on Hull Maritime project web site, and the Hull City Council web site.