Isle of Man Lorain

[Rockford]

I was in the Isle of Man this weekend, it was fantastic weather for the first time in ages, but walking along the harbour in Douglas, the capital I spied this on the quayside. Couldn't really get any closer as the dear wife wasn't cooperative. 

I know it's a Lorain of about 35-40 ton capacity by the number of axles, but other than that, I'm an ignoramus. It's one of the many old cranes left on a quayside for lifting boats about. 

A company called Woolfendens in Liverpool had a few Lorains in the 60s and 70s, I can only imagine they were ex US military based in the UK. 

Edited September 9, 2024 by Rockford
Text editing

[Gramps46]

Thanks for sharing this photo of the quayside at Douglas.  My grandfather Kelly was from Douglas.

[Rockford]

You're welcome. 

I've since found out that it's a 1954 Lorain MC540 so it is 40 ton, as I thought. How it ended up in Douglas IOM I really can't imagine. There's some close up photos on Flicker from 2011 so it's been there for some time and still appears to be mobile, they move it around the island for boat lifts. 

I've added a few more photos of Douglas for you. The prom and the harbour. We go every year for a meeting so I don't take many photos. 

We had blistering sunshine Friday and Saturday then on Sunday our plane couldn't take off because of the severe gales across the runway at Ronaldsway airport. 

[Gramps46]

Thank you for the photos.  

They are special for me.