30.01.2023

New 55t removes roller coaster

German crane and access rental company BSH has taken delivery of a new 55 tonne Tadano AC 3.055-1, the new crane went straight to work dismantling a roller coaster in Dusseldorf that used all of the crane’s main boom capability.
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The three axle AC 3.055-1 features a 50 metre six section main boom, with optional one metre ‘runner’ or auxiliary boom nose with a 24 tonne capacity, while also taking the maximum tip height to almost 54 metres. The crane can travel with its full six tonnes of counterweight within 12 tonne axle loads, it can also achieve 10 tonne axle loads with 1.1 tonnes of counterweight on board along with 400kg of rigging gear.

The new crane went to work at the Düsseldorf Rhine Fair to help dismantle the 32 metre high Alpina roller coaster which has a track length of more than 1,000 metres, and a top speed of 80kph. The crane left the BHS depot in Euskirchen and travelled the 75 kilometres to Dusseldorf in little over an hour with full counterweight on board and no additional transport required. The crane set up in 15 minutes and was ready to go.
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The job involved removing around 600 tonnes of steel and components weight between 300kg and six tonnes. The track sections weighed two tonnes each and had to be lifted from a height of 32 metres, the job as a whole involved boom lengths from 24 to 50 metres and with radii of up to 36 metres. The complete job took two and a half days - a new record.
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BHS director Peter Barth said: “The crane really proved that it doesn’t just set new standards on paper - it can really deliver everything promised at the work site, which makes it the perfect crane for our needs.”

His son, Peter added: “The biggest challenge was to keep the way clear for other show people when positioning the crane. And this was important, since things always get really hectic on setup and teardown days, and everyone obviously wants to get to the next fairground as quickly as possible. The crane’s compact design really came through for us there. Its ability to move quickly thanks to the fact that it can also be driven from the superstructure really helped.”

Family owned and managed BSH (Bergen, Schleppen & Heben = recovery, towing, and lifting) is based in Euskirchen near Bonn has become a specialist in the assembly and disassembly of amusement rides. In order to carry out such work it also runs aerial work platforms as well as crane rentals.