DS58 – 10 Ton Crane

Notes

DS58 is a Civil Engineers Crane with a max lift capacity of 10 tons.

In July 1967, this crane was allocated to Woking PAD (pre assembly dept.), and could often be seen working from the twin bridges that spanned the junction and were a favoured trainspotting location. It would have certainly been involved in work on the Bournemouth electrification that brought about the final end of steam locomotives on the Southern Region. However, contrary to popular belief, 1967 was not the end of steam entirely, as many steam cranes soldiered on into the 1980s!

They were in use both by the Civil Engineers’ department and in the Motive Power department as breakdown cranes.

Built in 1955 by Taylor and Hubbard of Leicester, DS58 was classed as a steam shunting crane, and as well as being used for lifting, they were also used for marshalling PW trains in yards such as Woking. Latterly ’58 was classed as a CCE dept. heavy-duty crane. It had a maximum lifting capacity of 10 Tons, this being the weight of a 60ft track panel with concrete sleepers.

DS 58 ended its career at Eastleigh PAD, where it was withdrawn on the 31st December 1982 along with 3 other CCE steam cranes. DS58, together with its sister crane DS414, was purchased by the MHR for use relaying the Medstead to Alton section of the resurgent railway. Ironically, DS58 was originally purchased as a source of spares for 414, but turned out to be in such good condition that it was later restored.

DS58 & 414 were subsequently joined on the MHR by DS1580, which until 1963 was the Exmouth Junction Breakdown crane. This also survived into the 1980s, finally being withdrawn from Old Oak Common.

DS58 and DS1580 are currently in full working order and regularly earn their keep around the railway.