Hydrocon Cranes

Discuss cranes here
User avatar

Topic author
DaveS
Posts: 423
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:20 pm
Real name: David Shearer
Location: Central Scotland
Been thanked: 2 times

Hydrocon Cranes

Post #1 by DaveS » Sun May 03, 2009 10:08 pm

I was down at the Summerlee Industrial museum in Coatbridge today, it's on the site of the ancient Summerlee Iron Works, but in more recent times was the factory for Hydrocon Cranes.

Hydrocon has been mentioned in another couple of threads, but I've never been able to find out much about their range etc.

My late uncle ran a fleet of them in Stirling originally for his structural steel business but moving into hire, beginning with one brand new 'Highlander' he had to obtain a second one rather quickly as it was never available for their own use due to always being out on hire! The fold-up jib types gave way to the telescopics eventually, but he was a dyed-in-the-wool Hydrocon fan.

When I was last at Summerlee, about 14 years ago or so, they had a Hydrocon round the back in a bit of a sorry state. I wonder where it went. There has been a huge refurbishment recently and there wasn't much in the museum about Hydrocon, but here's a couple of pages of Hydrocon literature that was on display in one of the cabinets showing the range in 1968 - I've left the files big so the details can be read :P

DaveS.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by DaveS on Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:54 am, edited 1 time in total.


tim
Posts: 787
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 11:53 pm
Real name: tim
Has thanked: 226 times
Been thanked: 135 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #2 by tim » Sun May 03, 2009 10:53 pm

Hi Dave -there are over 30 pics of Hydrocon cranes on www.ccmv.fotopic.net :thumbs_up: Tim

User avatar

d4c24a
Posts: 759
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:51 pm
Real name: graham
Location: HOOK HAMPSHIRE
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #3 by d4c24a » Sun May 03, 2009 11:17 pm

if i remember correctly claude fentons had one of these and it tipped over during a lift killing the driver
i will ask my dad ,but he went on holiday today ,so it may be a week or so
cheers graham
knowing less and less about more and more until pretty soon i will know almost nothing about practically everything

User avatar

Topic author
DaveS
Posts: 423
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:20 pm
Real name: David Shearer
Location: Central Scotland
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #4 by DaveS » Sun May 03, 2009 11:24 pm

tim wrote:Hi Dave -there are over 30 pics of Hydrocon cranes on www.ccmv.fotopic.net :thumbs_up: Tim


Excellent link Tim, thanks.

DaveS.


Gavin Phillips
Posts: 447
Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2008 11:11 am
Real name: Gavin
Location: north east England, UK
Been thanked: 12 times
Contact:

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #5 by Gavin Phillips » Mon May 04, 2009 8:25 pm

As a separate note, perhaps its just pure coincidence but there was a 2-axle truck-mounted crane which Whitlock built, model 7T which had the same type of boom design.

Is this design feature standard of the era or did Whitlock and Hydrocon have some company partnership at one time?

Typically, at present I don't seem to be able to find a picture of the Whitlock 7T mobile crane...IIRC based on a Foden truck?
Look out that window, Eden isn't burning. Its burnt.

User avatar

Topic author
DaveS
Posts: 423
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:20 pm
Real name: David Shearer
Location: Central Scotland
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #6 by DaveS » Mon May 04, 2009 9:29 pm

Gavin Phillips wrote:As a separate note, perhaps its just pure coincidence but there was a 2-axle truck-mounted crane which Whitlock built, model 7T which had the same type of boom design.


Hi Gavin,

Yes the Whitlock was very similar, as were some types from Allen of Oxford. Jones had a similar idea, but with a cantilever jib - as modelled by Dinky on the Bedford TK. But I've no idea about the design rights which is an interesting point.

The link given by Tim above has extended captions on the pictures, with some info from the original Hydrocon company owner's son.

Dave.S.

User avatar

XS650
Posts: 1969
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:22 pm
Real name: craig
Location: North Yorks
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 373 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #7 by XS650 » Wed May 06, 2009 9:38 am

Hydrocon range brochure very interesting ,whats the difference between 'full circle slewing' and 'continuous circle slewing' options on the Highlander ?
Some pictures of Whitlock cranes ,believe there was only a MK1 and MK11 on Dodge D309 (LAD cab) and Dodge k500's(they also made Hiab type cranes as well);-
crane1.JPG

crane3.JPG

crane4.JPG

crane5.JPG
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Not all those who wander are lost.

User avatar

Topic author
DaveS
Posts: 423
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:20 pm
Real name: David Shearer
Location: Central Scotland
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #8 by DaveS » Wed May 06, 2009 10:03 am

Great stuff Craig! Thanks for posting.

There was one of those leaflets on Ebay a few weeks back. Whitlock stuff sells for good money now.

I see the Whitlock uses a separate cab for crane operations.

XS650 wrote:Hydrocon range brochure very interesting ,whats the difference between 'full circle slewing' and 'continuous circle slewing' options on the Highlander ?


I did wonder about that as I read it on Sunday, but I think the 'full circle' must be like the Hiab, where it will do 360 degrees (or more) but then hits a stop and you can only go back the way you've come! Whereas 'continuous' does as it says and allows you to go round and round to your heart's content! :D

Dave.S.

User avatar

XS650
Posts: 1969
Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 3:22 pm
Real name: craig
Location: North Yorks
Has thanked: 153 times
Been thanked: 373 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #9 by XS650 » Wed May 06, 2009 11:22 am

There was one of those leaflets on Ebay a few weeks back. Whitlock stuff sells for good money now.


Yes it certainly does ,managed to get a MK 1 crane brochure a while back.
There was a collection of Whitlock News's (which i'd never heard of before) up for sale a recently which I wish I had bought, missed the end bid date ,drat. :(
Reportedly Whitlock only made 20 cranes I wonder if any survive ?
Not all those who wander are lost.

User avatar

Neversweat
Posts: 2970
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2007 6:10 pm
Real name: Steve
Location: Theale Near Reading Berkshire
Has thanked: 1236 times
Been thanked: 1827 times
Flag: Great Britain

Re: Hydrocon Cranes

Post #10 by Neversweat » Wed May 06, 2009 6:00 pm

Image
URL of the original image: http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd109/NEVERSWEAT/COMMER%20DODGE/27-10-2008140312.jpg

Steve


Return to “Cranes”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests