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Restoration
Timeless though the crane might have appeared, it had weathered badly in the hostile conditions on the windy, wet and salty quayside of the Wellington Dock. The ironwork around the base of the crane, and below ground, had suffered significant corrosion by the end of the 20th century. In 2014, amid concerns that the crane could collapse under its own weight, a temporary prop was inserted beneath the jib, to keep the structure stable and safe. For cosmetic purposes, the visible sections of the crane were also repainted. With structural deterioration continuing, a second prop was added three years later, and the site was fenced off. The Port meanwhile worked on plans for the restoration of the ancient monument.
Rusty and unloved, 2014
Underground condition surveys of the crane tail confirmed that the original pintle bearing and roller supports could no longer sustain either the compressive force of the weight of the ironwork above ground or the tensile force arising from any extra lateral pressure on the jib (chiefly, from high winds). An alternative foundation was therefore needed before the props could be removed. Operationally, there was no requirement for the crane to function again as a crane. The objective was purely to restore the monument: to return it to how it looked when first built and to preserve as much of its original structure as possible. The Port accordingly developed a scheme that would make the crane safe again and achieve this objective. After approval from Historic England, the scheme was put into effect in the autumn of 2024.
Severe corrosion of the underground ironwork
New anchor plates and a steel reinforcing cage were inserted into the crane pit. Steel tension bars, fixed at the base to the anchor plates, were then bolted to the framework of the jib. All new components except the bolts were entirely contained within the crane pit and the interior of the box girder of the jib. The only items visible from the exterior were the heads of the new bolts; these were fitted with caps to render them indistinguishable in appearance from the original iron rivets that adorn the jib. The crane pit was then filled with concrete, providing a solid foundation both for the iron structure above and for the tensile bars that now hold it in place.
Steel brackets and bars were embedded in the crane pit to support the weight of the jib.
The crane pit was then filled with concrete to provide a solid foundation.
Cleaning and repainting the iconic jib
With the props removed and the structure repainted, the crane looks as it did when it was first erected in Dover in 1868. The elegant curvature of the jib and the ingenious simplicity of its gear-work mechanism can once again be enjoyed as the defining aesthetic feature of the historic Wellington Dock.
The restoration was generously supported by:
- Coastal Marina Ltd
- CPE Projects Ltd
- ECO-MEP
- Grove Ferry Boat Club
- R&B Engineering Ltd
- Tony Gee and Partners LLP
- Walcon Marine Ltd
- WPH Marine Construction
The Fairbairn Crane at night
