City’s last Scotch Derrick crane restored and returned to shipyard
By Simon Bristow, Co-Editor
Hull’s last remaining Scotch Derrick crane has been restored and reinstated at the North End Shipyard, marking a milestone in the city’s maritime heritage project.
This iconic crane, a striking reminder of the city’s rich shipbuilding history, has undergone extensive restoration thanks to funding from Hull City Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The restoration, led by specialist engineering firm Mona Lifting, involved dismantling the 30-tonne structure into eight main pieces and transporting it to Wales for meticulous refurbishment. Repainted in a striking yellow, it is now a bold and highly visible feature on the dockside.
BEFORE: The crane before itsd restoration
After four weeks of delivery and installation, the crane now stands adjacent to the new visitor centre, offering a good vantage point for visitors to admire its scale and character.
You can see a time-lapse video of the installation above this story.
Councillor Mike Ross, leader of Hull City Council, said: “We’re thrilled to see the crane back in its rightful place.
“This restoration not only preserves a vital piece of our maritime history but also enhances the visitor experience at the North End Shipyard. A proud piece of our past, now protected for the future.”
Robin Evans, engineering director at Mona Lifting, said: “Mona Lifting are proud to have been involved in this exciting and important project to salvage part of Hull’s industrial and maritime history.
AFTER: The restored crane being installed at North End Shipyard
“Although challenged at times, our team of skilled engineers and craftsmen have worked extremely hard to solve the multiple technical problems of bringing the old crane back to its original condition. It has been immensely satisfying for us at Mona as engineers to see the fruits of our labours as the crane was gradually transformed from a rusting and decaying relic to the as-installed condition it is in now.”
Believed to have been installed in the late 1950s, the Scotch Derrick crane, also known as a stiff-legged derrick, was once a vital part of Hull’s industrial landscape. Standing 17 metres tall with a 30-metre boom, it now serves as a heritage landmark along with historic former trawler Arctic Corsair and the new energy-efficient visitor centre.
The crane restoration is part of the £5.5m regeneration of North End Shipyard and forms part of the wider Hull Maritime project, which is transforming historic sites across the city to celebrate Hull’s maritime past and inspire future generations.