S.A.R. Crane No! 2

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S.A.R. Crane No! 2 South Australian Railways 107 ton wrecking crane No 2

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Crane # 2 in 1929
Built in 1926 by Cowan and Sheldon, the 107 ton crane was acquired in 1989 by Pichi Richi Railway, in the hopes of setting it up in the Quorn workshop area as a working museum piece. It was built for use on broad gauge (5' 3" or 1600mm), and was powered by a boiler and steam engine, and could propel itself at slow speed during jobs. Later converted to a Cummins diesel engine, and to standard gauge (4' 8½" or 1435mm), it saw extensive use on the SAR system, including recovering locomotives and wagons involved in derailments. Improved road access and cranes saw the withdrawal of the crane from service.

Crane # 2 1975
Train Crash at Crystal Brook - In 1975, 24th October after a lot of heavy rain in the Crystal Brook area & the creek flooded. The water undermind the centre column. Then at about 19:00 that night a freight train crossed it coming into Crystal Brook, with the first Loco, 703 just making it across before the bridge colaped.The force broke all couplings on the other two locomotive, 868 & 874.This all happened about 3 hours after a passenger train, The Indian Pacific had passed over the bridge.

Crane # 2 at work

PRR arranged for the crane to be moved to Stirling North, at a sedate 40km/h, from its home at Mile End locomotive depot, and it has sat at Stirling North for the last decade, waiting for funds and expertise to move it the final 32 kilometres to Quorn.

Crane # 2 stands at Keswick 1987
Crane # 2 working at SN
Crane # 2 stands at SN

It was used a couple of times while at Stirling North. Once was to lift two heavy carriage jacks that had been delivered with the crane onto a truck for transport to Quorn. The other was to lift the crane's match wagon (which the jib rests on during transporting), also onto a truck for transport to Quorn. The match wagon is already in the workshop area, on a length of standard gauge track patiently waiting for the rest of the crane to arrive and be put to use.

This crane was cut up early this year, as PRR were told by ARTC it had to it moved off their land by July 2002. It now is just a memory & this page is to preserve some histroy & photos of this crane.

Crane # 2 in 1929	Built in 1926 by Cowan and Sheldon, the 107 ton crane was acquired in 1989 by Pichi Richi Railway, in the hopes of setting it up in the Quorn workshop area as a working museum piece. It was built for use on broad gauge (5' 3" or 1600mm), and was powered by a boiler and steam engine, and could propel itself at slow speed during jobs. Later converted to a Cummins diesel engine, and to standard gauge (4' 8½" or 1435mm), it saw extensive use on the SAR system, including recovering locomotives and wagons involved in derailments. Improved road access and cranes saw the withdrawal of the crane from service.
Crane # 2 1975	Train Crash at Crystal Brook - In 1975, 24th October after a lot of heavy rain in the Crystal Brook area & the creek flooded. The water undermind the centre column. Then at about 19:00 that night a freight train crossed it coming into Crystal Brook, with the first Loco, 703 just making it across before the bridge colaped.The force broke all couplings on the other two locomotive, 868 & 874.This all happened about 3 hours after a passenger train, The Indian Pacific had passed over the bridge.
Crane # 2 at work