Cranes Collection

The Tyne Bridge under construction, 27th February 1928 (b / w photo)
907790 The Tyne Bridge under construction, 27th February 1928 (b/w photo) by Geddie, James (1879-1944); Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums; eTyne & Wear Archives & Museums; British, out of copyright

Red-crowned Crane - pair displaying, necks intertwined. In snow Hokkaido, Japan
WAT-8308 Red-crowned Crane - pair displaying, necks intertwined. In snow Hokkaido, Japan Grus japonensis M. Watson Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only

Preston Docks, Lancashire
A wonderful photograph showing the Bardic Ferry unloading British Road Services trucks while docked at the quayside in Preston, Lancashire. Photograph by Heinz Zinram

Wallsend, Tyneside
Houses and factories with cranes on the skyline in Wallsend, Tyneside

Cranes at the Swan Hunter shipyard on the River Tyne, Northeast, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Blitz - Fire at Surrey Commercial Docks, Rotherhithe
Warehouses ablaze (the left wing of the No.8 warehouse) following the heavy enemy bombing raids on the Surrey Commercial Docks in Rotherhithe

Wallsend-on-Tyne - Shipbuilding and the BP Tanker British Hazel in dock. Date: 1963

RMS Queen Elizabeth, Cunard Lines
Cruise liner RMS Queen Elizabeth, Cunard Lines. Date: circa 1960s

A ship unloading at the pier at Battersea Power Station, seen from across the Thames, London, England. 1960 s

Shipyard Sunset
Sunset over the shipyards of the River Wear at Sunderland, Co Durham, England

Part of the tremendous stores of Stephen and Sons Ltd shipyard, Glasgow. This was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Linthouse, Govan in Glasgow, on the River Clyde. Circa, 1950s

River Clyde, shipbuilding industry in Glasgow, Scotland. May 1951

A nuclear submarine berthing at Devonport docks, Plymouth, Devon, 1980. The site has been established as a naval construction and refit yard since 1690

Devonshire Dock - Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria Date: circa 1910s

Building work on the widening of the Swanley Bridge in Kent. 1938

Stained glass window in church near Akan Hokkaido depicting Japanese Cranes

London Docks 1930S
Barges, cranes and tramp steamers at the London Docks

Shipbuilding, Glasgow, Scotland, 6th March 1971. Face of Britain 1971 Feature

Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia - Completed
A view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia - pictured shortly after construction had finished. The bridge was designed and built by Dorman Long and Co Ltd

Ship to Shore, Container Terminal, Mombasa Harbour, Kenya, East Africa, Africa

Red-crowned Crane - Courtship display - Kushiro Shitsugen National Park - Hokkaido - Japan - eastern Eurasia JPF40133
JPF-13530 Red-crowned Crane - Courtship display Kushiro Shitsugen National Park - Hokkaido - Japan - eastern Eurasia Grus japonensis Jean-Paul Ferrero Please note that prints are for personal display

Bird painting at Bongeunsa temple, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Cranes on an apartment building site, Manchester, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Greater Sandhill Cranes - in winter, feeding in maize (corn) field. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
ROG-12021 Greater Sandhill Cranes - in winter, feeding in maize (corn) field. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, USA

Common Crane - in flight over lake at sunrise. Nigula national park - Estonia
WAT-12543 Common Crane - in flight over lake at sunrise. Nigula national park - Estonia Grus grus M. Watson Please note that prints are personal display purposes only

Greater Sandhill Cranes - in flight, coming in to winter roost at sunset
ROG-12023 Greater Sandhill Cranes - in flight, coming in to winter roost at sunset. New Mexico, USA Grus canadensis Bob Gibbons Please note that prints are for personal display purposes only

Lesser Sandhill Cranes - in flight - to roost at sunset - with Mount Diablo beyond. Central Valley, California
ROG-14187 Lesser Sandhill Cranes - in flight - to roost at sunset - with Mount Diablo beyond Central Valley, California, USA Grus canadensis Bob Gibbons Please note that prints are for personal

Tower Bridge 1930S
A view of Tower Bridge, a bascule bridge, open to allow ships to sail down the Thames. Industrial view from beneath massive cranes

Three Cranes Inn pub York

Glasgow Rangers v Cologne. European Quarter final match at Ibrox. The postponed European cup tie between Rangers and Cologne goes ahead tonight weather permitted. The match finished in a 1-1 draw

Scenes in St Hilda s, Middlesbrough. 11th December 1992

Eleven female cranes standing in dry reed bed, c. 1700-50 (ink and colours on paper)
BL12369 Eleven female cranes standing in dry reed bed, c.1700-50 (ink and colours on paper) by Korin, Ogata (1658-1716); British Museum, London

Blitz in London -- warehouses, Surrey Docks, WW2
Warehouses in a smoky atmosphere following heavy bombing raids on the Surrey Commercial Docks in Rotherhithe, SE London. This raid took place on 7 September 1940

Purple swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), Australia

London Life - The Busy Docks of the Port of London Date: circa 1940

UK, England, London, Royal Victoria Dock, disused dock cranes

Iron Masters District, Middlesbrough, with The Tees Transporter Bridge in background, Middlesbrough, 23rd July 1979

Native vessels, Manama Pier, Bahrain, Persian Gulf
Native vessels by the pier at Manama, capital of Bahrain, Persian Gulf. Date: late 1940s

2-4-2 Tank Engine Suspended by Cranes, Rochdale, Lancashire, England. Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway Date: 1900s

Four crew members enjoying a break, 1950
Four crew members of an engineers train enjoy a break near Glenfinnan on the West Highland extension line between Fort William and Mallaig, 13 August 1950

The Royal Navys aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious seen here under construction at the Swan Hunter Shipbuilders yard on the Tyne at Wallsend. 13th December 1977

A residents view from the balcony of a flat in Queens Street, Coventry, overlooking new flats being built in Hillfields. 12th January 1966

Shipyard cranes rise above tenement apartment buildings by the River Clyde in Scotland March 1971

EyeUbiquitous_20106965
Ireland, North, Belfast, Titanic Quarter, Visitor centre designed by Civic Arts & Eric R Kuhne

The Landing Jetty - Port Elizabeth, South Africa Date: circa 1905

Deck of container ship, elevated view

The giant size of the dry dock at Brigham and Cowans, South Shields is seen here with the ship that is now in for inspection & repairs. Circa 1960

England, London, Docklands, North Woolwich, Royal Docks, Tate and Lyle Sugar Industrial Plant at Dawn

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"Cranes: Symbolizing Strength, Progress, and Industrial Heritage" From the Swan Hunter shipyard on the River Tyne in Northeast England to the snowy landscapes of Hokkaido, Japan, they have become an iconic sight around the world. These towering machines are not just a testament to human engineering but also carry profound symbolism. In Preston Docks, Lancashire and Wallsend-on-Tyne in Tyneside, cranes stand tall as silent witnesses to centuries of shipbuilding prowess. They have witnessed countless vessels take shape under their watchful eyes. The black-and-white photograph captures the Tyne Bridge mid-construction in 1928 – a historical moment frozen in time. Moving further north to Glasgow, Scotland in 1971 reveals another facet of crane usage – this time for shipbuilding purposes. As faces of Britain's industrial might during that era, these cranes played a vital role in shaping maritime history. Cranes extend beyond shipyards too; they oversee bustling piers like Battersea Power Station across the Thames where ships unload their precious cargo. RMS Queen Elizabeth from Cunard Lines once docked here – a majestic vessel embraced by these mechanical giants. Yet not all memories associated with they can joyful ones; during World War II's Blitz, fire engulfed Surrey Commercial Docks at Rotherhithe. Amidst chaos and destruction stood resilient cranes that would later witness post-war reconstruction efforts. Devonshire Dock at Barrow-in-Furness stands as another reminder of how these structures facilitate economic growth and trade even today. Nestled amidst Cumbria's picturesque landscape is evidence of ongoing progress fueled by hard work and determination. As day turns into night over any shipyard worldwide, there is something magical about witnessing sunset hues painting silhouettes against steel frames and machinery - an enchanting spectacle only enhanced by looming cranes reaching towards infinity. Cranes embody more than mere functionality.