Kobelco crawlers in London station upgrade

BPH Equipment, a division of Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering in the UK, has taken delivery of five new Kobelco crawler cranes for work at the Blackfriars Underground Station and bridge redevelopment project in London.

The Kobelco CKE700 cranes, with a lifting capacity of 70 tonnes, were manufactured in Japan and shipped to BPH Equipment's depot in Barton on Humber before delivery to the site, spanning the River Thames.

"We are delighted to be awarded the contract to supply five cranes to the project after completing an intense competitive bid process. This new project has given us the opportunity to purchase new machines that fit well with our existing fleet and long term plans," said Graham Booth, BPH Equipment managing director.

"On the confined site, the cranes will be positioned on a bridge over the River Thames and operate adjacent to a live railway. Since they will remain in position for service and maintenance as well as operation for over two years, safety and reliability is of paramount importance," Booth added.