September 13 - Bergheim-based Wasel GmbH erected a Liebherr LTM 1750-9.1 mobile crane to its maximum hook height of 154 m to dismantle a hanging scaffold on Cologne Cathedral.
This was the first time since it had been delivered to Wasel in March that the 9-axle mobile crane was to be used with full boom extension and 91 m luffing jib.
The positioning of the crane posed a problem, since it had to be erected in the forecourt of Cologne Central Station, one of the busiest railway stations in Germany. This meant that the crane crew were only allowed to block off the areas of the forecourt, needed to assemble the boom, at night.
Overnight the crane was equipped with supports, telescopic boom guys and extension, including a pivot section and ballast. The area was too small to assemble the lattice boom to its full length flat on the ground, with only 90 m available, so it had to be assembled in a suspended position with the help of a Liebherr LTM 1095-5.1.
Once erected, the most prolonged part of the job was the fastening of the elements to the cross beam and separating of the sections of scaffold from the basic construction. The aluminium scaffold had to be removed in three sections from the cathedral tower at a height of 100 m.
Once this was completed the Liebherr crane manoeuvred the scaffold, which was roughly 7 m wide and 33 m high, between the towers, over the top of the northern side aisles and past the tower, to deposit it in front of the main entrance with the help of a LTM 1070-4.2.
Watch a video of this tricky project here:
