The disappearing wheelhouse - part 14

Is now May 2008 and we dus be continuin wiv da removal of da wheelhouse. Dey had successfuly ripped out all da interior and dad decided to cut the wheelhouse off in three stages.

Da first stage was the back of the wheelhouse up to the ladder leadin to da roof. Once he'd made all da cuts he needed, they were ready to make the first big lift. Mum dus be operatin da crane an takin photos. Not easy to do boaf, which is why at first she only take photos when dat first load is safely on da ground! Once they got the first one out of da way they realise was all gonna be ok! The crane was copin easily wiv da weight and mum was havin no problems wiv da lifts. Ere dus be da first load safely on da shore.

Woofhoo!! Piece of the cake. I was locked inside during lifts and drops in case da crane did drop its load on ma head.  Errr ok no argument from me mum! Dad seems to be lookin ravar relaxed bout da whole affair ;)).

Dad starts the next cut and decides they gonna remove da front from da wheelhouse. Dis one is a big lift and very heavy so best to get it down as soon as possible. They are losin light fast which aint elpin! Dey put all da chains and hooks in place as he start cuttin and mum puts some tension on da chains to help dad wiv da cuttin. Ere he dus be doin da cuttin wiv da gas axe.

At dis point dad ad to stop cuttin and they had to work out what they was doing wif all da wires, cables and pipes. They spent some time cuttin and removin what wasn't necessary and chasin some of it back to da engine room to see what they had to keep. It took a lot longer dan anticpiated and by the time they were done it was dark. 

They discussed the best fing to do next. They could leave everyfin til da next mornin but now da crane was holdin the front of da wheelhouse in place, dad was worried about stability of the crane, the wind, the tide and all of us safety. They decide to press on and dad say to mum is she sure she can handle da crane in the dark. Let's go for it, she say. So they did. Bloddy bonkers if your arks me! 

Dad continue wiv da cuttin on da starboard side and mum wait pashuntly in da cab of da crane for da next lift. She decided to take me into da crane wif her for safety and I fink for bit of support! Coz she talkin all da time to me tellin me wot goin on  'right Lexie, wot we gonna do now is, we gonna push dat lever forward to bring down the chain, right?'. Ok mum ;)). Ere it goes! Mum pull back da lever and keep slowly increasin da tenshun in da chain. The crane start to tip forward (even a big crawler crane like dat cud be pulled over)  as mum pull back. The front of da wheelhouse suddenly pop free and dere it is hangin in da air!

Dey stop for a moment and mum relax back in da cab and wait for her heartbeat to go back to normal! Phewie! Dat woz bit scary I fink. No time for stopping dad say. Let's get dat bit on da shore as quick as we can! Up, up, up mum dus lift it higher and higher to make sure it can clear Atlantis.

And higher! Keep your nerve now mum!

Mum holds da lift in posishun while dad comes safely ashore to direct mum on da last part to lower it down to da ground. She moves da boom to the right and uses da levers to  bring down the chain at da same time as she lower da arm. It is very dark now! You can see da telegraph pole in dis photo (just) wot she has tt make sure she don't knock down wiv da boom. Is bout 10.30pm at dis time.

 

Dad decide is too dangrious to carry on so they get it all on da ground and den pack up for da night. They can carry on in da mornin coz there is lot of cuttin still to do. 

Wiv dat is off to bediscles for an early start. Tune in next time and you will see the final lifts and Atlantis wifout a wheelhouse.