'OLD CRANKY' SCRAPPED TO MAKE WAY FOR FUTURE SUCCESS

A famous landmark that dominated the skyline of the Gloucestershire market town of Newent for decades has been laid to rest in an industrial graveyard.

At one time, Derrick cranes towered above the local Forest of Dean canopy "like dinosaurs" and the structures were a common sight in the quarries, mines and timber yards of the forest. But LFI’s ‘Old Cranky’ was the last Scotch Derrick in the Forest of Dean and all that's left of her are now are a few cogs, the odd pulley, photographs and a timeline video of her being dismantled.

‘Old Cranky’ was originally brought in from Lydney Docks in 1986 as a 120ft long replacement crane for the original that stood before it. The crane’s demise proved to be a shock to those so used to seeing her towering 60ft up in the sky as they travelled through Newent from the M50 to Gloucester. "Like it or not, whether you thought she was an eyesore or a beauty, she was a dominant feature on the Newent skyline for many decades," said the Group Business Development Manager.

Contrary to rumour, she not been dismantled to make room for a supermarket or housing estate, but to help LFI create space for future expansion. "As soon as people heard she was being dismantled the rumour mill started. We’ve always believed as a company in being effective communicators, so we wanted to issue a statement and engage with the local people explaining the crane had been condemned and was being dismantled for safety reasons. She had been a fantastic work-horse in her day, and it will be strange to not see her towering over the LFI site."

Ladder and Fencing Industries (Newent) Ltd was started in 1948 when Trevor Lane started making ladders for local builders in his garden shed, moving to their current site on Horsefair Lane in Newent in 1971. Managing Director Ben Walker is now the fourth generation to run the family business which still manufactures the original and now specialist TuFF Pole timber pole ladder whilst becoming a leading manufacturer of aluminium, steel, and fibreglass ladders, steps, and access equipment.

“Being one of the UK market leaders in access equipment, we are very proud of how LFI has not only survived but thrived throughout our history, without being taken over or squeezed out by larger conglomerates. We pride ourselves on being a family-owned British manufacturer, and although we are very proud of that heritage, we want - and need to keep innovating and to move forward as a company. Our staff works extremely hard to meet production demand from the four-acre site in Newent, to supply major DIY and trade retailers, the construction industry, and the industrial sector across the UK and Europe. 2020 was a record year for us and we are expecting even more sustainable growth and success. We did consider moving to other purpose-built sites to create more room to future proof the companies ambitions, but we wanted to retain our experienced local workforce and so decided against it, choosing to stay here at our current home and dismantle the crane.

FUN FACT!

And in case you are wondering about the difference between a crane and a Derrick…

A crane is a machine that makes use of a hoist rope, wire rope, or chain with a sheave (a pulley system) to lift heavy objects. A Derrick is a machine that makes use of a least one guyed mast or self-supporting tower and a boom.