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25 December 2024

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HPC’s Big Carl makes first move

25 Sep 19 The world’s largest land crane, the Sarens SGC-250, also known as Big Carl, has made his first journey across the Hinkley Point C site.

Despite his enormous size, Big Carl can travel fully rigged
Despite his enormous size, Big Carl can travel fully rigged

The giant lattice-boom crane runs along 6km of rail track and is the only crane in the industry able to relocate fully rigged from one lifting position to another.

To allow it to do this, it has two sets of wheels; one set for rotating 360 degrees and one set for travelling.

Project clients EDF Energy and China General Nuclear Power Group have released this timelapse footage of Big Carl travelling across the site.

The crane can lift 5,000 tonnes at a radius of 50 metres or 2,000 tonnes at 100 metres, but its ground bearing pressure never exceeds 25 tonnes/m².

Its main boom can be extended from 118 metres to 160 metres, and the jib can be extended up to 100 metres. This combination provides a lifting height of about 250 metres and a radius of 275 metres.

Owned by Belgian heavylift specialist Sarens, Big Carl is working for the Bylor joint venture of Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O'Rourke Construction on a four-year contract worth £20m.

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MPU

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