Palazzani maintains London station
25 June 2019
A 52m working height Palazzani XTJ 52/C tracked platform is working at St. Pancras Station, London, UK.
Designed by George Gilbert Scott and William Barlow, St. Pancras Station opened in 1868 and has become one of London’s most iconic buildings. In later years the buildings fell into disrepair and would have been demolished but for a campaign by Sir John Betjeman to save It from demolition in the sixties stating that ‘it would be a criminal folly to destroy a building whose name conjured up wondrous images of architecture and light in the mind of every Londoner.’
His campaign was successful, but it wasn’t until the 2001 that the redevelopment work, designed by Sir Norman Foster and later modified by Rail Link Engineering’s chief architect Alistair Lansley, began to restore the station to its former glory.
Following the UK£800 million ($1 billion) refurbishment, the renamed St. Pancras International was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in November 2007. TCA Lifting supplied a large number of spider cranes and powered access equipment during the construction works and subsequent maintenance. The company also helped with the installation of a temporary clock before the new Dent clock was installed.
More recently TCA Lifting has supplied their Palazzani XTJ52 for a major concourse re-lamping project in the Barlow Shed station. The XTJ52 is Europe’s highest spider with a 52m working height, 19.5m radius and is capable of lifting four persons - 400kg SWL.
At less than half the weight of an equivalent traditional self propelled MEWP, the XTJ52 tracked platform offers the low ground loadings essential for working inside the station. One of the useful features for gaining access to the lighting is the articulating three section telescopic jib, which allows the operator to position the basket with precision.
Powered by a silent-pack diesel engine or an environmentally friendly 380V electric motor, the XTJ52 is suitable for use inside or out. Its large, adjustable, rubber tracks transmit a low floor loading and the three, fully proportional, drive speed modes allow full control at all times.
By removing the basket and replacing with a winch, the XTJ52 can be quickly transformed from platform to crane, able to lift 500kg to a height of 49m and 16.5m radius.
