On 15 Jul 2007, at 10:51, Adrian Stott wrote: >> and how do you unload the crane from the wagons without another >> big crane ? > > With a smaller crane mounted on the following wagon. > > How do you think this was done before large road-delivered cranes (or > the roads to carry them) existed?
Quite efficiently. Early on a Saturday morning in freezing weather in the winter of 1961 a multiple derailment at Woodwalton resulted in 3 large locomotives and 53 wagons being liberally distributed over all 4 tracks of the East Coast Main Line. Two of the locos were on their sides. All 4 tracks were re-opened to traffic by noon on the Sunday. [Source: 'Top Shed' - P.N.Townsend] Baz
