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5th January 2017

Ainscough Crane Hire Completes Lift In Sunderland

Ainscough restores important statue to Sunderland’s skyline

Market leading lifting company, Ainscough Crane Hire, has completed a lift in Sunderland for structural repair specialist St Astier, after they restored a statue to the top of the city’s Empire Theatre.

The golden Terpsichore statue (the Greek goddess of dance and chorus) had been a fixture in one incarnation or another atop the 2000 capacity venue since it opened its doors in 1907 but was removed for safety reasons following wind damage in early 2015.

A team from Ainscough’s local depot used a Liebherr LTM 1060-3.1 all-terrain crane to reinstate the mythical figurine to its perch, some 90 ft above the street below.

Depot manager, Gary Brown, said: “The statue has a real significance to the people of Sunderland and we’re pleased to help restore it to its rightful position.

“Carrying out lifts in busy urban environments comes with a particular set of challenges and considerations but thanks to thorough planning and the experience of Ainscough’s operators, we were able to complete the job safely and quickly.”

Ranson Og, managing director at St Astier, said: “The lift was carefully planned and went smoothly – in fact it only took 45 minutes to re-site the figure.

“The Ainscough team were very professional in their approach and were able to guide the statue on to its mounting, where there were tolerances of only 5mm, were a testament to the skill of the operatives.”

The original statue was actually removed during World War II, after a bomb had fallen nearby rocking the foundations of the theatre. It is now preserved inside the building where it sits pride of place overlooking the main staircase with a replica in its place on top of the theatre.

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