Rodley Crane Works

LS13 · Post by **LS13** » Sun 16 Dec, 2007 7:09 pm

I've been trying to locate a picture of the Union Crane works in Rodley but can only find this letter head on Leodis.Am I right in thinking that the site of the factory was where Waterside Mews apartments now stands (behind the Crown and Anchor pub)? Leodis seems to indicate that the site was further up Rodley Town street, where Airedale Mews is. From the picture on the letter head, the site looks huge. ie too big to fit in the space between the canal and where Town Street is now. Was Town street further back at this time?

spongebob · Post by **spongebob** » Sun 16 Dec, 2007 7:29 pm

Looking at that picture doesn't part of it still face onto the main road in Rodley? If not it looks very similar.

stevief · Post by **stevief** » Sun 16 Dec, 2007 10:02 pm

Wasn't there more than one crane works in Rodley? I seem to remember a Clarke/Chapman and Thomas Smiths although they may have diversified in later years.By now they will have gone the way of most engineering companies.

LS13 · Post by **LS13** » Mon 17 Dec, 2007 8:53 pm

spongebob wrote: Looking at that picture doesn't part of it still face onto the main road in Rodley? If not it looks very similar. Yes I think you're right--the remaining building does have the long windows, though looks like one of the buildings facing the road has now gone. So is the building that is (partly) still there, the same factory which continued right down to where the Crown and Anchor is?

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 22 Dec, 2007 9:45 pm

I used to be involved in the crawler crane business and Thomas Smith of Rodley built crawler cranes. I only ever visited it once and it was like something out of the nineteenth century. I went for some lower roller parts for a Smiths crane, and we went up three floors in a lift with no doors, then loaded the parts into a wheelbarrow and descended by the same method.

D2G · Post by **D2G** » Sun 27 Apr, 2008 8:54 pm

Has anyone noticed that the plastic over the windows facing the road are slowly being torn down? This now leaves you able to see slightly into the crane works. Does anyone have pictures of the inside? I notice that some days there is still some movement at the gates next to the building where the yard and security office is sited.

Tel. 0532 · Post by **Tel. 0532** » Mon 28 Apr, 2008 1:21 pm

I used to live and play around this area when I was a kid. There was the crane works next to the canal as the photo above (is it still there?). There was another crane works on the junction of Coal Hill Lane and Town Street right over to where Rodley Park is. This covered the whole area where the Horton & Westminster estate now is. I remember seeing the dozen of huge cranes through the gate.No pics though unfortunately.

D2G · Post by **D2G** » Mon 28 Apr, 2008 8:23 pm

Yup the building in the picture is still standing, I think it is still partially running as sometimes the gates are open and a security guard is in the booth. As it happens its up for rent in case anyone is interested in renting a crane factory for awhile. I looked into the "yard" area today on my way home, not a lot in there apart from a couple of blue barrels, assorted items and a rusty boat. Probably won't be much longer before this is also removed for luxury canal side apartments

D2G · Post by **D2G** » Mon 28 Apr, 2008 10:55 pm

Just found an old picture of Rodley Park, down at the bottom are the Craneworks, i'd say this picture is early 1900s

D2G · Post by **D2G** » Mon 28 Apr, 2008 11:14 pm

A recent shot of the crane works taken on 28/04/2008