Episode 3

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0:00:02 > 0:00:06Ainscough is Britain's biggest mobile crane hire company.

0:00:07 > 0:00:11At dawn every day, their cranes criss-cross the country.

0:00:11 > 0:00:12All right, let's go for it.

0:00:12 > 0:00:15Apart from my family, this is the second love of my life.

0:00:15 > 0:00:17It's a family, and then cranes.

0:00:17 > 0:00:19They lift everything...

0:00:19 > 0:00:21- Nice and steady. - Get it this way, mate.

0:00:21 > 0:00:22..from wind turbines

0:00:22 > 0:00:24to priceless art works.

0:00:24 > 0:00:28- I'm feeling a little bit nervous. - Keep going.

0:00:28 > 0:00:29What if it slides out?

0:00:29 > 0:00:31It won't. It's not going to slide out.

0:00:31 > 0:00:33Their life is in our hands up there.

0:00:33 > 0:00:37One wrong move up there from us, and it's game over for them.

0:00:37 > 0:00:39..24 hours a day...

0:00:39 > 0:00:40Hold it.

0:00:40 > 0:00:42You've just got to get it right,

0:00:42 > 0:00:45because if you don't, it could pull the crane over.

0:00:45 > 0:00:46It's going to go. It's got to go.

0:00:50 > 0:00:51..seven days a week.

0:00:51 > 0:00:53Don't pull it, Joe.

0:00:54 > 0:00:57You wouldn't get me up there, that's for sure.

0:00:57 > 0:00:58Can you see it trying to twist round?

0:00:58 > 0:01:00They keep Britain lifting.

0:01:00 > 0:01:03- Yeah, happy on the hoist. - Not many people can say

0:01:03 > 0:01:06they've had the opportunity to work with a ship like that.

0:01:06 > 0:01:08We're a small cog in a big machine,

0:01:08 > 0:01:12which helps make this country better.

0:01:12 > 0:01:14But facing increased competition

0:01:14 > 0:01:18and having invested millions in the latest cranes,

0:01:18 > 0:01:20the company is at a crossroads.

0:01:20 > 0:01:23If we don't deliver, it's a bit like football management.

0:01:23 > 0:01:27I guess we have some conversations about whether you get to stay for next season.

0:01:27 > 0:01:30Do I have a few sleepless nights thinking about that? Yes, I do.

0:01:41 > 0:01:44The company's headquarters in Preston,

0:01:44 > 0:01:50the hub of a national network of 460 cranes and over 500 drivers.

0:01:51 > 0:01:53- Crane hire.- Thank you.

0:01:55 > 0:01:57Enquiries for lifts from all over Britain

0:01:57 > 0:02:00go through their national call centre.

0:02:02 > 0:02:07After a tough year following £100 million of investment,

0:02:07 > 0:02:10orders are coming through thick and fast.

0:02:10 > 0:02:12We go from John O'Groats to Land's End,

0:02:12 > 0:02:15and we cover everywhere in between.

0:02:15 > 0:02:17We want total domination.

0:02:19 > 0:02:21We want to be the main player in the UK.

0:02:21 > 0:02:24We've got to do it right first time, every time.

0:02:25 > 0:02:28At the moment, it's just crackers, absolutely crackers.

0:02:28 > 0:02:30It's phone call after phone call after phone call.

0:02:30 > 0:02:32It doesn't even stop at the weekends. It's just mad,

0:02:32 > 0:02:34absolutely mad at the moment.

0:02:35 > 0:02:39Nothing gives you more pleasure than coming to work in the morning

0:02:39 > 0:02:41and seeing a yard empty.

0:02:45 > 0:02:48While many of the cranes are on the roads,

0:02:48 > 0:02:51one of their biggest is in Scotland, working 24 hours a day.

0:02:57 > 0:03:01That's the way to go to work!

0:03:01 > 0:03:02I'm loving it!

0:03:04 > 0:03:08Crawler driver Andy Surridge is making his daily commute.

0:03:08 > 0:03:10Proper job. That's the way to go to work.

0:03:10 > 0:03:13Didn't even drop the camera. That's a result.

0:03:13 > 0:03:17This is the LR1300, pretty little girl.

0:03:17 > 0:03:20That's a 300-tonne crawler crane. She looks so pretty.

0:03:20 > 0:03:22Some of them do look a bit ropey.

0:03:23 > 0:03:26- RADIO: Up easy on the wire. Up easy. - Up easy on the wire.

0:03:28 > 0:03:31Andy is working on the foundations of a new bridge

0:03:31 > 0:03:33being built over the Firth of Forth.

0:03:36 > 0:03:38His crane is sitting on a barge in the river,

0:03:38 > 0:03:40which presents its own problems.

0:03:42 > 0:03:45Driving a crane on water's a lot, lot different.

0:03:45 > 0:03:49On the land, all your work is done by reference points around you,

0:03:49 > 0:03:52buildings for vertical lines, and all sorts.

0:03:52 > 0:03:56When you're out here on the water and it starts getting a bit bumpy,

0:03:56 > 0:03:58all that just goes out the window.

0:03:58 > 0:03:59Here he comes.

0:03:59 > 0:04:01Are we roughly on that far corner?

0:04:04 > 0:04:09Andy is working with divers who are removing debris from the sea bed.

0:04:09 > 0:04:12Swing round there, and drop this in the water for the divers.

0:04:12 > 0:04:15Normally what we do is find the diver's bubbles,

0:04:15 > 0:04:18and see where the tides run in,

0:04:18 > 0:04:21and we try and put the chains over the diver's head

0:04:21 > 0:04:22and lower down gently,

0:04:22 > 0:04:26because literally he can see 12 inches in front of him, if that.

0:04:26 > 0:04:28RADIO: Down on the wire.

0:04:28 > 0:04:29Down on the wire.

0:04:32 > 0:04:34- All stopped.- All stopped.

0:04:34 > 0:04:37So there's a diver down now, standing underwater.

0:04:37 > 0:04:39I think he's about five or six metres down.

0:04:39 > 0:04:42I'm going to lower the chains down to him.

0:04:42 > 0:04:46He's going to go into the bag, and then we'll bring the bag out.

0:04:48 > 0:04:51You could literally carry what I'm just about to lift in one hand.

0:04:58 > 0:04:59But there is a downside.

0:05:00 > 0:05:04Andy is working 12-hour shifts, six days a week,

0:05:04 > 0:05:07500 miles away from his home in Kent.

0:05:07 > 0:05:10It's quite a long old job. Long days.

0:05:10 > 0:05:12And you just sit around, you start thinking,

0:05:12 > 0:05:15"Is this really the best thing I'm doing here at the minute?"

0:05:15 > 0:05:18Birthdays, barbecues, you name it, we've missed it.

0:05:18 > 0:05:21You think, I just need to be home.

0:05:21 > 0:05:24Perhaps it is time to be doing something different.

0:05:27 > 0:05:31Another day done, another shift finished. What a way to go home.

0:05:31 > 0:05:35To give him some home comforts, Andy has another lady in his life.

0:05:37 > 0:05:41My little darling Beverly. Welcome to the pleasure dome, guys.

0:05:43 > 0:05:44Banging the head.

0:05:44 > 0:05:48Yeah, so this is a little bit of home from home, basically.

0:05:48 > 0:05:51Shower, toilet, everything in there.

0:05:51 > 0:05:56We've got cooker, food cupboards, with Bisto gravy.

0:05:56 > 0:05:58And you've got your comfy chair.

0:05:58 > 0:06:00Just down there, in front of the telly,

0:06:02 > 0:06:05I think I told my wife that I'd work away

0:06:05 > 0:06:08until we saved up enough for a deposit for the house.

0:06:08 > 0:06:12I'd say that was 25 years ago now I've been working away so...

0:06:12 > 0:06:14I think we're still on honeymoon really cos I've worked away

0:06:14 > 0:06:17so long, I've probably only been with her a couple of weekends

0:06:17 > 0:06:20together so we're still on honeymoon, I think.

0:06:20 > 0:06:24Keep it clean and tidy. Beverly makes it a lot easier.

0:06:24 > 0:06:25CLATTER

0:06:25 > 0:06:26Oh! There goes my plate.

0:06:30 > 0:06:34Keeping drivers on big jobs is the key to keeping the crane

0:06:34 > 0:06:36business growing.

0:06:39 > 0:06:43Having invested in a state-of-the-art 750-tonne crane,

0:06:43 > 0:06:46the firm are keen to exploit new markets.

0:06:50 > 0:06:54In Humberside, the UK's biggest power station, Drax, is being

0:06:54 > 0:06:58converted to eco-friendly biofuel.

0:06:58 > 0:07:01# When will we see you again? # Your lights, Mark.

0:07:01 > 0:07:05Today, as part of the conversion, drivers Mark and John have brought

0:07:05 > 0:07:11the new crane to the site to lift an 84-tonne roof section on to a silo.

0:07:14 > 0:07:15Watch your fingers!

0:07:15 > 0:07:19For us, it's a simple lift. It's a nice lift, one lump.

0:07:19 > 0:07:23But, obviously, for the client, it's complicated for them.

0:07:25 > 0:07:28It is a big day. It's very, very expensive.

0:07:28 > 0:07:31You only need one thing to go wrong

0:07:31 > 0:07:34and it basically doubles the cost of everything.

0:07:34 > 0:07:35We're happy.

0:07:40 > 0:07:45The crane can cost anything between 15 and 40k a day.

0:07:45 > 0:07:49And the pressure is on to get the lift right first time.

0:07:49 > 0:07:51- RADIO:- Shall we get going, mate?

0:08:03 > 0:08:06It's 87 tonne on there now.

0:08:06 > 0:08:09Just as they start the lift, an alarm in the crane gives warning

0:08:09 > 0:08:12that the load is suspiciously heavy.

0:08:13 > 0:08:17- RADIO:- Say that again. - That's 87 tonne on there now.

0:08:19 > 0:08:21Plain English, it's too heavy.

0:08:22 > 0:08:25It's coming up more than they said. Take some stuff out of it, then.

0:08:25 > 0:08:28Hand rail, gantry.

0:08:31 > 0:08:34This sort of thing's called cheating, really.

0:08:36 > 0:08:38They have took quite a bit of stuff out that's not supposed

0:08:38 > 0:08:40to have been in there, believe it or not.

0:08:40 > 0:08:43You know, we must have about a quarter of a tonne coming out of it now.

0:08:43 > 0:08:45And we've had five of them already.

0:08:45 > 0:08:48Well, this is just stuff that's stored in it.

0:08:48 > 0:08:50Save them for craning up another day.

0:08:52 > 0:08:54- RADIO:- Shall we give it another go, mate?

0:08:55 > 0:08:57Three hours later than scheduled

0:08:57 > 0:09:01and now three tonnes lighter, the lift finally gets under way.

0:09:03 > 0:09:07OK going up, mate. You're all right, you're all clear at the minute.

0:09:11 > 0:09:12Nice to see.

0:09:19 > 0:09:22It's looking good, all clear, mate, keep going up.

0:09:22 > 0:09:24Let's just hope it fits.

0:09:31 > 0:09:35- RADIO: - You've got about another 1,100, 1,200 to go till you're clear.

0:09:35 > 0:09:38Right, start going down the rope again, Mark, please.

0:09:38 > 0:09:40He's just starting to settle it down now.

0:09:42 > 0:09:45It's tricky because we've only got 25 mil of clearance all

0:09:45 > 0:09:46the way around it.

0:09:48 > 0:09:51Right, Mark, start going down again, mate.

0:09:51 > 0:09:55Down the rope, mate, down the rope. They're pretty close.

0:09:55 > 0:09:56Not far off now.

0:09:56 > 0:09:59I'd say if we're anywhere between two or three mil out,

0:09:59 > 0:10:01then I'd be a liar.

0:10:01 > 0:10:03- RADIO:- Liar.

0:10:06 > 0:10:09That's another one done. Move on to the next one.

0:10:11 > 0:10:13That's the life of a crane gang.

0:10:20 > 0:10:24In Scotland, crane driver Andy has packed up caravan Beverly

0:10:24 > 0:10:29and is heading south to the Heavy Cranes Division HQ in Preston.

0:10:31 > 0:10:33Poor old girl - she'll look like she's been through

0:10:33 > 0:10:36the tumble dryer by the time I get to wherever I'm going.

0:10:37 > 0:10:40He's applied for a change of job and has an interview

0:10:40 > 0:10:44for a role as a lift supervisor that could bring him closer to home.

0:10:46 > 0:10:50I've just given up a bloody good job on the Forth earning a bloody

0:10:50 > 0:10:55good wage so... I don't know whether I've shot myself in the foot, really.

0:10:55 > 0:10:57We'll have to wait and see.

0:10:57 > 0:11:01We've just got to sort out exactly what this new job is

0:11:01 > 0:11:03and how I'm going to get about the country

0:11:03 > 0:11:06while doing it is the main thing, I suppose.

0:11:06 > 0:11:10Giving up long term jobs would mean Andy would no longer need his Beverly.

0:11:11 > 0:11:15There are times that it becomes bloody awkward having a caravan.

0:11:17 > 0:11:20She's still there anyway, she's still following me.

0:11:26 > 0:11:31Jim Fleming is the manager of operations within the Heavy Crane Division.

0:11:31 > 0:11:35He's responsible for 40 operators and keeping them and their

0:11:35 > 0:11:37cranes out on the road.

0:11:37 > 0:11:39Is there enough room for that neck?

0:11:39 > 0:11:43You are sacrificing your social life for work, basically.

0:11:43 > 0:11:46Heavy crane guys are away all the time - it's very seldom that they're

0:11:46 > 0:11:50back in the house so their social life and their family does suffer.

0:11:50 > 0:11:52It's a big commitment for them.

0:11:53 > 0:11:56Andy is one of his most experienced drivers.

0:11:56 > 0:11:59I hate things like this.

0:11:59 > 0:12:00Here we go.

0:12:00 > 0:12:05I'm good at driving cranes, I'm not good at meetings in offices.

0:12:07 > 0:12:10'They're a sought-after precious commodity'

0:12:10 > 0:12:13and the company's got to try and keep the guys that they've got.

0:12:14 > 0:12:17- How are you?- Yeah, we're good, mate, we're good.- Right.

0:12:18 > 0:12:20What we're planning on doing,

0:12:20 > 0:12:22we're going to keep you as a spare driver...

0:12:22 > 0:12:23- Yeah.- ..with the crawler cranes,

0:12:23 > 0:12:27train you up on all the rest of the crawler cranes...

0:12:27 > 0:12:30and do a bit of lift supervising in-between that.

0:12:30 > 0:12:34Or we move you from the crawler crane side to the mobile side

0:12:34 > 0:12:39- and you'd become a lift supervisor then...- Yeah.

0:12:39 > 0:12:41..but also doing the spare driver with the crawler cranes.

0:12:41 > 0:12:43Just give me a van and I'll shoot up

0:12:43 > 0:12:45and down the country all over the place all day long for you.

0:12:45 > 0:12:48Right. Well, to get you a van, we'd have to swap you to the mobile side.

0:12:48 > 0:12:51- I'd have to swap to the mobile side. - Yeah.- Yeah. Right, cheers, Jim.

0:12:51 > 0:12:55- Thank you very much.- No worries. You take care.- Yeah, will do.- Cheers.

0:12:55 > 0:12:59Unlike crawlers, mobile cranes have a different job every day,

0:12:59 > 0:13:03and as a lift supervisor, Andy will need a van to get about.

0:13:05 > 0:13:07Something like that would be perfect.

0:13:07 > 0:13:10I think he'll step up to the challenge. I think he'll be good.

0:13:10 > 0:13:13He's got a good attitude and a good outlook on life.

0:13:13 > 0:13:15He just needs a bit more experience on the mobile crane side

0:13:15 > 0:13:17and he'll be a good lift supervisor.

0:13:17 > 0:13:20Be able to get home a bit more if I have a few spare days in-between.

0:13:20 > 0:13:22It's looking good.

0:13:22 > 0:13:24The future's bright, eh?

0:13:33 > 0:13:37London, where much of the heavy lifting is done under

0:13:37 > 0:13:39the watchful eye of the Hayes depot.

0:13:41 > 0:13:44- Are we stripping down for this one like we normally do?- Yeah.

0:13:44 > 0:13:45Come on, scales.

0:13:45 > 0:13:49Depot manager Di is enforcing her weekly weigh-in

0:13:49 > 0:13:51called "Ballast Watch."

0:13:51 > 0:13:5512st 6lb. It's gone back up. Runner-up last month was Mr Vogan.

0:13:55 > 0:13:57Bring on the heavy ballast.

0:13:57 > 0:14:00Kevin Vogan has stepped off the cranes to become

0:14:00 > 0:14:04a contract lift manager but some old habits die hard.

0:14:04 > 0:14:06Bring it on.

0:14:06 > 0:14:1015, 20 years past driving cranes now but I like to keep the crane

0:14:10 > 0:14:13driving tradition going so I'll eat whenever I can.

0:14:13 > 0:14:15Bring it on.

0:14:15 > 0:14:18- 17st 1lb!- He's just lost!- 17st 1lb!

0:14:18 > 0:14:21It's just a bit of fun and it breaks up the week and hopefully,

0:14:21 > 0:14:24makes us all a little bit healthier.

0:14:24 > 0:14:27- We're all watching what we're eating, aren't we?- Yeah, yeah.

0:14:27 > 0:14:29- Right, back to work.- Are we done?

0:14:31 > 0:14:35Kev is responsible for dealing with new business.

0:14:35 > 0:14:38He's heading to Park Lane to meet a client.

0:14:40 > 0:14:43This is a statue that, I've been told, weighs seven tonnes.

0:14:45 > 0:14:47And it's going to be lifted, obviously,

0:14:47 > 0:14:53from a vehicle by us onto a plinth outside the Dorchester Hotel.

0:14:53 > 0:14:56As you can imagine, it's extremely valuable and someone's pride

0:14:56 > 0:14:58and joy.

0:14:58 > 0:15:00The arts missed me at school

0:15:00 > 0:15:03and so I've been brought up with the school of hard knocks.

0:15:03 > 0:15:08I can understand how people can find it very interesting, but not for me.

0:15:09 > 0:15:14Even for the big guys, a delicate touch is sometimes needed.

0:15:14 > 0:15:19- Abby, how are you?- Good, thanks, and you? Long time.- It has been.

0:15:19 > 0:15:20So this is it.

0:15:20 > 0:15:23- Yep.- It's the delicacy at the top. - The delicacy, yeah.

0:15:23 > 0:15:27- And so it's keeping all the strapping as free as we can.- Yeah.

0:15:27 > 0:15:30- Shall we go and have a look at the location?- Yeah, sure.

0:15:32 > 0:15:37- 500,000 people pass this every day. - Do they?

0:15:37 > 0:15:40- And so it would be just amazing for people to see it here.- Yeah.

0:15:40 > 0:15:42- Is this where it's going?- Yeah.

0:15:42 > 0:15:44They want us to do it on a Sunday.

0:15:44 > 0:15:48They want us to come in as super- early as we can

0:15:48 > 0:15:52so a sort-of 6am thing when traffic is lowest.

0:15:52 > 0:15:54OK and they're going to shut off one lane completely?

0:15:54 > 0:15:57- Yeah, exactly, for while we're here. - Excellent, well done.

0:15:57 > 0:16:01If it goes, there's no putting it back together so you're my man, Kevin.

0:16:01 > 0:16:04- Well, I'll bring the superglue along.- Exactly, please don't.

0:16:06 > 0:16:08It's just a different side of crane hire, you know.

0:16:08 > 0:16:11We have to take on the enormity of it

0:16:11 > 0:16:14and understand how delicate this item is.

0:16:15 > 0:16:17Cos, you know, there's no second chance.

0:16:23 > 0:16:25- John, can I have wages? - Thank you very much.

0:16:25 > 0:16:28- Sorry, I'm not paying you this week. - Oh, that's good enough.

0:16:28 > 0:16:30The same as last week.

0:16:30 > 0:16:34With so much work around in the capital, manager Di's job is to keep

0:16:34 > 0:16:37her 32 cranes and drivers as busy as possible.

0:16:38 > 0:16:41If they're in the yard, they're on a basic eight-hour day,

0:16:41 > 0:16:43seven hours on a Friday, eight Monday to Thursday.

0:16:43 > 0:16:46Everybody got their wage slips? Right, Ronnie.

0:16:46 > 0:16:48When the crew are out working,

0:16:48 > 0:16:51they can more than double their income through overtime.

0:16:53 > 0:16:58They can take home 80-90,000 a year on the larger cranes.

0:16:58 > 0:17:01It's just dependant on how much overtime they get.

0:17:01 > 0:17:03They do get grumpy and whingey because, obviously,

0:17:03 > 0:17:06they're just on a basic eight-hour day in the yard.

0:17:06 > 0:17:10Transport For London has told the company that their crane drivers

0:17:10 > 0:17:13must undergo a cycle awareness course

0:17:13 > 0:17:16if they're to continue working in the city.

0:17:16 > 0:17:19But this means a day on basic pay with all valuable work called off.

0:17:22 > 0:17:24There's no point in it.

0:17:24 > 0:17:28I'm not employed as a cycle driver, I'm employed as a crane driver.

0:17:28 > 0:17:29Why should I do it?

0:17:29 > 0:17:32I didn't run anyone over in London in a lorry so why should I do it?

0:17:32 > 0:17:34Pointless. I'm not doing it.

0:17:39 > 0:17:42I've had them ranting and raving at me and everything but for us to

0:17:42 > 0:17:46be able to get onto these sites, they have to at least attend the course.

0:17:52 > 0:17:57You need to man up, Lee. Yeah? And keep your mouth shut.

0:17:57 > 0:18:00Wahey, whoa, that's not going to happen, is it?

0:18:00 > 0:18:02- But either way, Lee, you have to go do the course.- Right.- Please.

0:18:02 > 0:18:06- Do I get paid for it? - It'll be on company time, won't it?

0:18:06 > 0:18:08See? Lee wins.

0:18:09 > 0:18:14A crane driver is not happy unless he's moaning.

0:18:14 > 0:18:16That is their job - to moan.

0:18:16 > 0:18:18Right, guys, gather yourselves over.

0:18:18 > 0:18:22Let's just quickly run through everything, get everybody familiar.

0:18:22 > 0:18:26Last year in London, HGVs were responsible for over half

0:18:26 > 0:18:32the cycling fatalities, despite making up only 4% of the traffic.

0:18:32 > 0:18:35Vroom! Buh-buh-buh-buh.

0:18:35 > 0:18:37I go out riding every night. Look at me.

0:18:37 > 0:18:39Body's a temple, innit?

0:18:39 > 0:18:42Just have a little ride around, just get familiar with them.

0:18:44 > 0:18:47- Woo-hoo! - It's like a ballet out there.

0:18:50 > 0:18:52- I don't get it.- No.

0:18:53 > 0:18:56There we go. Observation, looking where we're going.

0:18:56 > 0:18:58Oh, dear.

0:18:58 > 0:19:02They need to see the road from a cyclist's point of view.

0:19:02 > 0:19:04# Do you ever get one of those days

0:19:04 > 0:19:07# When nothing goes right from morning to night

0:19:07 > 0:19:08# Do you ever get one of them days? #

0:19:08 > 0:19:12Yeah, I can't ride like this for long cos my arse is killing me.

0:19:15 > 0:19:17- Where we going?- This way.

0:19:19 > 0:19:21Woo-woo-woo!

0:19:24 > 0:19:26But at the back, they are not taking it seriously.

0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Slow down!- Slow down! Trying to kill somebody.

0:19:32 > 0:19:35This prompts a bit of a lecture.

0:19:35 > 0:19:37We go and we have fun and we do stuff

0:19:37 > 0:19:39and we're not always the brightest at what we do.

0:19:39 > 0:19:42Yeah, but this is all about blaming the driver and not the cyclist.

0:19:42 > 0:19:45It goes back to who's got the control of the vehicle that

0:19:45 > 0:19:48has got the capacity to go fast on roads.

0:19:48 > 0:19:52No, if there's ever an accident, it's always the car driver or the lorry driver that gets the blame.

0:19:52 > 0:19:53It's never the cyclist.

0:19:53 > 0:19:57First of all, let's look at who gets hurt in this situation - who is the one that gets hurt?

0:19:57 > 0:20:01- It's not just the cyclist, it's the actual driver as well who gets mentally hurt by it.- Good!

0:20:01 > 0:20:05Exactly that, OK? So, at the end of the day, regardless of where the blame lies

0:20:05 > 0:20:08with this stuff, the key thing about it is that

0:20:08 > 0:20:12whether you're the driver or whether you're the cyclist, you don't

0:20:12 > 0:20:14want to end up in that situation.

0:20:14 > 0:20:16You were joshing away there, having fun.

0:20:16 > 0:20:19- Was it actually dangerous to anybody?- No.

0:20:19 > 0:20:22I'm going home. I don't want to play no more.

0:20:22 > 0:20:24I don't come to work to ride a bike

0:20:24 > 0:20:27and be taught how to suck eggs on the road.

0:20:27 > 0:20:31It should be cyclists being taught this, not professional drivers,

0:20:31 > 0:20:32should it?

0:20:33 > 0:20:34But, hey-ho, let's crack on.

0:20:50 > 0:20:52London, 6:00am.

0:20:56 > 0:20:58Part of Park Lane is to be closed

0:20:58 > 0:21:02to allow the seven-tonne marble sculpture, "The Spirit Of Life",

0:21:02 > 0:21:04to be lifted into its new resting place.

0:21:06 > 0:21:09But things are already running late.

0:21:09 > 0:21:12PHONE RINGING

0:21:12 > 0:21:15- PHONE: Hello, Kev. - Hi, Kev, how are you doing?

0:21:15 > 0:21:19- Yeah, we're with the people that's bought the sculpture.- Yep.

0:21:19 > 0:21:22I've had to widen the road up a little bit.

0:21:22 > 0:21:25Yeah, you've got another good half a metre there.

0:21:29 > 0:21:32Everything's got to be done as prescript.

0:21:32 > 0:21:38Any rushing, slightest mistake and who knows what can go wrong?

0:21:38 > 0:21:39Well done.

0:21:41 > 0:21:45The sculptor, Helaine Blumenfeld, has flown in from Italy

0:21:45 > 0:21:47to oversee the positioning of her artwork.

0:21:47 > 0:21:49Have another little lift up on the hoist, Mike.

0:21:49 > 0:21:51Another little lift up on the hoist.

0:21:53 > 0:21:56That's it, she's coming nice, mate. Nice and steady.

0:21:57 > 0:21:59Keep it coming.

0:22:02 > 0:22:04Keep it coming, mate.

0:22:15 > 0:22:18God, Helaine, it's going to be amazing!

0:22:18 > 0:22:20I love the trees behind.

0:22:24 > 0:22:30I'm looking forward to experiencing that moment when art hits you

0:22:30 > 0:22:34and you get that sense of... I don't know what that sense is, actually.

0:22:34 > 0:22:36I'm waiting to find out.

0:22:36 > 0:22:39Maybe I should have took a bit more interest in the art studies

0:22:39 > 0:22:40rather than the art teacher.

0:22:40 > 0:22:43She was very nice.

0:22:43 > 0:22:47That comes over this side. It left a mark on the other side.

0:22:47 > 0:22:49Dead straight.

0:22:49 > 0:22:50Having got the crate off,

0:22:50 > 0:22:54the sculpture needs to be moved very slowly into position.

0:22:54 > 0:22:58Hold that, hold that. Head up only, mate. Head up only now.

0:22:58 > 0:23:01Really steady on the head. Just creep up on the hoist there, mate.

0:23:01 > 0:23:02Much more.

0:23:02 > 0:23:03The thing with marble is it's so brittle

0:23:03 > 0:23:06so if you knock it with a hammer,

0:23:06 > 0:23:08you know, anything, you'll chip it

0:23:08 > 0:23:13and then the work's ruined so, yeah, you've got to be delicate with it.

0:23:15 > 0:23:18My original idea was to have it more this way

0:23:18 > 0:23:23but I think having it parallel with the steel plate looks the best.

0:23:41 > 0:23:44- Hold that. - You did so well, fantastic.

0:23:47 > 0:23:51- So organic.- Really does.- Really.

0:23:53 > 0:23:56It is very thought-provoking. I can get it now.

0:23:56 > 0:23:59To me, it's a flower opening and I love flowers.

0:23:59 > 0:24:01I love the spring, I love daffodils.

0:24:04 > 0:24:08- You've opened my eyes to art, you have.- Awww.- You really have.

0:24:08 > 0:24:10The world is so formed now, isn't it?

0:24:10 > 0:24:12It's so formal and so formed so we know, you know,

0:24:12 > 0:24:14this is a street, that's a vehicle and then this...

0:24:14 > 0:24:18- No, I think people's imaginations get lost.- Gets lost.

0:24:23 > 0:24:26I remember when I was a kid, there was a programme on the telly

0:24:26 > 0:24:28called "Day of the Triffids."

0:24:28 > 0:24:31That's what I'm thinking at the moment.

0:24:32 > 0:24:34It's the Day of the Triffids, mate.

0:24:43 > 0:24:44This is our crane here.

0:24:45 > 0:24:50I do like mobile cranes, I must admit. They do look quite nice.

0:24:53 > 0:24:59In Southampton, crawler driver Andy has a new van and he has a new role.

0:24:59 > 0:25:01Now, a lift supervisor, you've got to...

0:25:01 > 0:25:04Well, it's just completely different,

0:25:04 > 0:25:06you've just got a lot more responsibilities.

0:25:06 > 0:25:10If anything goes tits up or wrong, it's your job to, uh,

0:25:10 > 0:25:12find a solution to the problem.

0:25:17 > 0:25:21The team are waiting for a 78-foot racing yacht, Lupa,

0:25:21 > 0:25:23to arrive to be weighed.

0:25:25 > 0:25:27OK, Matt, I'm going to turn in.

0:25:27 > 0:25:30We've just arrived from the States.

0:25:30 > 0:25:32Since we've arrived, we've just been stripping the boat down

0:25:32 > 0:25:34and getting it ready for the lift.

0:25:34 > 0:25:37They'll be creating a single point lift for us in order for us

0:25:37 > 0:25:41to get an accurate measurement of the weight of the boat

0:25:41 > 0:25:46so that we can enter the Maxi Regatta in Sardinia in September.

0:25:49 > 0:25:52The job will entail lifting the yacht clear out of the water.

0:25:53 > 0:25:5915 tonnes six is to the bow end and then we make the adjustment on the stern end...

0:25:59 > 0:26:02Technical support manager Bob "The Brain" McGrain

0:26:02 > 0:26:04has spent three months planning the lift.

0:26:04 > 0:26:07- Two sets of 11-tonne chains? - Yeah.

0:26:07 > 0:26:09Yachts are regularly weighed

0:26:09 > 0:26:13but this is more challenging, as the Lupa is to be lifted with her

0:26:13 > 0:26:1690-foot mast in place.

0:26:16 > 0:26:20This is tricky because our crane hoist lines are very,

0:26:20 > 0:26:22very close to the mast.

0:26:22 > 0:26:26The mast is vulnerable to damage and our hoist lines are vulnerable

0:26:26 > 0:26:28to damage so we don't want the two coming together under any

0:26:28 > 0:26:32circumstances but because it's very tall

0:26:32 > 0:26:34and because we're slinging it in the water,

0:26:34 > 0:26:37there will be a degree of movement of the yacht

0:26:37 > 0:26:39and what we've got to do is make sure that that movement doesn't

0:26:39 > 0:26:44cause any impacts between our crane and their yacht.

0:26:48 > 0:26:52As Andy will soon be working all over the country on different lifts,

0:26:52 > 0:26:56he needs to know every piece of equipment inside out.

0:26:56 > 0:26:59- Which one does that go on? - Number two.- Number two.

0:26:59 > 0:27:02It's all a different way, innit? All different.

0:27:02 > 0:27:05I've just not had a lot of experience with the mobiles,

0:27:05 > 0:27:06that's all.

0:27:06 > 0:27:10So it's all second nature to these guys.

0:27:13 > 0:27:18The Royal Ocean Racing Club have sent an official to measure the weight.

0:27:19 > 0:27:21Why has it not been weighed before?

0:27:21 > 0:27:24Uh, it probably has been weighed before

0:27:24 > 0:27:26but yachts' weights change all the time.

0:27:26 > 0:27:30You know, they add things, they cut things out, they change it.

0:27:30 > 0:27:32It also takes in water

0:27:32 > 0:27:36so the boat actually gets heavier through its life.

0:27:36 > 0:27:38- Even the plastic?- Yeah.

0:27:38 > 0:27:40It's good for the crane hire industry that we have to

0:27:40 > 0:27:41go around weighing them.

0:27:41 > 0:27:44It's a pity it's only one of them here, then.

0:27:44 > 0:27:47It's a load cell. It costs a lot of money.

0:27:47 > 0:27:51You've got a shackle on the top, a shackle on the bottom,

0:27:51 > 0:27:55and then it'll record the load, that'll put tension on it

0:27:55 > 0:27:58and it tells you what load you've got on underneath it.

0:27:58 > 0:28:00A-ha! Here she comes.

0:28:01 > 0:28:04It's on its way now.

0:28:04 > 0:28:08It's nice, innit? There's some good fun been had on that, I bet.

0:28:08 > 0:28:11- Can I throw this down to you, mate? - Yeah, do you want it wrapped round?

0:28:16 > 0:28:18They're pricey things, these boats, aren't they?

0:28:18 > 0:28:21So something like this, you're talking,

0:28:21 > 0:28:22I don't know, near enough two million?

0:28:22 > 0:28:24I don't know, even more than that?

0:28:24 > 0:28:27It's scary stuff.

0:28:27 > 0:28:32If we got tag lines front and back so if we can use your people

0:28:32 > 0:28:35and you look after keeping it parallel to the quay edge

0:28:35 > 0:28:38and we'll look after up and down.

0:28:38 > 0:28:41The position of the slings is critical.

0:28:41 > 0:28:44See that G is 286...

0:28:44 > 0:28:48Just centimetres out and the Lupa could be badly damaged.

0:28:50 > 0:28:53We're always pretty nervous about lifting boats.

0:28:53 > 0:28:55It is such a huge machine.

0:28:56 > 0:29:01Multimillion pounds' worth of boat and we don't want them to drop it.

0:29:01 > 0:29:03I'll bring it in a bit, I'll bring it down a bit for you.

0:29:03 > 0:29:07And just connect that sling onto that pin, that shackle now.

0:29:07 > 0:29:10I've just gone through the boat making sure there's

0:29:10 > 0:29:15nothing in there that isn't allowed to be there under the rules

0:29:15 > 0:29:18so there's no sails, there's no ropes.

0:29:18 > 0:29:20There's no food or water or anything like that.

0:29:20 > 0:29:23If you imagine emptying your own home, it's like moving house.

0:29:23 > 0:29:25They have to take everything out.

0:29:25 > 0:29:27They're both the same, both on that cleat.

0:29:27 > 0:29:31- They've probably moved half an inch. - So, Bob, have you got us?

0:29:31 > 0:29:32We're holding her now, yeah.

0:29:34 > 0:29:35With the slings in position,

0:29:35 > 0:29:39the all-clear is given to begin hoisting.

0:30:04 > 0:30:08She might change her orientation a bit when the keel comes out

0:30:08 > 0:30:10so we'll just watch this bulb on the bottom.

0:30:10 > 0:30:12But she's come up lovely,

0:30:12 > 0:30:14she's down a bit on the bow, which is what we wanted.

0:30:18 > 0:30:21- Does anyone have a mobile phone on them or anything like that?- Yeah.

0:30:21 > 0:30:23Can you switch it off, please?

0:30:23 > 0:30:27He's just checking the weight off the load tail in our tackle at the top.

0:30:27 > 0:30:31He just wants it to settle down because it will fluctuate a bit.

0:30:40 > 0:30:45The gross weight is 33 tonnes and 110 kilos.

0:30:46 > 0:30:49With the data gathered, it's a job well done.

0:30:51 > 0:30:55It's cushty, that was good. It looked good so that must have been good.

0:30:56 > 0:31:00It was a lot better than I expected it to be.

0:31:00 > 0:31:02The boat came out of the water level so, yeah,

0:31:02 > 0:31:05I'm just happy we're back in the water without any damage.

0:31:05 > 0:31:09It came up exactly how we wanted it to, just a slight bit bow-heavy.

0:31:09 > 0:31:11So we're all very happy with that.

0:31:15 > 0:31:18Right, homeward bound!

0:31:30 > 0:31:34The crane gang are busy planning lifts all over the country.

0:31:36 > 0:31:39Today, they're heading to Cornwall.

0:31:48 > 0:31:51The company's push into green energy is paying off.

0:31:55 > 0:31:58Tomorrow morning, at what time do you intend to start?

0:31:58 > 0:32:01Farmer Mark Quinn already has one wind turbine.

0:32:01 > 0:32:02Now, he's bought another.

0:32:02 > 0:32:06The team are here to put it together but it's taken three years to get

0:32:06 > 0:32:08sufficient local support.

0:32:08 > 0:32:11This actually hasn't taken too long to get through planning.

0:32:11 > 0:32:16My first site took 17 years, so you have to have patience.

0:32:19 > 0:32:22'We have invested a huge amount of money here.'

0:32:22 > 0:32:26I have basically taken out a mortgage on my farm to buy this machine.

0:32:26 > 0:32:29Being as it's a new industry, it's always a risk.

0:32:31 > 0:32:37Whoo! Come in, get some lights on here. You can probably see right up.

0:32:37 > 0:32:40The wind comes straight up off the sea and up the valley

0:32:40 > 0:32:42and hits right on the hill here.

0:32:42 > 0:32:45You can see from the trees around here, they don't grow straight,

0:32:45 > 0:32:48they're growing at an angle if they grow at all.

0:32:50 > 0:32:54Once plugged into the national grid, it could take as little as six years

0:32:54 > 0:32:57to pay off the £1.2 million investment.

0:32:59 > 0:33:02When I'm older, I'm going to save up for a wind turbine myself.

0:33:02 > 0:33:08They give us money and they produce energy and...

0:33:08 > 0:33:10I think they look pretty.

0:33:14 > 0:33:18We can have these two off now, both 10-tonne each.

0:33:18 > 0:33:22Supervisor Andy Piotrowits will be in charge of the lift and has two

0:33:22 > 0:33:27days to get all the sections of the turbine safely lifted into place.

0:33:27 > 0:33:30You've got the hub assembly there that the three blades go on to

0:33:30 > 0:33:34and then you've got a nacelle, which is like the gearbox.

0:33:34 > 0:33:35We'll take these two off now

0:33:35 > 0:33:38and then we'll take the blades off just basically to get

0:33:38 > 0:33:41the lorries away and then we'll look at assembling this afternoon.

0:33:41 > 0:33:43You want to rebuild the crane now?

0:33:43 > 0:33:48The turbine has been supplied by a Dutch firm, who send their own fitters.

0:33:48 > 0:33:51- You get in these doors all right? - Yeah. Perfect.

0:33:55 > 0:33:58As wind conditions worsen, it is proving tricky.

0:33:59 > 0:34:00It's borderline now.

0:34:00 > 0:34:03We'll get this one off, put them on the floor

0:34:03 > 0:34:07and then we'll re-assess what we're going to do as regards assembly.

0:34:09 > 0:34:12That's good, Bill, keep coming like that. Keep it coming.

0:34:12 > 0:34:15The blades are actually designed to catch the wind or else

0:34:15 > 0:34:18there'd be no point in putting them up.

0:34:18 > 0:34:21And there'd be no point putting them up in a place that wasn't windy.

0:34:31 > 0:34:36The wind speeds have got up now this afternoon so unfortunately,

0:34:36 > 0:34:41it's turned out that we can't do any more pre-assemble, which basically

0:34:41 > 0:34:44means we can't put the blades on the hub which we would liked to have

0:34:44 > 0:34:49done this afternoon, so that's going to be postponed now until tomorrow.

0:34:50 > 0:34:51I'll tell you something - I think

0:34:51 > 0:34:54they're bloody awful things to look at.

0:34:54 > 0:34:55And I live in the countryside

0:34:55 > 0:34:57and I don't really want to be looking at them.

0:34:57 > 0:34:59Couple of decent power stations, mate,

0:34:59 > 0:35:01instead of dicking about with this stuff.

0:35:06 > 0:35:11It's now too windy to offload, it's around 18 metre...

0:35:12 > 0:35:15It's nature and I can't fight nature.

0:35:24 > 0:35:27Heavy lifts may be a big part of the crane hire business,

0:35:27 > 0:35:29but the little ones all add up.

0:35:31 > 0:35:33Ainscough Crane Hire.

0:35:33 > 0:35:34Our business is lifting,

0:35:34 > 0:35:39whether it be a small item or a large item, that is our business.

0:35:39 > 0:35:42We can be lifting anything from even 50 kilos but because of the

0:35:42 > 0:35:45ranges of where it's going to be put, only a crane can do it.

0:35:45 > 0:35:49Even when we're lifting bags of sand, it's all business for us.

0:35:52 > 0:35:55Hiya, Dave. Which skip is it going in? The small skip?

0:35:55 > 0:35:58Yes, the small one with the high-vis jacket on it that you're

0:35:58 > 0:36:00looking at now.

0:36:00 > 0:36:01Oh, that's great.

0:36:02 > 0:36:05At Barnsley Town Hall, an elevator is being replaced.

0:36:08 > 0:36:12Keep coming down. Jib back a touch, jib back a touch.

0:36:12 > 0:36:15The local depot has sent their oldest lift supervisor,

0:36:15 > 0:36:18- Paul Gilpin, to oversee the job. - Paul!

0:36:20 > 0:36:25- Paul!- Keep going, keep coming.- Paul! - 'Got you.'

0:36:26 > 0:36:30I've got two things on the front of my face called eyes.

0:36:30 > 0:36:32'Yeah, very good.'

0:36:32 > 0:36:37On the crane game, altogether, I've been doing it about 33, 34 years.

0:36:37 > 0:36:40I started with crane driving. It's good, it's good.

0:36:40 > 0:36:47Every lift is a different lift. And you learn every day. Even at 65.

0:36:57 > 0:36:59As well as being a lift supervisor,

0:36:59 > 0:37:02Paul runs the yard at the Leeds depot.

0:37:11 > 0:37:14I've always liked cranes and the new ones today,

0:37:14 > 0:37:18they're fantastic compared to the olden days.

0:37:18 > 0:37:2130 years ago, they were animals.

0:37:21 > 0:37:24Today, they're built for the driver.

0:37:24 > 0:37:27And everything is computers and this, that and the other.

0:37:27 > 0:37:30In those days, there weren't any computers.

0:37:35 > 0:37:39These are old crane books, crikey me. These go back donkey's years.

0:37:39 > 0:37:43That was a six-tonner, a six-tonne crane.

0:37:43 > 0:37:45But you used to have to build everything up,

0:37:45 > 0:37:50all the jib sections, on the backs and put them all on the front.

0:37:50 > 0:37:52Really old cranes.

0:37:52 > 0:37:55In those days, you didn't have to take a licence

0:37:55 > 0:37:58because if you had a driving licence, you could drive a crane.

0:37:58 > 0:38:00You just had to be 21.

0:38:00 > 0:38:04Somebody would, obviously, teach you probably for a day

0:38:04 > 0:38:06and then you were away.

0:38:06 > 0:38:10That's an old photo. There's quite a lot of the old lads there.

0:38:10 > 0:38:13Quite a few have died.

0:38:14 > 0:38:18That's me there with the old Spanish 'tache.

0:38:19 > 0:38:21They were good old days.

0:38:23 > 0:38:27For 65, I'm quite fit actually for my...

0:38:29 > 0:38:33For my age, but sometimes it gets to you.

0:38:33 > 0:38:39After a bit, you get out of breath. Which is...which is normal.

0:38:39 > 0:38:41After 34 years on the cranes,

0:38:41 > 0:38:44Paul has decided to put in for retirement.

0:38:45 > 0:38:48I've come to that time in life.

0:38:48 > 0:38:52My father never got to retirement age for a start, and he was only

0:38:52 > 0:38:5962 and that line of the family never reached 65, they never retired.

0:38:59 > 0:39:01They all died before.

0:39:03 > 0:39:07So I just want to retire and just enjoy life.

0:39:07 > 0:39:11He's our superintendent, Paul. He's our key man.

0:39:11 > 0:39:14I don't know how we're going to manage when he goes.

0:39:15 > 0:39:19- It's not long now, Paul, is it? - No, it's not long now.- No.

0:39:22 > 0:39:25It has a good atmosphere when Paul's here cos we have a laugh

0:39:25 > 0:39:28and a joke but we still get our work done, you know what I mean?

0:39:28 > 0:39:29All that'll just go now.

0:39:33 > 0:39:36He'll be truly missed, the old git.

0:39:40 > 0:39:425:00am in Cornwall.

0:39:42 > 0:39:46After a delay of one and a half days, the wind has finally dropped.

0:39:49 > 0:39:51Plan for today will be full erection.

0:39:51 > 0:39:54That'll be the two tower sections up, the generator,

0:39:54 > 0:39:56assemble the hub together with the blades

0:39:56 > 0:39:58and then lift that up probably later on this afternoon.

0:39:58 > 0:40:02Both together now, guys, hoisting up steady. Hoisting up steady.

0:40:02 > 0:40:06Despite near perfect conditions, they've hardly got started

0:40:06 > 0:40:09before there's a problem.

0:40:09 > 0:40:10Hoisting up.

0:40:10 > 0:40:13GRINDING

0:40:15 > 0:40:18Jib back, mate. Jib back, jib back, jib back.

0:40:25 > 0:40:26Wasn't watching, was I?

0:40:29 > 0:40:31But no harm done, a little bit of paintwork.

0:40:35 > 0:40:37Nobody's fault but mine.

0:40:51 > 0:40:53- RADIO:- Yeah, we're nearly there, fellas, nearly there.

0:41:13 > 0:41:15- RADIO:- OK, slowly, cable down.

0:41:21 > 0:41:22Brake is off.

0:41:24 > 0:41:27Right-o, Bill, just nice and steady, mate, hoisting up.

0:41:28 > 0:41:33This lift is the generator. It's the heaviest part of the turbine.

0:41:33 > 0:41:38Probably one of the... Or the second critical lift, this one.

0:41:40 > 0:41:43Millimetre accuracy is required to position it

0:41:43 > 0:41:47so that it can be bolted from the inside.

0:41:51 > 0:41:54- RADIO:- Very, very slowly, cable up.

0:41:57 > 0:41:59OK, slowly, cable down.

0:42:00 > 0:42:04They're the eyes of the crane driver now because I can't see nothing.

0:42:04 > 0:42:08He's tweaking it up and down so I've got to...

0:42:08 > 0:42:11It's just one millimetre...

0:42:11 > 0:42:13It's depending on the skill of the ease

0:42:13 > 0:42:15and gentle touch of the crane operator.

0:42:17 > 0:42:19Andy, move a little.

0:42:19 > 0:42:22Finally, they need to attach the blades.

0:42:22 > 0:42:24Round to your right. A little bit more.

0:42:25 > 0:42:29Down you come, lowering off, mate. Lowering off. Keep it going.

0:42:30 > 0:42:34Right, mate, hold that, stop there.

0:42:34 > 0:42:38Hold that, Bill, full stop.

0:42:38 > 0:42:40Oh, Andy, you do it so excellent.

0:42:40 > 0:42:43You are the best crane jib advisor I ever have seen.

0:42:44 > 0:42:48- I like it when it works. - Just take a little bit of weight.

0:42:48 > 0:42:50- Just pinching up steady now. - Pinch up steady.

0:42:55 > 0:42:59The wind is very, very critical for this lift now, the blades

0:42:59 > 0:43:00and rotor assembly.

0:43:03 > 0:43:07There has been instances in the past with other companies in other

0:43:07 > 0:43:09countries where they've been in the process of lifting and the

0:43:09 > 0:43:14weather conditions have changed suddenly and it can be disastrous.

0:43:17 > 0:43:20Just jib down for me, Bill. Jib it down, mate.

0:43:20 > 0:43:23If the wind gusts over ten miles per hour,

0:43:23 > 0:43:25then they'll begin to lose control.

0:43:27 > 0:43:30INCOHERENT RADIO CHATTER

0:43:36 > 0:43:40Keep the nose in line with the base of the boom.

0:43:40 > 0:43:43Just give it a little pull, that's it.

0:43:43 > 0:43:47It's got a little bit breezy, hasn't it? Right at the wrong time.

0:43:47 > 0:43:48Put tension on it.

0:43:50 > 0:43:52That's it. Just keep it like that.

0:43:54 > 0:43:55Almost there.

0:43:55 > 0:43:57They have to thread it onto the shaft

0:43:57 > 0:44:00so it's ever-so-gentle movements, hoisting up,

0:44:00 > 0:44:04and then booming down to get the shaft entered onto the splines

0:44:04 > 0:44:08and it's just a question of millimetres at a time.

0:44:08 > 0:44:14Guys at the top, on the hub, the bottom blade is very,

0:44:14 > 0:44:16very close to the crane boom now.

0:44:16 > 0:44:19OK, can you boom up a little bit?

0:44:24 > 0:44:27Wind's caught it again, pressure's coming on.

0:44:39 > 0:44:40That's good.

0:44:42 > 0:44:43All done.

0:44:45 > 0:44:48INCOHERENT CHATTER

0:44:48 > 0:44:51- What was that? - I've got no idea. Dutch?

0:44:52 > 0:44:54It's hurdy-gurdy.

0:44:54 > 0:44:56After three days of battling the elements,

0:44:56 > 0:44:59it's a moment the Dutch are keen to celebrate.

0:45:00 > 0:45:03DUTCH ENGINEER CHEERS

0:45:05 > 0:45:06Dutch exuberance, yeah.

0:45:08 > 0:45:14It is a green energy. It doesn't pollute anything bar the scenic view.

0:45:14 > 0:45:17If I had a beautiful view like you've got here

0:45:17 > 0:45:22and my house was 100 yards away and then somebody decided to put a...

0:45:22 > 0:45:24I don't know, I think I'd have a moan.

0:45:26 > 0:45:33- Well, good job, Andy.- Well done. - Congratulations.- And you.

0:45:33 > 0:45:36It'll make the farmer some money and keep him happy.

0:45:36 > 0:45:40They've got enough money but he's going to have a bit more now, isn't he?

0:45:44 > 0:45:47From the latest technology to some of the oldest.

0:45:47 > 0:45:50Portsmouth - the home of the Royal Navy.

0:45:52 > 0:45:55Nelson's flagship, the HMS Victory,

0:45:55 > 0:45:58is undergoing a £50 million refurbishment

0:45:58 > 0:46:01and the crane gang have been called in to clear her decks.

0:46:05 > 0:46:07These are my lucky pants.

0:46:07 > 0:46:10Dave and Lee are both former crane drivers who have worked

0:46:10 > 0:46:13together since leaving school.

0:46:13 > 0:46:16They're now specialist lift supervisors in charge

0:46:16 > 0:46:18of the most challenging jobs.

0:46:19 > 0:46:22There ain't no water in here, that ain't no good.

0:46:22 > 0:46:26Their nickname, "Chuckles", reveals their unique way of working.

0:46:26 > 0:46:28Oh, this is well cool.

0:46:28 > 0:46:30It's smart, innit? Imagine living in here.

0:46:30 > 0:46:34And with the doors of the HMS Victory closed to the public,

0:46:34 > 0:46:37they get a crash course in the history they are lifting.

0:46:37 > 0:46:40- Oh, it's the sleeping quarters. - That's the jail, innit?

0:46:40 > 0:46:43- Yeah, look, it's the old jail. - No, it's not a jail.- It must be.

0:46:43 > 0:46:46- It's not.- What is it then? - A medicine thing.

0:46:46 > 0:46:50- Oh, yeah, look. Bullet extractor. - Where's the bullet extractor?

0:46:50 > 0:46:52Number six. Oh, it's like a pair of tweezers.

0:46:52 > 0:46:55Number seven, an amputation knife.

0:46:55 > 0:46:59- Huge, innit?- Massive.- They were a lot smaller, weren't they?

0:46:59 > 0:47:02In 300 years, they weren't as tall as we are.

0:47:02 > 0:47:05- What you mean what we are? - Well, I'm well tall.

0:47:05 > 0:47:09It's unbelievable. It's a mystery down there.

0:47:09 > 0:47:12Today, they're responsible for attaching the loads to the

0:47:12 > 0:47:16crane and making sure everything is lifted without causing damage.

0:47:17 > 0:47:23The job is the lifeboats off the HMS Victory, picking them up,

0:47:23 > 0:47:25putting them on the dock down the bottom there.

0:47:25 > 0:47:28There should be three or four of these and cannons as well

0:47:28 > 0:47:32so...should be pretty interesting. All ready to go, yeah?

0:47:32 > 0:47:35Just pinching to see how she's sitting, mate.

0:47:35 > 0:47:39Every item on the deck is a valuable piece of British heritage

0:47:39 > 0:47:41so has to be handled with care.

0:47:41 > 0:47:44Whoa, that don't sound too healthy.

0:47:44 > 0:47:47WOODEN SNAPPING

0:47:47 > 0:47:49- Think it was just stuck on the paint, wasn't it?- Yeah, it was.

0:47:49 > 0:47:51We all good, yeah? Yeah, good.

0:48:06 > 0:48:08Yeah. That's better.

0:48:10 > 0:48:12That's sound, that. That's it.

0:48:21 > 0:48:24What we'll do is we'll just lift it and see how she sits before

0:48:24 > 0:48:28she's right clear of the cradle. We'll know when she comes up.

0:48:28 > 0:48:31- It's time for the second boat. - Off you go.

0:48:32 > 0:48:34WOODEN CREAKING

0:48:34 > 0:48:36No! No, stop.

0:48:39 > 0:48:41Oh, it's mullered it. Look.

0:48:41 > 0:48:43Yeah. Yeah, it's very flimsy.

0:48:48 > 0:48:51In the company's depot in Leeds...

0:48:52 > 0:48:55..before yard manager Paul Gilpin retires,

0:48:55 > 0:48:57he wants one last go in a crane.

0:49:00 > 0:49:02Sat in the yard is the state-of-the-art

0:49:02 > 0:49:04self-erecting tower crane.

0:49:05 > 0:49:07Very impressive.

0:49:08 > 0:49:11When you look at it, it's like some kind of monster.

0:49:12 > 0:49:16This type of mobile crane is unique, as the driver can

0:49:16 > 0:49:18raise his cab to the top.

0:49:18 > 0:49:19OK, here we go.

0:49:20 > 0:49:21You can see for miles.

0:49:22 > 0:49:27Pennines, everything. Motorway, beautiful.

0:49:27 > 0:49:30The planes are flying about. It's a fantastic view.

0:49:30 > 0:49:35A lot of people don't like it when you're up here but I love it,

0:49:35 > 0:49:37absolutely love it.

0:49:37 > 0:49:40And you don't know, really, what's going off down there.

0:49:40 > 0:49:43That's the only thing I don't like about it.

0:49:43 > 0:49:46PHONE RINGS

0:49:47 > 0:49:49Can you come in with it, love?

0:49:50 > 0:49:53I need you in here. I need some stuff loading.

0:49:54 > 0:49:57OK, love. All right, bye.

0:50:04 > 0:50:06I've just been Tipp-Exing his name out of the book

0:50:06 > 0:50:08and it's very strange.

0:50:08 > 0:50:10It's his last day.

0:50:10 > 0:50:14Yeah, it's very sad. You can ring him up and say "Can you do this?

0:50:14 > 0:50:19"Can you do that?" And he does it. So he is going to be missed.

0:50:19 > 0:50:20And I'm sure he'll miss us as well.

0:50:20 > 0:50:23Right. I'm summoned.

0:50:23 > 0:50:25Summoned me.

0:50:30 > 0:50:33Oh, very, very good.

0:50:33 > 0:50:38- APPLAUSE - Thank you very much.

0:50:38 > 0:50:42"Irreplaceable" is the word I think we need to be looking for.

0:50:42 > 0:50:43In more ways than one.

0:50:44 > 0:50:47He'll be sadly missed.

0:50:47 > 0:50:51Good health to everybody and thanks very much. Very nice.

0:50:51 > 0:50:53The old ones are the best, as they say.

0:50:53 > 0:50:56Not saying owt about the young ones but they still haven't got the

0:50:56 > 0:50:59dedication that the old ones have got and Paul's the last of a breed.

0:50:59 > 0:51:01We'll never get any more like him.

0:51:01 > 0:51:05- So you looking forward to it? - Yeah, yeah.

0:51:09 > 0:51:10That's it.

0:51:13 > 0:51:17- Right, Michael, you look after yourself.- You and all, Paul.

0:51:17 > 0:51:20- It's been nice knowing you.- You and all, Paul. You take care, yeah?

0:51:20 > 0:51:23- Don't be a stranger.- I won't.

0:51:23 > 0:51:28- Right, I'll see you, Dawn. You take care.- Take care, will do.

0:51:28 > 0:51:32- You look after yourself.- And you, yes.- Take care.- No tears, no tears.

0:51:32 > 0:51:34No tears.

0:51:36 > 0:51:37You take care.

0:51:39 > 0:51:43- Keep in touch, will you?- Yeah, I will. You look after yourself.

0:51:54 > 0:51:55And that's it.

0:52:09 > 0:52:12In Portsmouth on HMS Victory,

0:52:12 > 0:52:14to prevent any further damage to the lifeboat,

0:52:14 > 0:52:17the ship's carpenter is summoned.

0:52:17 > 0:52:18Here we go.

0:52:23 > 0:52:24You can have that.

0:52:24 > 0:52:27Dave's using the wooden strut to keep the slings

0:52:27 > 0:52:30from putting pressure on the delicate boat.

0:52:30 > 0:52:33- Right, yeah. Up on the hoist. - Up on the hoist.

0:52:39 > 0:52:40OK, there, mate.

0:52:40 > 0:52:45That's about as much as you're going to get there, I should think.

0:52:45 > 0:52:46The boat delay means

0:52:46 > 0:52:49they are now lifting in front of a gathering crowd.

0:52:49 > 0:52:51There's always a bit of a delay,

0:52:51 > 0:52:53you just have to manage things as they happen, really.

0:52:53 > 0:52:56I've always got my eye open looking for a problem.

0:52:57 > 0:52:59When the visitors are coming in is probably

0:52:59 > 0:53:01when it gets a little bit stressful.

0:53:06 > 0:53:09Dave and Lee are both qualified to work as supervisors.

0:53:10 > 0:53:15They take it in turns to run the lift or be the slinger.

0:53:15 > 0:53:16I'm in charge.

0:53:18 > 0:53:20Watch, look. Oi!

0:53:20 > 0:53:22Do as you're told!

0:53:22 > 0:53:24He's moaning.

0:53:25 > 0:53:27If you ignore him, then he goes away, yeah.

0:53:30 > 0:53:32- Oi!- Just ignore him, he goes away.

0:53:34 > 0:53:38- The best thing to do is to ignore him.- Sorry!

0:53:38 > 0:53:40- Did you want me?- Sorry!

0:53:40 > 0:53:43That's better, that's what I thought.

0:53:43 > 0:53:46Yeah, he's moody. SAM, they call him. Small angry man.

0:53:48 > 0:53:51Smaller - I have to work harder, I should be on more money.

0:53:51 > 0:53:54- He don't like being wrong, that's what it is.- That's it.

0:53:54 > 0:53:56Got guns and that to come down now.

0:53:56 > 0:54:00MILITARY BAND PLAY

0:54:04 > 0:54:08At 11:00am, an hour after the lift was due to finish,

0:54:08 > 0:54:09they're almost done.

0:54:11 > 0:54:13It's got a Japanese flag on the back of it, look.

0:54:13 > 0:54:15Must be docking there, mustn't it?

0:54:35 > 0:54:38BLOWS WHISTLE

0:54:45 > 0:54:49Have you nailed it down? No-one'll nick it, you know?

0:54:54 > 0:54:56That's it.

0:54:57 > 0:55:00With precious history lifted, they can relax.

0:55:03 > 0:55:05Ah, this is pretty.

0:55:05 > 0:55:08We are pretty lucky and very privileged, I think, a lot

0:55:08 > 0:55:12of the times, for the jobs that we do do and it does come up for us really.

0:55:12 > 0:55:14You know, not many people can say that they've had

0:55:14 > 0:55:18- the opportunity to work with a ship like that.- A 250-year-old ship.

0:55:18 > 0:55:21Lifting the guns and, you know, bits and pieces.

0:55:21 > 0:55:23It's an honour, really, innit?

0:55:26 > 0:55:30And crane driver Andy can also relax as he approaches home.

0:55:31 > 0:55:32We're in lovely Kent now.

0:55:32 > 0:55:36You can tell we're in Kent cos we've got beautiful, blue skies.

0:55:36 > 0:55:38Sunniest part of the UK, this is.

0:55:46 > 0:55:49This will be the first time he's seen his wife Jacqueline

0:55:49 > 0:55:51in three weeks.

0:55:51 > 0:55:53Cushty! Job done!

0:55:55 > 0:55:56We're very much in love.

0:56:00 > 0:56:03So it is very hard for us to be apart, most of the time.

0:56:11 > 0:56:13There we go. There's my tree.

0:56:15 > 0:56:19There's my little garden and my grass and my grass has not been cut.

0:56:19 > 0:56:24The plant's all right, the tree's all right. Oh, that's good stuff.

0:56:24 > 0:56:26I always feel a bit guilty about doing this bit.

0:56:26 > 0:56:30In one hand, I'm handing her some flowers and in the other hand,

0:56:30 > 0:56:33I've got two bags of dirty washing.

0:56:33 > 0:56:36She loves it, she loves it.

0:56:38 > 0:56:40Are you in?!

0:56:40 > 0:56:41Hello!

0:56:41 > 0:56:45Are you all right? I love you.

0:56:46 > 0:56:48- I missed you tons.- Mmm. - Everything all right?

0:56:48 > 0:56:50You are looking better, look what you've done to your hair.

0:56:50 > 0:56:54She had beautiful long hair when I left. Oh, we've got a new vase!

0:56:56 > 0:57:00- So how much was the vase, then?- It was a birthday present.- Oh, was it?!

0:57:00 > 0:57:04- Yeah.- Did I know it was a birthday present?- No, you've not been home.

0:57:04 > 0:57:08- Oh, of course, yeah. I missed your birthday, didn't I?- Mm-hmm.- Blimey.

0:57:08 > 0:57:12- Seems like I've been away for ages, isn't it?- Mm-hmm. Yep, three weeks.

0:57:12 > 0:57:14Yeah.

0:57:16 > 0:57:18I'd be lost without you, wouldn't I?

0:57:18 > 0:57:21I wouldn't even know how to pay the gas bill.

0:57:21 > 0:57:22- No, you wouldn't.- No.

0:57:22 > 0:57:25THEY CHUCKLE

0:57:25 > 0:57:28We just look forward to when he is home, really.

0:57:28 > 0:57:30- Yeah.- Yeah.

0:57:30 > 0:57:32Yeah, we make the most of the time we have together

0:57:32 > 0:57:36and when he's gone, I can relax then until he comes home again.

0:57:41 > 0:57:44And in Leeds, another driver has made it home.

0:57:47 > 0:57:50This is the new adventure. This is the...

0:57:50 > 0:57:56Instead of cranes, it's motor homes. And this is what we're going to do.

0:57:56 > 0:58:00Lorraine and myself, we shall be touring Europe.

0:58:00 > 0:58:03- No more cranes. I've had it for the last 30 years.- Yeah.

0:58:03 > 0:58:05- Is it 30 years, yeah?- Yeah.

0:58:05 > 0:58:08Everywhere he takes me, he'll go, "I put that up.

0:58:08 > 0:58:14"I put that up." So no more talk of cranes. Life begins now.

0:58:14 > 0:58:17We're off, we're away.

0:58:17 > 0:58:20- Spain.- Yeah.- France.- France, yeah.

0:58:20 > 0:58:23- Down Italy.- Yeah.

0:58:23 > 0:58:28- Parlez-vous Francais?- Oui. - Oui, oui, yes!- Oui, oui.

0:58:28 > 0:58:31We will be very, very happy.

0:58:31 > 0:58:33THEY LAUGH

0:58:41 > 0:58:44Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd