A telescopic crawler crane underground: SENNEBOGEN 613 crawler works under the Sydney Opera House

With more than 8.2 million visitors each year, the Sydney Opera House is one Australia's most popular landmarks. Currently the substrate of the Opera House, which was built in 1973, is being extensively renovated and a new underground supply network is being installed. The John Holland Group deploys a compact SENNEBOGEN 613 telescopic crawler crane, hired from Preston Group, underground for this project.

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It is the emblem of the Australian metropolis - the Sydney Opera House is home to as many as 1,700 performances each year and with the surrounding businesses and bars it is a highly frequented tourist spot. Currently visitors and pedestrians share the open area in front of the Opera House with up to 1,000 heavy vehicles daily. A large-scale logistics and traffic concept is in place to relieve the traffic situation around this congested area. The John Holland Group was commissioned as part of the $100 million project, to move the heavy-load traffic underground, in order to make the open area in front of the Opera House safer and more clearly arranged for pedestrians. By 2014 an underground loading area and new entry routes, as well as a sewer with storage capacity and overflow for possible storm tides, will be provided.

The Australian Sales and Service Partner, PACE Cranes, delivered a new SENNEBOGEN 613 telescopic crawler crane to Preston Group in mid 2013. They sub hired it then to John Holland Group. The compact telescopic crane fully exploits it strengths, particularly in these confined conditions. With a height of merely 2.90 m, and a maximum length of 6.2 m, in retracted status, the machine is particularly maneuverable, thanks to crawler travel gear, and with the telescoping undercarriage it is always safe and stable. In this version, as a 16 t telescopic crane with crawler running gear, the compact SENNEBOGEN machine is unique in the industry. Combined with a drilling rig, the crane is used for establishing the foundations of the sub-construction. To do this the 613 R lifts the approximately 3 t steel mesh netting pipes into the bores. The crane can be conveniently moved even under load. This means that it can also be used for moving heavy components and material. The flexibility of the machine pays for itself, particularly in the confined environment. The 613 R is powered by a 91 kW Deutz diesel engine and is equipped with a 35 kN winch. Thus safe working loads to 16 t are easily possible.

The elevating, comfortable Multicab offers the operator the best overview of the implementation area and valuable added safety that is advantageous in the confined spatial conditions.

Three men and a machine: They are pleased with the demanding underground implementation (from left to right): Craig Coulter (Preston Group), Michael Derwin (John Holland Group) and Anthony Heeks (Pace Cranes)