Tower Crane - Margate, JAN 2012

[Flyboy]

This crane is on the site of the partly redeveloped Royal Sea Bathing Hospital in Margate. The company responsible for the development went bust a couple of years ago, and since then the site has been a mix of abandoned hospital, occupied apartments in refurbished buildings, and concrete frames which were to be new apartments. The site has clearly been bought out by another company, because there are active security onsite. I don't know why they haven't resumed work yet.

After crossing a wall, I was inside one of the aforementioned concrete structures, and found my way to the base of the crane. The base is covered with hoarding, but another structure was being built around it. I went up a ladder, and ran across the roof of the building to where the crane emerged from it. After sliding through the bars, I began the ascent...

The first 50 feet or so were the worst, as I climbed up past occupied apartments. There was a man on his laptop the whole time I was up there, and I was praying he didn't turn around. One woman decided to hang out of the window for a smoke, luckily she waited until I was well hidden at the top before she did this!

Anyway, enough writing for now - enjoy the pictures. The whole crane was moving, so some of them are slightly out of focus...















The obligatory crane operator portrait!



As I was on the last rung before jumping back out onto the roof, someone looked straight at me and quickly drew the curtains - and almost straight after torch light was coming from the other side of the crane - the ladder to get down was just out of cover, and was lit up. As soon as the security guards starting moving towards me, I ran for the ladder, back through the building and across the wall. As I started up my bike to leave, I saw the crane still bathed in torchlight - perfect timing!

According to a sign, the road up the side of the site is due to be closed on the 27th January for 'Crane Operations' - so it looks like I may have got here just in time!

Thanks for looking!

[the kwan]

Some nice pictures and a lucky escape

[Clough]

Lovely bet it was a Jason bourne style escape, Mintz having to get away from seccer at the end of any explore always makes it more fun

[KingElvis]

Yep good stuff and not bad pics.

[MJS]

The joys of running from security! Gotta love it. Good work mate

[coops]

Good stuff mate

[Flyboy]

Thanks for all your comments!

[Nicola]

Excellent!

[wevsky]

Well FLy boy your famous isle of thanet gazette ..front page,they stole one of your images and quoted your report and the comments..send them a bill mate!

[Henryscat]

great report that one, balls of steel ! wouldnt catch me goin up there...