Cranes

"Cranes are airy fairy things! They need a lot of attention like me in fact!"

- Gordon, Cranky Bugs, fifth season Besides Cranky the crane, they are several other Cranes that are used around the harbours of Sodor to lift heavy cargo from ships and other things.

"Big Mickey"
  CGI Series= |-|Model Series=   Big Mickey One large model of a crane, recycled from Big Mickey's model from TUGS, has been used since the third season and was animated so that it could appear past the switch-over in the CGI series. The crane's model was first seen at Knapford Harbour in the third and fourth seasons and was then seen at Brendam since the fifth season. "Big Mickey" was also used as a character in the seventh season episode, Edward's Brass Band. It was used as the crane lifting up the ship's boiler and knocking over Edward, although it was never referred to by name.

Basis
"Big Mickey" is based on a 19th-Early 20th century 350-ton hammerhead crane. Big Mickey most closely resembles the US Navy "League Island Crane" which was the world's largest crane in 1920.

Trivia

 * In the fourth season episode, Special Attraction, Big Mickey was fitted with a grapple bucket at Knapford Harbour.

The Rolling Gantry Crane
  Model Series= |-|Railway Series=   The Rolling Gantry Crane The Rolling Gantry Crane is a rail-based crane used for loading and unloading cargo from ships. It was used as background stock at Tidmouth Harbour, Knapford Harbour, and Brendam Docks.

It first appeared in the Railway Series book, Henry the Green Engine and has been stationed at Tidmouth Harbour since. In the television series, it first appeared in the first season up until the seventh season. It last appeared in the spin-off series, Jack and the Pack episode Jack Owns Up.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)

Miniature Cranes
  CGI Series= |-|Model Series= |-|Railway Series=   Miniature Cranes Some miniature cranes used as background stock from TUGS also started appearing in the television series from the second season onwards and they were animated to appear past the switch-over in the CGI series. The cranes were seen across the island of Sodor in different locations mainly used at the harbours of Sodor. One of the miniature cranes is currently on display at Drayton Manor.

They can be found at Brendam Docks and Whiff's Waste Dump.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)

Steam-Powered Cranes
  Model Series=   Steam-Powered Cranes Various stationary Steam-Powered Cranes have been used as background stock in the television series. More specifically these cranes been seen at the Timber Yard, Fishing Village, Boulder Quarry, the Works, Knapford Sheds and the Wharf.

There has also been several named steam-powered cranes featured throughout the series, Colin, Hee-Haw, Ol' Wheezy and four other stationary steam cranes named A.J.R. No.1.

Trivia

 * The large-scale model of the Skarloey Railway Breakdown Crane was briefly reused as a stationary crane used for set dressing at the Works and Knapford Sheds in the seventh season episodes, Something Fishy, Gordon and Spencer and Bulgy Rides Again.

The "Grabber"
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:maroon; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid maroon; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:maroon;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:maroon;"> Model Series= <tr style="color:#000000; background:maroon; font-size:larger;">  The "Grabber" The "Grabber" is the nicknamed for a crane with large retracting-claws used for dismantling, smelting and scrapping machinery based at the Sodor Ironworks.

Once, 'Arry and Bert wrongfully shunted Stepney is underneath the giant grabber, with the intention of scrapping him. Thankfully, the Fat Controller arrived in the nick of time and shut the grabber down.

Trivia

 * In the fifth season episode, Stepney Gets Lost, the narrator implies that the "Grabber" is sentient.

Other Cranes
Other various types of Cranes have been used as background stock in the television series. These can be found at Knapford Harbour, Boulder Quarry and Crocks Scrap Yard.