Stothert and Pitt steam crane returns to Bath

[Titfield]

As you may have heard, the ex Stotherts stem crane from Washford has returned to Bath for display at the entrance to the new development on the site of the Midland yards at Bath.

Bryan Chalker (present mayor of Bath) who has organised the move, has sent me the following question and I wonderd if any of you well informed people here may have any ideas?

I am delighted to inform you that the 1904 Stothert & Pitt steam crane No.312 was finally returned to Bath from the S&D Railway Trust's Yard at Washford last Sunday. It now stands on a length of vintage track in what will be the main entrance to the Western Riverside Development (between Sainsbury's petrol station and Homebase car-park) and awaits repainting. The plan is to put her back into steam in due course. Now, here's a challenge for you: on Thursday, 13 December 1951, the crane was involved in an accident and overturned when struck by a runaway British Railrays steam locomotive No.34041 at Stothert & Pitt's engineering works (Lower Bristol Road), resulting in injury to the crane driver, Fred Nash. The accident was reported in the Bath & Wilts Chronicle & Herald. The accident occurred on the morning of December 13. Sadly, there are no newspaper records for that period. Can you or any client of yours assist, as I am trying to piece together the crane's history.

Regards - Bryan

Thanks in advance for any light anyone is able to shed on this. Feel free to chip in any other thoughts etc on this or related subject, I sometimes think us country members ought to start up a thread/section for the Midland in Bath.

I will of course pass on any info to Bryan or can provide his contact details if anyone wishes to contact him directly on this.

Simon Castens