For the first phase of the prestigious Drax coal power station project in North Yorkshire, Sir William Arrol built one 40t and three 60t top slewing bottom climbing luffing jib tower cranes based on rail going portals. In comparison to classic high frame stiffleg derricks, these self-erecting tower cranes developed in the 1960s brought about a revolution in coal power plant erection work. For initial assemblage a 30t crane was suitable. With power from the hoists in the carriage the tower and the upper crane were raised in the cradle. A 40t version is still working for the power pant rigging specialist DSE in South Africa, equipped with a custom built fly jib for 4t capacity at 40m maximum radius. With the main boom 20t can be lifted at 30m. (In South Africa the local crane manufacturer Alpheus Williams and Dows manufactured 1967 two 50t tower cranes of similar design with 30t capacity at 30m radius of the main boom.)
Coal pioneer
Like Wolff in the 1990s, Arrol set standards in the 1960s for large coal boiler house construction.