No_1_June_1964 — Page 93

The casting shed on the site and the ▸ tower crane. The shed has a sliding roof to give weather protection when needed.

Cranes

Working on the site are two cranes. The first is a Babcock, Wilcox, Weitz G.60 H.V.A. tower crane imported from the United Kingdom which has a maximum working height of about 150 ft. Lifting capacity ranges from 6 tons at 35 ft. 4 in. radius to 1 ton 16 cwt. at 98 ft. 6 in. Maximum lifting speed is 983 f.p.m. for a load of 3 tons 4 cwt., 74 f.p.m. for a load of 4 tons 8 cwt. and 43 f.p.m. for a load of up to 6 tons. The crane has a wheelbase of 14 ft. 9 in.

The second crane is a Leon Gottwald mobile crane from Ger- many. This has a maximum work- ing height of just over 100 ft. Normal working capacity is 5 tons at 50 ft. radius.

to

The contract to build ten blocks of flats. using the Barets system, was awarded towards the end of last year. There was then about three months delay while cranes and other neces- sary plant were shipped out Singapore. Building began in January this year, and the first blocks of flats have now reached the third storey in height. As this is the first time the system has been used. there have been inevitable minor delays but it is hoped to complete all ten blocks of Hats by the end of 1961. Future contracts would, of course, be completed in a shorter time.

As far as the Housing and Develop- ment Board is concerned, this initial contract is by way of an experiment and represents only about 10 per cent of the Board's programme for the current year. However, there seems little doubt that if the results at Macpherson Road (South) Estate are satisfactory, then the proportion of the housing programmes carried out in future years using this poten- tially faster and cheaper building method could be much higher.

Centre: Lifting an end wall slab into position with the mobile crane. The slab has been pebble-dashed in the cas- ting shed. Note the dowel bars at the sides and the steel props to support the slab before grouting.

Macpherson Rd. (South) Estate. These ▸ housing blacks have been built by con- ventional methods but are identical in design to those being built by the Barets system.