IN Brief:
- Marsden Crane Services has taken delivery of a Liebherr LTM 1055-3.3 with a maximum rated lifting capacity of 55 tonnes.
- The three-axle crane has a 40m telescopic boom, with a maximum lifting height of 54m using additional equipment.
- Alternative counterweight and axle-load configurations provide transport flexibility, while variable outriggers support lifting operations on constrained sites.
Marsden Crane Services has taken delivery of a Liebherr LTM 1055-3.3 all-terrain mobile crane, adding a 55-tonne lifting option to its fleet. The three-axle machine combines a 40m telescopic boom with configurable road transport arrangements and variable outrigger positioning, providing additional flexibility for construction and industrial lifting operations.
The machine is the second LTM 1055-3.3 delivered in the UK. It joins Marsden’s established fleet of Liebherr all-terrain cranes, extending the range of equipment available to the Lancashire contractor for projects requiring different lifting capacities, working radii and site access arrangements.
The LTM 1055-3.3 has a maximum rated capacity of 55 tonnes at a radius of three metres. The permissible load changes with the crane’s working configuration, including boom length, operating radius, counterweight and outrigger arrangement. The applicable load chart determines the capacity available for each lifting operation.
Its telescopic boom extends from approximately 9.9m to 40m, enabling the crane to work across different lifting heights and horizontal distances. An additional 15m double swingaway fly jib can extend the working arrangement, with Liebherr specifying maximum lifting heights of 54m and a maximum radius of 46m.
The fly jib can also be replaced with a 1.9m assembly jib capable of being angled by up to 50 degrees. This provides a shorter lifting attachment for operations in confined spaces, including industrial buildings where longer jib configurations may interfere with existing structures.
Different attachments allow the crane to be configured around the space available and the position of the load. A longer jib may be required to reach a distant installation point, while a shorter assembly attachment can improve access where the surrounding structure limits the equipment’s movement.
The selection must also account for the changing load capacity associated with boom and jib geometry. As the horizontal distance between the lifted load and the crane increases, the overturning forces acting on the machine change, making the operating radius an essential element of lift planning.
The crane’s transport configuration provides another area of flexibility. Liebherr specifies that axle loads below nine tonnes and an overall vehicle weight below 26 tonnes are possible when the LTM 1055-3.3 is configured appropriately. Those figures depend on the equipment and counterweight carried during travel.
Removing ballast can reduce the loads imposed on the road-going chassis. With a different configuration, the crane can carry up to nine tonnes of ballast while operating at a 12-tonne axle-load limit, providing another option where the transport route and applicable restrictions allow it.
Marsden can therefore select a transport arrangement suited to the access conditions associated with an individual assignment. Road restrictions, bridge capacities and the available route to a construction site can affect the equipment that can be delivered without additional transport arrangements.
Changing the counterweight also influences the lifting performance available after arrival. The configuration used for road travel must be considered alongside the ballast and supporting arrangements required for the planned lift, with any necessary changes completed before the machine begins lifting operations.
The LTM 1055-3.3 incorporates Liebherr’s VarioBase Plus system, which permits different outrigger positions to be used according to the space available around the crane. The arrangement includes a wider support base towards the rear, using two-stage rear outrigger beams to provide additional lifting performance in certain working areas.
Outriggers transfer lifting and stabilising forces from the crane into the supporting ground. Their position influences the stability available when a load is lifted at a particular radius, while the ground beneath each support must be capable of carrying the loads imposed during operation.
On restricted sites, the space needed to extend the supports can be limited by buildings, traffic routes or other construction activities. Variable outrigger positioning provides a means of adapting the support geometry, with the allowable lifting performance determined by the resulting arrangement and the crane’s control system.
The machine uses Liebherr’s third-generation LICCON control system, which provides greater computing capability and updated electronic architecture. Its operating functions support the selection and monitoring of the crane’s working configuration, helping the operator remain within the limits established for the relevant lifting arrangement.
Road travel is supported by driver assistance systems that monitor the surrounding environment and provide warnings. Liebherr identifies blind-spot and moving-off assistance among the systems fitted to the model, supporting awareness of pedestrians, cyclists and other road users when manoeuvring a large vehicle.
The LTM 1055-3.3 is also designed for RemoteDrive operation, allowing the crane to be manoeuvred by wireless remote control from outside the driver’s cab where the appropriate system is available. The operator can position themselves to observe restricted areas during movement, particularly when entering or leaving a confined construction site.
Remote manoeuvring does not alter the need for an assessed travel route and suitable site controls. The available space, ground conditions and movement of other equipment must still be considered before positioning a mobile crane in its working location.
The crane has a six-cylinder diesel engine rated at 243kW, with Liebherr specifying a maximum road speed of 85km/h. The road-going chassis enables the machine to travel between assignments, while its crane equipment provides the lifting capabilities required after positioning and setup on site.
Marsden operates from Wrightington in Lancashire and undertakes crane hire and contract lifting across a broad area extending along the M6 corridor. Its operations include construction lifting, industrial machinery installation and removal, and assignments requiring specialist lifting arrangements.
The company’s contract lifting service includes planning and managing the lift, while conventional crane hire places different responsibilities on the customer under the applicable contractual conditions. In either arrangement, the crane must be selected against the load characteristics, lifting positions and ground conditions of the specific job.
Lee Marsden, managing director of Marsden Crane Services, identified the new machine’s low axle loads, overall weight and lifting duties as the principal reasons for the purchase. Those characteristics provide a combination of road transport and operating flexibility within the contractor’s existing equipment fleet.
The LTM 1055-3.3 extends Marsden’s lifting options across sites where larger cranes may face access or space restrictions. Its suitability for each assignment will be determined by the selected transport configuration, available support positions and rated lifting performance at the required working radius.
