Crane Fruehauf - Going strong in the U.K.

W. Crane Wagon Works, U.K.

The companies history goes back to 1865 when, at the age of 24, William Crane set up a Blacksmith's shop in the village of Great Fransham in Norfolk. William and his three brothers had all followed in their Father footsteps by becoming apprenticed Blacksmiths. William went on to develop a new type of horse rake, cart wheels and farm wagons. Later with his two sons, the business expanded further and was registered in the 1883 White's directory as "William Crane - Agricultural implement maker, joiner and builder, blacksmith and wheel wright". Due to a bad debt, they acquired a load of timber which provided the raw material for the production of various carts and wagons, using the wheels they produced.

William passed away in 1906 and his two sons carried on the business which continued to expand and in 1913 Cranes acquired the former Mallons agricultural works at South Green in Dereham. Cranes by this time had such an excellent reputation for its products that is secured a substantial order for gun carriage wheels and field ambulances for the army. In 1920, Edward Crane returned to the Fransham workshop to continue his Timber business and the Dereham facility branched out into road trailers in 1920.
Cranes had an excellent reputation for specialist trailers and secured some significant military contracts on the back of their expertise and quality of build.

---

A Crane Fruehauf advertisement from the 1980's

Crane's began making trucks with aluminium bodies using designs by the American-based Fruehauf Corporation in the early 1960s, with the North Walsham factory opening in 1962 and Toftwood (Dereham) in 1968. The Crane name then became intrinsically linked with Fruehauf and the Crane Fruehauf brand became synonymous with the trailer units plying their trade all over Europe, following the growth of roll on - roll off routes to the continent.

Taken over by General Trailers in 1997, the company later restarted under the Fruehauf brand in the UK.

The Crane Fruehauf factory in Dereham collapsed in 2005, laying off its remaining 345 workers. With it an important chapter in Norfolk's industrial history came to an abrupt end. The site of the first Crane factory known as 'Crane Corner' in little Fransham is now home to the Fransham Forge run by Nigel Barnett an extremely talented blacksmith.  He has opened a gallery of his work on site, as well as a museum of Crane's memorabilia. 

Crane Fruehauf contact

Shephards Hut kits designed by Nigel Barnett

2014 Crane Fruehauf reunion, remembering the North Walsham branch which is now closed!