This is one of three steam powered breakdown cranes ordered by the North Eastern Railway with the firm of Cravens Brothers in 1907, rated at 25 tons capacity. When delivered, they were the largest capacity breakdown cranes on any British railway. As well as being used to recover broken down or crashed locomotives or other rolling stock, they were also used for moving heavy railway-related objects, such as replacing railway lines, bridge parts etc.
After many years of useful service, one of the cranes, known as CME13, was preserved by the National Railway Museum at York. When delivered it was allocated to Gateshead, but spent most of it's time at Middlesbrough Shed until that location closed in 1958, then spent time elsewhere, notably at Thornaby, Wakefield and Shirebrook until retired in 1971. It was formerly on display in a public area between the two large display halls, however is now in a rather sadder condition in the staff car park, where I was able to access and photograph it on a very wet day
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