“Hoist is interesting as it looks at lifting equipment from the industrial point of view, which helps balance the information I read surrounding lifting equipment,” he adds.
Wheeler manages a storage area of rigging equipment, tracking, maintaining, inspecting and offering advice to the other departments within the theatre in relation to show requirements.
The amount of lifting gear on site varies. The Olivier Theatre, being a powered flying house, for example, has around 120 point hoists which can be programmed for cues during the shows. “We also use chain hoists a great deal and probably have in the region of 80 hoists,” he explains. The facility also has 14 chain hoists which are variable speed and programmable.
The Lyttelton, meanwhile, has around 82 counterweight fly bars which are operated manually and can lift up to 500kg. They are used for the flying of scenery during shows, building of scenery and storage.
Wheeler says the most useful bit of kit is the chain hoist. “Being slightly old fashioned, I still like counterweight flying,” he says.
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