Time was called on a landmark of the skyline in Buckie yesterday.
And there was no sign of a crane mutiny as a feature of the former shipyards was dismantled to stop its condition deteriorating further.
Crews arrived at the quayside in the morning to begin gradually taking apart the structure that was used to build boats for decades.
Three temporary cranes which towered over the sheds were set up around it so engineers could dismantle it piece-by-piece.
Meanwhile, contractors were hoisted up above the harbour in a basket to cut the metal apart. Originally the crane was part of Buckie Shipyards, which fell into administration nearly three years ago.
Buckie councillor Gordon McDonald said the structure’s glory days were well behind it.
He added: “It has been there for as long as I can remember. It’s been a part of Buckie for many years, but it is past its sell-by date now.
“It has to come down from a health and safety standpoint more than anything else.”
Passers-by stopped to watch as the tall structure diminished in size during the afternoon. The shipyard in Buckie dates back to 1903 with the crane being an integral part of the workings for decades.
However, Mr McDonald believes the move could signal more work to improve the harbour at the town.
He said: “I think people will be happy to see it taken down. The whole shipyard area is a bit of an eyesore in its own right really.
“Most people in Buckie will be happy to see work done to improve the look of the area, especially if it leads to the creation of new jobs in the future.”