A crane tank locomotive (CT) is a steam locomotive fitted with a crane for working in railway workshops, docksides, or other industrial environments. The crane may be fitted at the front, centre or rear.

The 'tank' in its name refers to water tanks mounted either side of the boiler, as cranes were usually constructed on tank locomotives (as opposed to tender locomotives) for greater mobility in the confined locations where they were normally used.

Only a handful have survived.

Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. are a builder of steam and later fireless and diesel locomotives. The company's history dates to foundation of an engineering workshop in 1840 in Kilmarnock, Scotland.  After a long period of operation, the company was acquired by the Hunslet group in 1972 and renamed Hunslet-Barclay, as of 2012 the company still operates in Kilmarnock providing rail engineering services as Wabtec Rail Scotland.

Black, Hawthorn and Company were based in Gateshead and built locomotives for collieries and ironworks.

Dübs & Co. was a locomotive manufacturer in Glasgow, Scotland, founded by Henry Dübs in 1863 and based at the Queens Park Works in Polmadie. In 1903 it amalgamated with two other Glasgow locomotive manufacturers to create the North British Locomotive Company.

In 1817 Robert Hawthorn at the age of 21 began business as a general engineer and repairer of colliery machinery. With the assistance of his brother William and four workmen, his enterprise prospered and in 1820 under the trading name of R and W Hawthorn their first marine engine was built

Hawthorn Leslie and Company was formed by the merger of the shipbuilder A. Leslie and Company in Hebburn with the locomotive works of R. and W. Hawthorn at St.Peter’s in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1886.

Hudswell Clarke was formed in Leeds in 1860 by William S Hudswell with John Clarke. Hudswell had served his apprenticeship at Kitson and Co where John Clarke was the works manager. The first product built in 1861 was a stationary engine which was completed in April 1861

Neilson & Company was started in 1836 at McAlpine Street by Walter Neilson and James Mitchell to manufacture marine and stationary engines. In 1837 the firm moved to Hyde Park Street and was known as Kerr, Mitchell and Neilson. In 1840 the organisation became Kerr, Neilson and Company and then three years later Neilson and Mitchell in 1843.

Robert Stephenson and Company was founded in 1823 and was the first company established to specifically build railway engines. The company was set up in Forth Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne by George Stephenson, his son Robert with Edward Pease and Michael Longridge. It was founded as part of the construction of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

In 1937 Robert Stephenson and Hawthorn was formed when Robert Stephenson and Company, which was based in Darlington, took over the locomotive building department of Hawthorn Leslie and Company, based in Newcastle upon Tyne. At the time Robert Stephenson and Company had built 4,155 engines and Hawthorn Leslie and Company a further 2,783 making a total of 6,938. Robert Stephenson and Company (RSH) thus began with number 6938 for the locomotives produced by the combined organisation. In 1938 the goodwill of the Kitson and Co and Manning, Wardle and Co companies was bought.

During the Second World War the plant was fully occupied building 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 saddle tanks for industrial use.