A fuel assembly loading machine (2) comprises a guide mast (10) and telescopic elements which can be telescopically lowered out of the guide mast (10) and raised again and are in the form of a centering bell (12), a fuel assembly gripper (14) and a control assembly gripper (16), wherein the telescopic elements are coupled to one another, and are operatively connected to a common main lifting mechanism (18), in such a way that, when the telescopic elements are raised out of the lowered position, initially the control assembly gripper (16) carries along the fuel assembly gripper (14), and then the fuel assembly gripper (14) carries along the centering bell (12), and wherein the guide mast (10) has a fixed stop (22), which fixes the end position of the centering bell (12) which can be reached during lowering. Such a fuel assembly loading machine (2) is intended to be developed such that the amount of time required for the fuel assembly change is reduced in comparison with the conventional technology, and such that a quicker and more effective response to any centering problems which may occur is possible than has hitherto been the case. According to the invention, a stop (40) is fitted on the guide mast (10) for this purpose, said stop being capable of being moved by means of a separate special lifting mechanism (42) in the lifting or lowering direction (38) and interacting with an associated supporting flange (20) of the centering bell (12), with the result that the centering bell (12) can be raised out of the end position of said centering bell into an intermediate position lying above this by the movable stop (40) being raised.
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