Garden Railway Forum

Hello, my name's Peter and I'm a crane-oholic!

I just can't get enough of the things. Just when I think I have enough, I find an excuse to make another one. There is something about them that I can't resist, they are useful, mechanically and structurally interesting, artistically attractive, can be static or mobile..... who could ask for more?
I currently have these on my railway...















'Is that all?' I hear you say. Perhaps you have more... well, show us your cranes.

Excellent work as always Peter.

That diesel turned out nice in the end:



If you ever want to sell it let me know

I remember when I first met you Peter that you said you had a bit of an issue with cranes....

There are worse things to have a 'thing' about.

If any one starts making noises about an obsession just tell them that one is a gin wheel and hoist and two are sheer legs.

That diesel is the mainstay of my battery fleet. It is a heavy loco with tremendous puling power. To clear the line of debris it is always the first out and usually makes it back again!
Sorry, but currently not for sale.

The only lifting capability on the LNR is the large chainblock chained to a beam in the roof of the workshops at Leawarra.



Don't know if this qualifies, but it has been used to re-rail the petrol mechanical loco, when it split the points in Nayook yard.



Grant.

That wrecker is rather fine, is it a Thorneycroft by any chance?


By the way a think a crane enthusiast would be a Tollophile.

Yes Jim, 1927 A5 RSW Thornycroft.
In the boatyard doing masting and rigging, we just referred to our crane driver as "The hook"
Grant.

Wonderful scenic accessories Grant. It is detail like that which makes a railway come alive. They exist in real life so have every right to be included.

Peter Butler:119696 wrote: 'Is that all?' I hear you say.   Perhaps you have more... well, show us your cranes.

No way I can compete on numbers Peter, or on speed of construction, but this is one I built some while ago:



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However, to put it into perspective:

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It is N Gauge!

Nice cranes Peter, I like the bogie wagon with the hiab arm, would work well for laying the tracks on my new line

You had me going there Philip, that's still a beautiful job, would give me eye strain these days though.
Grant.

Had me going as well, Philip, even better for it at that size. The only N gauge crane I had was a Lone Star body on a modified Peco LWB chassis with a swb chassis as the basis for the runner. As you say Grant, couldn't do it now, but I still have it, over 40 years on!

Mighty fine, Philip. I was also quite convinced it was large scale as the detail is just superb.
I couldn't cope with something so small, my elderly fingers and eyesight keep me amongst the 'big boys', but many congratulations on a wonderful job there.

I couldn't do it now, either, I'm afraid. I scratchbuilt that back in, {GULP} 1979!

JCSteam:119709 wrote:Nice cranes Peter, I like the bogie wagon with the hiab arm, would work well for laying the tracks on my new line

It's probably the best for changing a light bulb from!

MDLR:119818 wrote:

JCSteam:119709 wrote:Nice cranes Peter, I like the bogie wagon with the hiab arm, would work well for laying the tracks on my new line

It's probably the best for changing a light bulb from!

So the answer to your thread title is revealed "how many cranes does it take...."

Hi Piotr and welcome to the Forum.
I take it you mean the crane loco which is not any particular prototype, rather a mix of various ones which I found in a wonderful book on the subject.
It is made of Plastikard and runs on a Lima '0' gauge power bogie with a battery pack towed behind in a purpose built truck. A RC Trains radio control is installed too.

As we are talking about cranes check out this one I found the other day:


It is 2:10 into the video...

WOW!!!!! The crane is good but the layout and stock is just incredible..... there is some money's worth there no doubt but the standard of build just outstanding.

Peter Butler:120910 wrote:WOW!!!!!  The crane is good but the layout and stock is just incredible..... there is some money's worth there no doubt but the standard of build just outstanding.

Totally agree Peter, phenominal modelling all round.
I think they could do with some Slomo's though!