5 inch gauge steam crane

A 5 inch gauge self-propelled steam crane, a well-observed, detailed model with the twin cylinder engine, reversed by Stephensons gear, effecting lifting, luffing, slewing and propulsion through a system of gears and dog clutches.

This one has come to us with several other engines from a long time customer, an experienced model engineer and restorer with wide-ranging interests, including road steam, locomotives and stationary engines. Now in his eighties, he has decided to thin out some of the larger and heavier items from his collection.

Already an old model when he bought it some years ago, he ran the crane at his club occasionally, the technical interest it evoked compensating for a modest rate of progress...

Nicely detailed throughout - we like the lever-operated band brake to arrest the load, the sliding sprag to lock the slewing ring for when its moving. One could speculate that it was the work of a man who himself either worked on or with the full-size prototypes.

It has seen a good deal of use over the years and now requires overhaul - there is wear to much of the gearing, shafts and bushes. The engine runs well in one direction, not in the other - to start with it will need the valves checking and setting.