Electric Dockyard Crane

This model is my reconstruction of the number ten set model that appeared in the July and October 1978 issues of the Meccano Magazine. The original model was built and described by Mr B. N. Love.

I found the crane a joy to construct. It went together with relatively few hitches and none of the problems that did occur were major or life threatening. The model itself is of quite solid construction and the various movements work smoothly and easily (even before applying any oil!).

I guess my next hammerhead crane will have to be the little beasty from SML 4. I'd better get back to collecting pieces - anybody know a good supplier of second hand parts in Australia?

Not a lot of pictures scanned in for this one. You should examine the original building instructions for extra details. The first picture is of the whole crane. Unfortunately, we've got a small citrus tree in our garden that disturbs the front of the crane a little.

A view of the entire crane.

A front on, down the boom view.

Lastly, a view into the underside of the tower. The modifications necessary to incorporate the two MR motors, their power supply and switches are clearly visible.

My changes to the model are relatively simple:

Removal of the external power supply and the associated feeds throughout the model in favour of two separate battery powered electrical systems (a 12 volt one in the base and a six volt one on the boom).
Redesign of the machinery house on the boom so that fewer flexible plates got bent (my design bends no plates but I don't think it looks quite as nice as the original).
Modification of the drive chains to accomodate different motors. I replaced the 2 PDUs in the base unit with MRs and I replaced the single PDU in the machinery house with a crane kit (junior powerdrive) motor.

My reconstruction of the models used well over 1000 nuts and bolts - beyond the capacity of the number ten set. This wasn't mentioned in the building instructions, although the number ten set's lack of washers, strips, collars and several other pieces did merit special comment. I guess that easy substitutions were available for all of the other pieces in short supply.

Parts Listing

I got bored while taking the model to pieces and figured I'd make a count of the pieces used. These counts represent the model as I constructed it and sometimes exceed the resources of the number 10 set.

Part	Quantity	Part	Quantity	Part	Quantity	Part	Quantity	Part	Quantity	Part	Quantity
1	29	15b	9	37a	1320	80a	1	116	1	192	22
1a	11	16	4	37b	1238	80c	2	120b	1	193a	6
1b	8	16a	11	37c	12	82	1	122	1	193c	2
2	47	16b	1	38	554	89	12	125	2	193e	3
2a	27	17	15	38a	25	89a	6	126	8	194	4
3	15	18a	6	40	4	90	9	126a	8	196	2
4	23	18b	5	43	2	90a	12	128	4	197	22
5	53	19s	3	45	6	94	4m	133	4	200	10
6	16	20	4	47	2	95	2	136	4	201	4
6a	5	20a	3	47a	2	95a	3	136a	2	212	2
7	8	20b	12	48	8	96	2	137	4	212a	2
7a	8	21	2	48a	9	96a	4	140	1	213p	2
8	22	22	3	48b	3	100	2	143	1	214	6
8a	7	22a	7	48d	3	102	3	145	1	215	12
8b	7	23bp	4	51	2	103	3	146	3	221	6
9	19	24	1	52	2	103a	5	147a	2	222	2
9a	8	24a	2	52a	6	103b	6	147b	6	224	2
9b	6	25	1	53	6	103c	4	147d	4	225	2
9c	2	26	11	53a	5	103d	2	148	2	235	15
9d	9	26a	1	55a	2	103e	2	154a	1	235a	3
9e	8	26b	1	57c	2	103f	4	154b	5	235b	1
9f	11	26c	1	57d	1	103g	2	161	2	235g	9
10	27	27	2	59	47	103h	3	164	2	235f	1
11	6	27a	5	62b	4	103k	3	167b	2	236a	2
11a	1	27b	1	63	10	103m	2	171	1	329	2
12	57	27c	1	63d	2	108	4	173a	3	330	1
12a	2	28	2	64	2	109	4	179	2	350	2
12b	4	29	1	69	1	111	21	186d	1	561	9
12c	2	30	4	69a	4	111a	31	187a	4	607	4
13	3	30a	2	70	7	111b	12	188	6	710	2
13a	3	30c	2	73	1	111c	26	189	13
14	1	32	2	74	1	111d	2	190	13
15	1	35	22	76	2	114	4	190a	4
15a	10	35p	18	77	8	115a	3	191	8

In addition two MR motors, one MkII Junior Powerdrive (cranekit) motor and two complete reversing switches (part 60?).

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