Crane set ie the small Crane and Trucke

Hi All.   I have found an interesting set by Radley which I'm certain would be superior to the Hornby set. But, if I purchase either model? looking at it seriously , I am not going to pick up anything with it.  And there are Hornby cranes on Fleabay, but they have lost their companion truck, has anyone got an opinion that they are willing to share?all the best. Kevin

I've a Cambrian kit for a wee hand operated 6 ton (ish)crane and match truck which will look good helping out in the goods yard, but I've no need for a large steam powered 45 ton breakdown unit. If I had, I'd most likely wait for the new Hornby offering in the pipeline in GWR, Southern and BR liveries.

Bill

Hi Kevin,

The current Hornby breakdown crane has been around since Triang days. It looks what it is -  a toy. It can be made into something better (even motorized, check out You Tube), but it's a lot of work.

The Tichy 120 ton steam wrecking crane kit looks the business (it's HO, but big enough to pass for OO). Just needs a couple of match trucks and some UK style buffers and bogies (trucks, they are arch-bar). $28.50. I'm building one at the moment.



Tichy Train Group photo.

Or get a Roco DCC 2-rail crane if you want one that works. Just make sure it's not Marklin electronics inside..

Nigel

Hi Bill.   I don't know if we are on the same page?? But the one that I was referring to is very tiny and they are on Fleabay or at least the crane is(but without the truck.   all the best. Kevin

Hi Nigel.   Thanyou for the picture, I do believe that I have seen the motorised crane on YouTube .But the item that I'm referring to must be much smaller than that one, it is just to add to my ex GWR Pannier in London Transport livery to work the engineering.train. Just a bit of fun, still driving for London Transport? 
The point of the exercise is price versus quality,    all the best. Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a Radley crane with a quick web search, so perhaps not on the same page as you say. However, not completely off the page either, as I've never rated Hornby's cranes as they're typically un-prototypical, particularly the tiny R6004, which is so toy like and was not even sold with a match truck!

The smaller mobile goods cranes were typically used where a fixed crane was absent from smaller yards  and they can help make up an interesting train, or a cameo scene, or indeed just parked up on a siding. You therefore don't need to pick anything up with it to justify it's appearance on your railway!

Cheers,

Bill  

Hi Bill. Thank you again the company "Radley" specialise in London Transport rolling stock, so I don't expect that they travel very far? Most of their products look true to life ,especially the models built by "SR Man" . But the crane they produce looks much like the "Hornby "Toy Crane" that you are referring to. Which is part of my reason for this thread. My idea is to run a night Engineering train, I have a couple of ex GWR Pannier Tanks in LT livery, and a brakevan kit that maybe one day? Will get put together, fingers crossed.    all the best. Kevin

Hi Kevin,

Can't see it on eebygumbut it's on Radley Models web site. £56. Hope it's built for that amount of money. Looks like a yard crane in a well car. Which you can do with the Cambrian model.

Nigel

Hi Nigel.  As Bill said , the Hornby crane looks more like a toy and I agree with you ,  the Radley crane doesn't look any better ( a yard crane and a Cambrian kit ). The"Tichy crane" or at least the motorised version, looks interesting on YouTube , maybe not prototype fo fo London.   all the best. Kevin

Hi Kevin and Nigel,

Radley Models 'Crain set' at £56 says it's repainted into LT livery, so I'm assuming it's RTR, but that's a deal more beer tokens than the Hornby! If you're concerned with price versus quality, I'd go for the Cambrian kit at around £15 and paint it LT light grey. 

Radleys are at the Southampton Model Railway Society show over the 28/29th January at Eastleigh, so I'll make sure to take a good look at their offer and ask where they get their white LT transfers from, as they're not listed with the other transfers.

Bill

Hi Bill and Nigel.    When I purchased my "Hurst Nelson" London Transport brakevan kit from Thompson models, I found the transfers at "Modelmaster UK" in Ayr, Scotland, ref number 4669, but I know that Radley sell them.all the best. Kevin

Longchap wrote:

Hi Kevin,

 I've never rated Hornby's cranes as they're typically un-prototypical, particularly the tiny R6004, which is so toy like 

Maybe……………….. or maybe not.

http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/?q=cowans%20sheldon


(or Google "Cowan Sheldon 10t hand crane")

Ed

Hi Ed.  I'm not certain what R 6004 looks like, but I will look it up. Which ever crane the Hornby model is " Either based on,  or not , or even plucked out thin air?"  My idea is a "London Underground " crane as used at various locations, and based at Lillee Bridge Depot, which meant working in some small spaces, unless of course it was working in the open. But I am taking a gamble with a Cambrian model and Match truck. Which may have to form an orderly queue with the other kits.    all the best. Kevin

Hi Ed, Again.    The Hornby R6004 looks very similar, to me that is, to the Cambrian Kit that I decided to buy.So I will have to see how it goes, but, with a well known company like Cambrian, and their reputation, I just  have to hope "that it turns out nice" for me.   Kevin

[user=1338]Ed[/user] wrote:

Maybe……………….. or maybe not.



http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/?q=cowans%20sheldon





(or Google "Cowan Sheldon 10t hand crane")



Ed

Great link Ed and I should always remember that it is often possible to fabricate a silk receptacle for storage of beer tokens from a geriatric listening device!

Seriously though, I think fora such as YMRC are mazing places to discover really useful information thanks to their members. The link for converting the Hornby hand crane into a Cowans Sheldon 6.5 or 10T travelling hand crane gives some great detailing parts and a neat drawing of how to use them. http://www.metropolitanrailway.co.uk/Triang_crane_conversion.html  Not sure if they're still available, but a most enterprising little initiative.

Thanks Ed,

Bill

Have you had a look at the Dapol Diesel Crane Kit and you have to make your own match trucks. It's a bit bigger but for an occasional foray might be worth a look.

Hi Mick.   Not really, but I did try to build a Dapol/ Aifix? engine shed, and although it had a level base the roof did not match the walls, and that is another part built kit. On the subject of cranes I went for "Cambrian GWR 6 ton crane"though I model in southern, it will work with the London Transport ex GWR pannier tank. That does come with a match truck , but there are a lot of small parts to test ones patience . And if I'm not careful that will join the unfinished kit queue? To be honest I am thinking about my etched brass brakevan kit, and that is a distraction. 
All the best. Kevin