Great pictures, Mike, they have absorbed a considerable part of my evening, thanks for posting,

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

 How was the crane powered ?   There doesn't seem to be an engine, boiler or pipe connections anywhere. :???:

 

I believe that was a [large] 'handraulic', you can see a shaft with a square end below the big gearwheel and above the wooden 'planks'. The box on the back holds balance weights for the jib, and looks like can be moved to and fro to adjust balance? The [sloping] wooden pieces are fold-out decks for the unlucky handle winder to stand on when winding.

There is a smaller 4 wheel version I think, on the WSR with the same box, in that case I was told by staff there that the box was full to the brim with old fish-plates and this smaller one from the NRM, too, has a 'box'.  Note the wind down stops on the springs and the hold-downs to the track with one large link in the chain for a tommy-bar. The hinges of the folding footplates are quite clear, too.

 

 

 

 Doug

OMG :shock::shock::shock:  Pity the poor guy who has to wind that thing up and down but yes Doug, you're right.  You can see the hold-down chains on the buffers in Mike's shot and, as you say, the folded platform.

I presume the lifting rope was steel hawser or something but imagine trying to raise the jib with those huge chains and heavy support brackets - to say nothing of the weight of the jib itself.  They must have been very low geared. :roll:

From the days when men were men ……………….;-)

It's only a wind up, Peter.