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A simple scotch derrick.


Dave John

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Right, back to some modelling. I have said painting is not my forte, add full size painting to that too. Anyway, a scotch derrick. I made this a long time ago for the previous layout, but I haven’t got round to fitting it since its a bit vulnerable as it is towards the front of the layout.

 

Scotch derricks are a simple crane, they were used in large numbers throughout the railways and industry in general. Drawings of the size preferred by the CR were published in “The true line “ and mine is scaled closely to those. It’s a basic model, the wood bits are mahogany, the iron bits are brass. The gears are from all sorts of stuff, anything with likely usable bits never gets thrown away without salvaging the gubbins.

 

 

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Well that looks ok to me. But, why not make it all work. Er, a controller …..

 

 

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A bit of video of it in action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have rebuilt the top end which had gummed up over the years, the drive system needed tidying up, but I’m fairly happy with that. Somewhere I have some lacing cord to replace that hairy cotton. The ball on the hook is a bit overscale too, but anything smaller lacks the mass to make the hook go down.

 

Edited by Dave John

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That's superb! So we've seen the switches; what sits under the board? 

 

Adam

 

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Fabulous stuff. I would like to make the derrick on my William Smith's Wharf work - any chance of a couple of snaps of the under board gubbins.

 

many thanks, Jerry

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Well, its a rather rough thing. The gearmotors are I think for model boats, the rest is bits box. It must be about 20 years old, I might have a go at a new one with some of these good gearmotors from china. The hollow pivot shaft of the derrick is the bit of brass just protruding from the black gear. 

 

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Edited by Dave John
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Thats great, many thanks. I have some of those little gearboxes in stock - they are destined for water columns on Bath but they are so cheap at the moment that its worth getting a few more.

 

Jerry

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You have excelled yourself Dave, not only with the derrick but also the photos of the larger scene.

 

Making that video must have required some concentration, there are times when two trains and the derrick are all moving at once!

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Well, the layout is wired to be operated by several people if they are about Mikkel. Long term some sort of operating schedule will help this idea. Getting there slowly. 

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I'm really impressed by that. There used to be a Scotch derrick on the loading dock at Ystradowen, which remained partially until the late 1960's. A larger version (steel built) is still extant at Cowes, on the Isle of Wight.

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A spot of idle googling turned up Alexander Models. They produce a HO Scotch Derrick crane, very similar to Dave's model, and a very good likeness to photos I have seen from South Wales. sadly, they don't appear to have a UK stockist, but they will post from the 'States.

 

Ian.

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That is extremely nice work. I have just scratch-built a pair in 'N' for a club exhibition layout [Box Station], they will sit in the station's adjacent stone-yard. Once they have been painted and rigged I will post them.

 

Tony

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Fantastic stuff, looks amazing. That wiggle we all get?, well i blame Enstien and all that gravity=mass stuff myself. Cmon Bachmann you need to change the laws of physics.

Only joking of course, what a wonderful model.

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Really great. Where did you get there details for the build? One would fit quite nicely I to my new micro layout

Marc

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2 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

A spot of idle googling turned up Alexander Models. They produce a HO Scotch Derrick crane, very similar to Dave's model, and a very good likeness to photos I have seen from South Wales. sadly, they don't appear to have a UK stockist, but they will post from the 'States.

 

Ian.

Alexander Scale Models: not to be confused with Alexander Models in the Northeast of England!

https://alexanderscalemodels.com/product/stiff-leg-derrick-ho-a-7514/

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I suppose someone could do an etch for the parts, the rest is just stock sections of tube. 

 

All those coach bolts on mine are just ordinary pins, drill through the wood and solder them to the brass.  I looked at a lot of pics at the time, what struck me was that they were all similar but slightly different. In construction use they were regularly taken down and moved from site to site so if it looks like it would work it is probably right. Jib lengths varied, somewhere I have a pic of one with what must be a 60 foot jib. Back when trees grew that high...... 

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Not as impressive as your's, but this is one of a pair that I scratched up in 'N' for a club layout....

 

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Tony

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Well, that is excellent in 2mm, close up pics are harsh.  Observations suggest the jib was usually on a chain and the hook on a rope. That must be a very fine chain. 

 

I  have another crane I have been messing with which does use chain. The problem is that it doesn't scale well in a dynamic situation though like yours it looks good in a static situation. I think to be on scale I need a chain that is about 50 link/inch. 

 

hmm..... 

 

 

 

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Thank you Dave. It is completely freelance of course, and not based on any particular prototype. Fortunately, modelling in ‘N’ allows for considerable liberties! It’s one of a pair constructed for a large stone yard: there are six cranes in total, but only two of these.

 

The chain was a good find: Langley  Models ultra-fine at 40 links to the inch. Comes in 30 inch lengths for £6-7. Fine enough for your purposes?

 

Tony

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Thanks, 40 lpi might be ok, I'll get some and play about. The difficulty is that the jib is very light and any drag means that it doesn't drop. Worth a try though. 

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4 hours ago, Dave John said:

Thanks, 40 lpi might be ok, I'll get some and play about. The difficulty is that the jib is very light and any drag means that it doesn't drop. Worth a try though. 

Would it be worth fitting a metal jib, painted to look light metal?

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Well, the CR ones all had wood jibs. 

 

A bit of history. The wood parts of that derrick are mahogany, It is the same timber that forms my front room floor, "recovered" from a building that was being demolished about 25 years ago. I think it would have been laid about 1860, so it's actually very old. Probably started growing a century before that. 

 

The main advantage of it is that it just needs a wash of dilute white paint and it really does look like wood. 

 

 

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