This Model 8.25  Derrick Crane is from the 1950 7/8 instruction manual. This for the most part was a reprint of the1937- 41 manual but with the cross hatching on the plates retouched out, but this was a new model. My own model has been built using silver, yellow and blue parts parts from 1964. Originally designed to be driven by the No. 1 clockwork motor but this was not very successful with rather inadequate braking of the jib and hoist.  Also operating the motor control levers and gear box all at the same time was rather a disaster when operating. I rebuilt the drive with a small 6 volt Meccano French motor driving a radial gearbox using worm gears to avoid the use of brakes a solution that worked well. The rotating mechanism is as the original design, turned by the steering wheel near the front using a worm and 57 tooth gear. The only other major change was the use of a built up bearing with 168d balls (not contents of the No. 8 set)  and a pair of 3" pulleys. Its such a useful small bearing that I kept it assembled for use on other models. The model looks the part and is a fairly good reproduction of a type of crane that was quite common 40 or 50 years ago, often seen on wharves and in timber yards.   The large round object behind the battery box is an old  iron 2 pound weight  I used this to stop the model tipping over. The original of this type of crane would have been built and mounted on a three point concrete base. I have also built another Derrick crane from a 1911 manual built with contemporary parts. Revised March 27 2014

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