Wagga Wagga Yard Crane

 Wagga Wagga Yard Crane

I have been trying to find out if the derrick yard crane in use at Wagga Wagga was unique. So far, I have not been successful in locating any information on the internet that gives a definitive answer. 

I photographed the crane from a window of the Bomen Flood train in the early 1990s. Shows the crane, and the goods shed 

The crane has 2 fixed beams, connected at the top with a pivot, supporting the weight of the swivelling crane section.  The Wagga crane was motorised.  Heavy items would be lifted from the open or flat wagons, the crane swivelled, and the item loaded onto waiting trucks.  I suspect the crane was removed in the mid 1990s when the goods shed was dismantled and relocated

Disappointingly, the above picture was the only image I had of the crane, until recently.  Max Burke, approached me with a datapack containing a copy of his field measurements, and photos of the crane in 1994.  Besides narrow gauge railways, Max has a fascination for cranes - and a few years ago, I built a couple of O scale crane models for him.

One never knows where an unrelated modelling project leads to.

----------

Below are my scanned copies of the images and data Max supplied.  Whilst not in a form of a scale diagram, I think there is enough information to successfully build a model.

I have been fortunate to have been in contact with many people who have been great to fill in my numerous knowledge gaps, with photos, and plans.   Thank you all.

Stay warm.