 | | Inside each of the two massive cartons is a sleeved box. |  |  | | Middle layer - Carton 1. |  | | Top layer - Carton 2. |  | | The ring plates are individual pieces. |  | | A Haulotte HA20 PX assists in attending to one of the bogies. |  | | A Manitowoc 555 dreams of lifting a boom section off a Nooteboom trailer. |  | | Just compare. |  | | Upper deck is clean and tidy. |  | | Boom section compared to a truck crane. |  | | The A frame mounted. |  | | Ready for reeving up. It could be a long night. |  | | Large metal pulleys on the A-frame. |  | | Loaded containers all on board. |  | | Detailed access stairs. |  | | A massive crane model. |  | | Impressive heavy boom. |  | | A Liebherr LTM 1050-3.1 is somewhat overwhelmed. |
| The Sarens SGC-120 is a giant ring crane with a lifting capacity of 3200 tonnes. It has been designed for use in petrochemical, nuclear and other engineering activities where heavy lifting is the requirement.
It can lift 3200t at 30m radius and 1000t at 80m. The real crane has a 130m main boom and a 90m light duty jib can be fitted.
Among the interesting statistics for this crane is the weight of the hook block at 105 tonnes and the ballast is provided by locally sourced material in 36 40ft shipping containers to produce 3600t of ballast. The entire crane can be shipped in around 135 standard containers. It takes one hour for the crane to rotate through one revolution.
This scale model is enormous. It is configured with the main boom only but laid out the overall length of the model is 3.3m long. With the boom up it reaches 2.6m and the diameter of the ring to the edge of the spreaders is nearly 90cm.
Packaging
The model comes in two very large cartons measuring 92x91x29cm and weighing approximately 26 and 22kg. Each contains another box with a colourful Sarens sleeve on the outside. Because of the size the sleeve is most easily cut off rather than trying to push the inner box out.
Inside the boxes the model parts are packed in layers with the boom sections tied to cardboard bases. This works well in terms of protecting the parts (particularly as the outer boxes had some shipping damage), but if you want to keep the ties for re-use in packing the model it is a painstaking exercise to release them and free the parts.
There were no defects or missing parts other than one container cross-tie which had not been cast properly but this was very minor and was to be replaced by WSI.
There were no instructions included in the box, and these were supplied separately, and are also available for download. The instructions are clear and good with only the main reeving diagram having some small conflicts. The two bolts that secure the main boom are a little too short to tighten the nuts properly but this is not a problem as the bolts are very unlikely to move.
There is is no information about the real SGC-120 which is an opportunity missed, and a uniquely numbered collector's card would have given a special feeling.
Unpacking and assembly is not difficult although some operations really need two people at least and a day should be set aside. Reeving the hook and luffing winches is time consuming and requires considerable patience and a calm temperament.
One interesting aspect is that the model does not come with loaded ballast. Instead the containers are empty and need to be filled with sand or other material. This is a sensible modelling decision by WSI as it reduces the shipping weight while at the same time reflecting the philosophy of the real crane.
Detail
An interesting aspect of the model is that much of it is preassembled. The ring with the ground bearing plates is all prefabricated in the box and accounts for the packaging size. However closer inspection suggests it can be split into smaller appropriate pieces by undoing screws. The ring is all metal and includes detailed lattice sections.
Four bogies are mounted on the ring track, two at the front (with more rollers) and two at the back. These are very large pieces with suitably strong metal beams. Unlike much of the model there are some riveted connections so it is not so easy to break the bogies down into transport loads. Each roller has a plastic motor modelled although there are no cables running to the plastic control frame.
The upper structure is very big, but simple in design and detail as it reflects the uncomplicated design of the real crane. The structure looks great with realistic beams and the deck surface has an anti-slip surface. Six large detailed winches are mounted on the deck together with seven metal containers, and there are hydraulic lines running between them. The handrails are metal and there are two sets of excellent metal staircases to provide access to the deck. There is nothing by way of graphics around the deck area and the two holes in the deck for the luffing rope equaliser look odd without some protection or guarding around them. Underneath the deck there are two pulleys which are used for the luffing rope equaliser. These are plastic non-functioning parts which although they will be rarely seen is something of a modelling compromise, and they did not seem to properly align on the review model.
A small plastic cabin provides the operator's area. It is well detailed inside with controls, screen, cabinet and seat and it would have been nice if it had lifting eyes so it could be posed being lifted. Such is the size of the crane that the cabin looks lost on the massive machine deck.
At the rear of the upper deck there are 36 ballast containers. These are made of tough plastic which is the right material given that they get filled with sand or stones and fortunately they have a very good colour match. Metal cross ties add strength and allow good stacking although as provided the containers cannot be posed being lifted by a crane unless the cross ties are glued in. Four of the containers are emblazoned with the Sarens name.
The main A frame is made of huge parts. The rear ties are about 20cm square and are heavy. The main struts are giant lattice sections 10cm x 5cm at the widest with member sizes around 8mm thick. This is massive size model engineering and is very impressive on its own. At the top of the A-frame are large silver metal pulleys for the hook and boom luffing ropes.
The boom sections are the same dimensions as the A-frame parts and the whole boom is therefore massive, well made and strong. It consists of small discrete sections which are screwed together and the structure of each is very good with all lattice chord members tubular in section. At the boom head are large banks of pulleys for the hook ropes.
The main boom guy ropes have metal connectors and look good with good manufacture meaning that the tensions in the parts look broadly equal with nothing sagging.
The hook block is very large and heavy, and includes a huge pair of double hooks with latches. It is very well detailed with excellent graphics and this makes a great model on its own.
Features
The real SGC-120 is designed to be broken down into container loads and many of the models components can also be broken down to smaller pieces with the main exceptions being the hook block, bogies and upper deck plate
The upper deck sits on the bogies and rotates smoothly even though the model is exceptionally heavy.
The main block is controlled by four winches and these work really well with a smooth push-release brake. However it is difficult to raise and lower the hook using the winches without the tension being lost in some of the ropes which allows them to jump off the pulleys. The design of the hook block is such that it does not appear to be easily broken down into smaller hook blocks so different rigging options are unavailable. However the hook block does have working spring-loaded latches which is a nice touch.
Luffing of the boom is controlled by two winches of the same design as the hoist winches. However there appears to be friction in the mechanism as raising and lowering the boom does not work well using the winches and the fixed plastic pulleys under the deck probably do not help with equalising either. WSI acknowledge this by recommending the luffing gear is reeved with the boom at the desired angle.
Quality
WSI has produced a very large model with some remarkable engineering given the forces that apply in something so big. It is well made. There is some plastic which is used appropriately and the paint and finish is very good.
Price
In 2012 this is the largest 1:50 scale crane model available and there is a great deal of metal for the money, and some of the pieces are of extraordinary size. On this basis it is good value for the size offered.
Overall
As a model engineering achievement the Sarens SGC-120 ring crane sets the bar higher. It is a giant of a model and will get attention from anyone who sees it. Of course a collector needs a big wallet and a lot of space to display it properly. It would look great in an office, particularly as part of a scene where it is lifting a heavy element.
It is not the most highly detailed model though. The real crane is a simple and efficient design and the model captures that perfectly but at close viewing there are few graphics or details such as cables and hoses.
Overall it is a great model of the real crane, and a great model because it just towers over everything and is certainly outstanding.
Footnotes
The model first appeared at the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2012 and shipments commenced in June 2012. It was produced in a run of 500 models.
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|  | | Top layer - Carton 1. |  | | Bottom layer - Carton 1. |  | | Bottom layer - Carton 2. |  | | The ring sitting on the load spreaders. The Cranes Etc team members are arguing how they left the Haulotte inside the ring. |  | | Four bogies on the track. |  | | With the upper deck on it towers over Liebherr LTF 1060 mobile crane. Please don't ask why the Cranes Etc riggers left the crane in there. |  | | The Cranes Etc riggers using powered access. |  | | Massive steelwork. |  | | One of the containers loaded on a flatbed truck. |  |  | | Hitachi ZX 210 loading a container with local materials. |  | | Yes, it is 'supersize'. |  | | The scale of the crane becomes apparent. |  | | Spot the worker. |  | | Large winches and containers. |  | | Boom-head eye view. |  | | Massive ballast. |  | | Most cranes could not even lift the hook. | |
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