After experimenting this morning, I found a simple fix for the latter problem which doesn't solve it fully but does improve things considerably: Bags #8 add the cab, bodywork, walkways, lights and other cosmetic details. Overall, the build time for the entire model is around 7 hours. Thanks to Evvilspoon, who's also built it, for confirming that it was not just my model that had problems with the 1x1s.

The left-hand output conveyer in the image below can be raised and lowered using gears on the side, while the one on the right can be rotated about 180 degrees. Light Bluish Gray Electric 9V Battery Box 4 x 11 x 7 PF with Orange Switch and Dark Bluish Gray Covers Step 8 completes the model with the cabin, railing and other small stuff. The cabin is a little too small for a minifigure. Now, by this point the model has become so big that it no longer fits on my regular photography table so I was unable to take more photos until I had something bigger. The following pictures are therefore taken with different lighting in a different 'studio' and to be honest I am not that happy with them but hopefully they will serve to illustrate the finished model. That's the theory anyway... It's a neat mechanism and it almost works. Generally, the 2x2s always exit the machine correctly but the 1x1s often don't.Step 4 builds the structure that carries the 2 arms. During the build I wondered why there were Technic Wedge Belt Wheel (4185) sitting in different angles at the bottom. There were no belts in the inventory, so I was unclear of their use. Nevertheless it's a very interesting machine to construct and operate and if you have the opportunity to build it for yourself I encourage you to so do. Perhaps you'll come up with some fixes for the other issues... You can also see in this picture the three axles that transfer power from the upper part of the machine to the lower part. They are connected using 'slip axles' which means it is easy to disconnect them for testing purposes. Unlike the other three large Technic sets released this summer, this one is not based on a real-life machine. Its design is certainly influenced by real BWEs but it looks nothing like any that I have been able to find pictures of. Take a look at some images yourself and see if you can fine one. Relatively cheap (yes, I’m dutch). In this set the parts are about € 0.06 cent per part. In for example the Porsche this is € 0.12.

Bags numbered six builds the business end of the machine and this is the most time consuming of the eight bags, taking around 1.5 hours. So, how does it work? Quite cleverly as it happens, but unfortunately the mechanism is buried deep inside the machine so is impossible to photograph without a major dismantling. (Yes, I should have photo'd it before finishing it, I know...) However, we still have not finished construction... At the end of bags #7 the model is functionally complete and can be tested and I urge you to do so because if there is any debugging to be done it will be more easily achieved now.

Functions

The first thing to bear in mind is that you will need nearly all of the parts to hand to build it because, unlike the main model that's built from numbered bags, to build this you need to open all of bags #2 - #8 and sort the parts before you start. Consequently you'll need a very large area to work on. Die-hard Technic fans will want it regardless but if you are on the fence or have limited funds, there are much better Technic sets released this year that I would buy before this one. Occasionally, 1x1s will exit with the 2x2s. It seems to happen if they are carried along inside on top of multiple 2x2s or land sideways on the three axles. If that happens they invariably drop into the depths of the mechanism rather than travel along the belt because it's not been designed to stop them doing so.

It's entirely possible that I was not careful enough during construction and mounted gears or connectors too tightly thus causing too much friction but if I -- a Technic veteran with 20+ years experience -- can do that, what hope do kids have of building it any better?I am therefore not able to wholeheartedly recommend this set: Personally I think it's pushing the boundaries of what's possible with Technic, particularly the Power Functions system, a bit too far and the model has suffered as a result. Upload an Image in the specific color if you have one and the one in the above listing is not available. The driveline for driving, turning and the small conveyer belt are also connected with these parts. Here it’s more obvious. The parts don’t hold tight to the axle but can slide. This allowing some wiggleroom when lowering and raising the big arm.