Thanks, actually quite pleased with the Steam punk comment, although I think since that movement gained momentum it has gotton a bit fragrant and confectious.
Yes, I would have to agree with you there. There's a lot of overworked rubbish being passed off under that hip moniker these days, but still a few gems out there. I saw some photos of the exhibit in Oxford recently and thought some of the items exhibited, ie. the lighting fixtures, were excellent. I think it's the engineered decorative aspects of your crane that give it that character, the over-engineered and drilled stabilizers, the decorative elements of the large wheels and so on. Sounds like a fascinating project overall, looking forward to seeing more as it develops.
Paul