diff --git a/history_downloader/tests/download_tests.py b/history_downloader/tests/download_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f50c454
--- /dev/null
+++ b/history_downloader/tests/download_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+import downloader as download
+
+def print_response_to_file(r):
+    pass
+def pretty_print_response(r):
+    pass
+
+def trial_downloads(nct_id):
+    """
+    Mirrors `download_and_handle_errors` and , without writing to a database
+    Instead it writes to files
+    """
+    print("downloading {}".format(nct_id))
+    r = download.make_request(nct_id,1,2)
+    responses = [ r ]
+    print(r.url)
+
+    v = download.get_highest_version_number(r)
+
+    if v == 2:
+        pass
+    elif v%2 == 0:
+        for version_a, version_b in download.step_generator(v):
+            print("\t versions {} & {}".format(version_a,version_b))
+            req = download.make_request(nct_id,version_a,version_b)
+            responses.append(req)
+    elif v %2 == 1:
+        for version_a, version_b in download.step_generator(v):
+            print("\t downloading versions {} & {}".format(version_a,version_b))
+            req = download.make_request(nct_id,version_a,version_b)
+            responses.append(req)
+        responses.append(download.make_reqauest(nct_id,1,v))
+
+    print("\tDownloaded {} versions".format(v))
+
+    return responses
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    test_list = ['NCT01303796', 'NCT01371708', 'NCT01374906', 'NCT01382602', 'NCT01384539', 'NCT01391546', 'NCT01392469', 'NCT01413178', 'NCT01416441', 'NCT01418339']
+
+    for t in test_list:
+        resp = trial_downloads(t)
+