Loose handrail is driving me nuts

[angliojoe]

Hi all,
Really hoping you can help. I have a handrail that rattles on the post at the end. The post is sound but there is some side to side give from the handrail. I want to tighten it but the whole things has years and years of gloss painted all over it. Does anyone know where i should be looking before i end up having the strip the whole thing to find a screw somewhere to tighten?
Thanks in advance,
Joe.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Looks to me that the stairs have been refurbished at some point and the spindles replaced. They don't match the newel post.
It looks like the paint between the handrail and the round top is cracked?
What may be the easiest thing is to drill a hole all the way through the top and into the handrail. then insert a glued dowel and allow to dry. Cut off the bit that sticks out and paint.

 

[foxhole]

Have you looked underneath, many fixing can be found under the handrail.

 

[angliojoe]

the only thing under the rail is a fixing plate with three screws to attach the plate. Any tightening screw is probably hidden under gloss. Would it be on the underside of the handrail or on the post its attached to?
Thanks.

 

[johnny2007]

Another solution would be to drive a screw in the handrail and post at the joint from underneath.
Wood will expand and firm the joint.
However the dowel solution mentioned above would be better.