- Sundew (dragline)
Sundew was a large electrically powered
dragline excavator used in mining operations inRutland andNorthamptonshire in theUnited Kingdom .Built by Ransomes & Rapier and named after the
1957 Grand National winner, it began work in aRutland iron orequarry belonging toStewarts & Lloyds that year. At the time of its construction Sundew was the largest walking dragline in the world, weighing 1675 tons. With a reach of 86 metres and a bucket capacity of 27 tons the machine was able to move a substantial amount of material in a relatively short period.Propulsion was via two large moveable feet which could be used to "walk" the dragline forwards and backwards, while directional control was provided by a large circular turntable under the body of the machine.
Sundew remained until operations at the quarry ceased in
1974 and plans were then devised to relocate the machine to a recently opened British Steel quarry nearCorby . At a cost of £250,000 and taking two years to complete it was decided that dismantling, moving and reconstructing the machine was not a viable option, and so over a nine week period in1974 Sundew was walked thirteen miles from its home near the village of Exton in Rutland to a site north of Corby. During the walk the dragline crossed three water mains, ten roads, a railway line, two gas mains and a river, before finally reaching its new home.As part of a major restructuring of British Steel in the late 1970s the Corby site was closed down and there was no longer any need for a large dragline to assist in the recovery of iron ore. On
July 4 ,1980 Sundew walked to its final resting place and the huge boom was lowered onto a purpose built earth mound. There it remained for seven years until being scrapped over a six month period from January to June1987 . The cab is preserved atRutland Railway Museum .References
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