Friends of St. Aidans BE 1150 Walking Dragline

Oddball is a giant preserved walking dragline, a Bucyrus Erie BE 1150 that was used in opencast coal mining and last worked on this very site. Visitors can look up at its bucket and jib and get a sense of how large a piece of mining equipment it was. The volunteer group that cares for the machine organises public open days through the year and can open at other times by arrangement. The machine is also a memorial to the opencast miners who worked alongside deep-mine colleagues. Because the attraction is an outdoor heritage site with one large machine, it suits families who enjoy industrial history and big machinery rather than a rides-and-play day. Open days have been affected by cancellations in recent years, so check the news page before setting out.