A man engine is a mechanism of reciprocating ladders and stationary platforms installed in mines to assist the miners' journeys to and from the working levels. It was invented in Germany in the 19th century and was a prominent feature of tin and copper mines in Cornwall until the beginning of the twentieth century.
The Cornish Man Engine Puppet stands at 10 metres high and is the largest puppet ever made in Britain.
Here are some more facts...
Largest mechanical puppet ever made in Britain
Entirely engineered in Cornwall
Crawls at 4.5m high
Transforms’ to stand over 10m high
With vehicle weighs nearly 40 tonnes
Unveiled Tavistock Monday 25th July 2016
Two weeks 130-mile pilgrimage Tamar to Geevor
Visits all 10 Cornish Mining World Heritage Site areas
@maggiemae Yes Maggiemae he is manipulated by several people holding pullies at ground level. It was quite a sight. He finishes his journey tomorrow at the Geevor tin mine in the far southwest of Cornwall.
