A photographic print of Building & Construction, Cranes, Excavators, Machinery, etc

THE GREAT JIB: STAR OF THE MACHINE AGE October 31st 1951 PAR 26718-1 (V-K Billed as The Biggest Walking Drag-line in the World, incorporating 'The Great Jib', a machine that can certainly qualify as one of the eight wonders of the technical world made its debut at Corby, Northamptonshire, today (Wednesday). The machine, titled officially W.1400, took Messrs. Ransomes & Rapier four years to build on the site. It weighs 1,600 tons, has electric motors that give over 3,000 motor horse power, works for 20 hours a day, actually walks - with seven-foot steps - and is controlled by one man. Its purpose: to remove strata covering the ironstone bed down to a depth of one hundred feet. Ironstone sells for a little over seven shillings a ton; the W.1400 is designed to uncover 400,000 tons of it each year. For this reason, huge machine that it is, must 'walk' over the area. After settling in a spot, the machine swings out with The Great Jib - an arm 282 feet long, the tip of which is 175 feet above the ground. Then it drops a 22 ton scoop, lifts and drags away 27 tons of spoil. Within 60 seconds, the scoop has emptied and is back, digging in once more. PICTURE SHOWS: The biggest walking drag-line (W.1400) in the world is seen here from the top of the great jib, at its Corby (Northants.) site today. Industry - Building - Excavators