The Man Engine

Something a bit different today, (although there is a bus in the post!) this comes from Peter Murnaghan:

The world's biggest mechanical puppet is coming to Liskeard next Tuesday 26th July.  The Man Engine is on a journey from Tavistock, through the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Heritage Area to Geevor Mine, near St Just. 

Liskeard is proud to be the first town in Cornwall to host the Man Engine on his journey to west Cornwall. Liskeard's Fountain was presented to the town by Matthew Loam, in memory of his father, Michael Loam, who first introduced the man engine (a mechanical device to carry men up and down the shaft of a mine), into the UK in 1842. His machine avoided miners needing to make the long slow climbs by ladders before and after their days' work.

Tuesday's giant puppet will transform into a huge miner as part of the celebrations marking the 10^th anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape being added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, alongside Egypt's pyramids and the Great Wall of China. When crawling through Cornwall the awe-inspiring Miner will be the same height as a double decker bus. But, in response to singing from the throng of people in Liskeard town centre, he will increase to almost three times that height when stood up. The Man Engine will arrive in Liskeard town centre at midday and will rise to the height of almost three double deckers from 1400. The best place to view the Man Engine itself will be in The Parade, where the road will be closed to traffic from 11.00 until 16.00. 

It will be a day of music, songs and storytelling around the town.  The shops and cafes will be putting on a number of special attractions for the day. Special Cornish pasties, with unusual flavours, will be baked especially for the day; the famous Liskeard Bun will be on sale, as will the Proper Cakey Tea.

A trailblazer bus will accompany the Man Engine.

Peter Murnaghan, one of the organisers said “ We would encourage visitors to come to Liskeard by public transport to avoid any difficulty with parking. Up to 5,000 visitors are expected and Liskeard is well served by train and bus services from Plymouth, Looe and surrounding districts.”

Buses will be operating normally, but diverted around the town centre to avoid the road closure.  Temporary bus stops will be located nearby in West Street, in place of the main town centre bus stops at the Parade. 

Passengers who come by train will be guided from Liskeard station up into the town centre by musicians and locals in costume, to reach the celebratory activities.  These two processions will leave the station, meeting the arrival of trains from Looe and Plymouth, at around 11.00 and 12.15.

More information about Tuesday's event can be found at:
https://www.visitcornwall.com/whats-on/bodmin-moor-tamar-valley/liskeard/man-engine