Exploring The Forgotten World

Abandoned Bucket Wheel Excavator Germany

Thought to be the largest abandoned machine in the world”

For fifty years it tirelessly ripped through the countryside in search of coal. The machine has 10 buckets, each able to hold 1.5m3 of earth and rock (approx. 10 bath tubs).

Built in the mid-1960s

Blue Wonder was rendered obsolete, when the coal mine closed in the mid 2000s.

Final Resting Place

It was parked in a large empty field, and was left as a memorial to the former open cast coal mine

Key Stats

Crew : 4 Weight :  3850t Length : 170m Height : 50m Number of buckets : 10 Capacity per bucket : 1.5m3 Cutting speed: 3.7m/second Max speed : 6m/min

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