Bagger 1473 (christened as The Blue Wonder[1][2]) is a Type SRs 1500-series bucket-wheel excavator prototype left abandoned in a field in the municipality of Schipkau in Germany.[2][3]

Bagger 1473
Bagger 1473 in the fields of Schipkau
Class overview
Name
  • MAN TAKRAF RB1473 (1965-2002)
  • Bagger 1473 (2002-2003)
  • The Blue Wonder (1965-2002)
BuildersTAKRAF
Operators
In service1965-2002
History
Germany
NameThe Blue Wonder
BuilderTAKRAF
Christened1965
Commissioned1965
NotesLargest abandoned ground vehicle
General characteristics
Class and typeType SRs 1500-series Bucket-wheel excavator
Tonnage3,850 t (8,490,000 lb)
Length171.5 m (563 ft)
Height50 m (164 ft)
Installed powerTotal: 5.55 MW (7,449 hp) with 6 kV power cable
Propulsion6 x caterpillar tracks
Speed6 m (20 ft) per minute (0.36 km/h)
CapacityBlade capacity: 12.5 m (41 ft) in diameter, 10 buckets each holding 1.5 cubic meters
Complement4-5

Technical data

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The bucket wheel excavator had a power of 5555 kW during operation and was supplied with a 6 kV power cable.

Overall, the bucket wheel excavator is about 50 meters high and about 171.5 meters long. The six-section crawler undercarriage, with a maximum travel speed of 6 meters per minute, carries the total mass of 3850 tons.[4]

With 10 buckets of 1.5 cubic meters each and 57 pours per minute (known as the pour rate), the excavator achieves a theoretical mining capacity of 5130 cubic meters per hour. The bucket wheel diameter is 12.5 meters and the cutting speed is 3.73 meters per second.[5]

The design of the wheel boom, with a length of 67 meters, enables an excavation height of up to 35 meters and an excavation depth of up to 15 meters.

History

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Bagger 1473
 
General information
StatusAbandoned
LocationLange Straße 71, Schipkau, Germany
Coordinates51°32′06.9″N 13°56′59.0″E / 51.535250°N 13.949722°E / 51.535250; 13.949722
Completed1965
Closed2002
OwnerLocal municipalities
Height50 m
Dimensions
Weight3850 t

The excavator was used at the Tagebau Meuro mine from 1965 to 2002.

After it was withdrawn from service, the municipalities Senftenberg, Großräschen, and Schipkau decided on a joint action to preserve the opencast mining machine. Between 29 August to 15 September 2003, Bagger 1473 was moved approximately 8.5 kilometres (5.3 mi) from the Meuro mine to near the EuroSpeedway Lausitz, where it would serve as a monument to the area's former lignite mining. The machine was moved across industrial roads and railways owned by the LMBV but public traffic was not affected.[6]

When Bagger 1473 became popular with the urban explorers, it was misidentified as Bagger 258 because of markings found on its information plate.[7]

 
Bagger 258 at Tagebau Garzweiler
 
Bagger 1473

Scrapping

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In January 2019 the municipalities that supported its move announced that the excavator was to be scrapped. Their decision was mainly due to the machine's dilapidation and damage. It was financially impossible to maintain and because vandalism and theft had become so extensive, the structure was no longer safe for people. Parts of the excavator would be preserved, such as its wheel.[8]

However, when the Brandenburg Landesamt für Denkmalpflege (State Office for the Preservation of Monuments) and state archaeological museum learned of the planned demolition from news reports, they issued a statement the excavator had acknowledged historical structure protection since 2002/2003. Although at that time, it was simply assumed that it was unnecessary to formally place it on the list of such structures. The fact that the structure was identified as historically significant was considered sufficient to declare it as protected. The Landesamt quickly made it official in February.

Constructive discussions about the future of Bagger 1473 are ongoing with the local municipalities and communities. Despite imminent demolition work being prevented, it remains unclear how the structure can be preserved and who will have financial responsibility.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ ""An Abandoned Monument"". City Seeker.
  2. ^ a b "THE BLUE WONDER [DE]".
  3. ^ "Bergbauwahrzeichen soll erhalten bleiben" [Mining landmark to be retained]. Lausitzer Rundschau (in German). 16 December 2002. Archived from the original on 20 January 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Gemeinde Schipkau - Schaufelradbagger". 2018-10-28. Archived from the original on 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  5. ^ "Gemeinde Schipkau - Schaufelradbagger". 2018-10-28. Archived from the original on 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  6. ^ "LMBV-Schaufelradbagger auf letzter Fahrt" [Final journey for LMBV bucket-wheel excavator] (in German). Lausitzer und Mitteldeutsche Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft (LMBV). 28 August 2003. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Bagger 258: The "Blue Wonder"". Atlas Obscura. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Letzte Reise für das "Blaue Wunder" vom Lausitzring" [Last journey for the "Blue Wonder" at the EuroSpeedway Lausitz]. Lausitzer Rundschau (in German). 11 January 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Hörlitzer Schaufelradbagger ist jetzt ein Denkmal" [Hörlitz bucket-wheel excavator is now a monument]. Lausitzer Woche (in German). 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 May 2019.
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