From: "Phil Payne" 

"John Beamish"  wrote in message
news:op.tje58o2am6tn4t{at}dellblack.wlfdle.phub.net.cable.rogers.com...
> Why did the Canadian cross the road?  To get to the middle.
>
> Why did the WhatTheHeckIsThis cross the road?
> http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap061122.html

Common way to move them:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragline

"The British firm of Ransome and Rapier produced a few large
(1400-1800 ton) excavators, the largest in Europe at the time. Power was
from internal combustion engines driving generators. One, named SUNDEW, was
used in a quarry from 1957 to 1974. After its working life at the first
site in Rutland was finished it walked 13 miles to a new life at Corby; the
walk took 9 weeks."

I remember it well.  At one point we could see it from the upstairs windows.

What they don't tell you is that the trip was a financial disaster.  They
estimated the cost of dismantling and rebuilding at GBP300k or so, and the
walk at GBP200k.  In the end, the trip cost almost GBP500k.

One problem was crossing streams.  They laid gravel in the stream bed, laid
huge concrete pipes on top, packed the sides and tops with sand, and drove
over it.  They had counted on reusing the pipes and selling them after the
move.  As soon as the weight came to bear, CRACK!  It got across, but the
pipes came out in pieces.

The guy in charge used to give lectures around Northamptonshire, charging
GBP50 a time.  He said he needed the money now he was out of a job.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5