MEDIA ALERT / INVITATION
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TO THE AWAKENING OF THE MONUMENTAL MAN ENGINE – THE LARGEST MECHANICAL PUPPET EVER CONSTRUCTED IN THE UK

Final touches are being made to the colossal Cornish Mining behemoth, before it is revealed for the very first time on 25th July

The UK's largest ever mechanical puppet, an epic 10 metre plus Cornish Mining Man Engine, is preparing to 'awaken' and undertake his historic journey the entire length of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, some 130 miles, over two weeks of major celebrations.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape being added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Partnership has commissioned an exciting summer-long set of inspirational events and experiential happenings entitled Tinth. The most spectacular event is the two week awe-inspiring journey of the Man Engine - a monumental moving, steaming 'beast', the likes of which has never been seen before - who will make his way from Tavistock to the far western tip of Cornwall between 25th July and the 6th August 2016.

The largest mechanical puppet ever made in Britain, the 'miner' is a major feat of Cornish engineering. The same height as a double decker bus when in his 'crawling' mode, the Man Engine will 'transform' to almost three times that height when stood up. Throughout his journey the part man, part machine will be accompanied by animated theatrical shows with music, theatre and storytelling, created by a team of more than a dozen 'miners' and 'bal-maidens' who will animate the giant throughout his travels.

The in-depth stories of five key historical figures, whose lives and impacts were woven throughout the 18th to early 20th century industrial era of Cornwall and West Devon mining, will unfold as the Man Engine makes his way across west Devon and Cornwall. Over 1,200 schoolchildren have been working on inspirational projects, linking history, science, engineering and creativity, to bring a set of pageant wagons to each key stop, illustrating their new-found understanding of how the Cornish mining culture has shaped their 21st century world.

Golden Tree Productions, the creators of the Man Engine, have been building the behemoth at a top secret location and have purposefully only shared scant details of how the Man Engine will work.

His imposing appearance, and workings, will only be revealed to the world, as it awakens for the first time in Tavistock, West Devon, at 10am on Monday 25th July. In preparation, right across Cornwall and west Devon, the Golden Tree team has been running singing rehearsals, teaching the Cornish Language chant, the 'Haka Balweyth' and the 'Hard Rock Miner' anthem because the Man Engine will only be coaxed to fully stand up if enough people sing!

From 25th July to 6th August the colossal Man Engine will make his journey through Poldark country from Tavistock to Geevor Tin Mine. TheMan Engine will visit each one of the ten World Heritage Site mining areas, opening the storybook of the industrial mining era and its powerful lasting legacy as it goes.

Coming alive in Tavistock's Bedford Square, the Man Engine's awakening will witnessed by locals and holidaymakers alike. Street music and historical mining walks and tours around the historic stannary town will be in place for the first lucky observers of the monumental puppet's inaugural transformation.

In Liskeard, the first Cornish town to receive the Man Engine and his trailblazing cavalcade, thousands will throng the streets with music, dance and the 'Liskeard Bun.' A major street mural is also being painted to commemorate the staggering event. Later that day brass bands and performers will greet the Man Engine as he arrives at Minions, high on Bodmin Moor. Further on into Cornwall, Truro will present the Man Engine with an ingot of Tin recovered from a shipwreck.

In a penultimate evening extravaganza, the whole town of Penzance is set to come ablaze with activity with thousands of people taking to the streets in fancy dress in a steampunk crossed with traditional tin mining style. An exhilarating spectacle of engineering 'Innovation and Invention', will take place all day long with a mine cart soap box derby in Market Jew Street, heritage hubs, historical walks, food and farmers markets, a Man Engine making competition in street windows and a DJ night at the newly re-opened Jubilee Pool (lido.)

The Man Engine is the brainchild of Will Coleman, founder and director of Golden Tree Productions. He said, “Kernow, our horn-shaped granite kingdom of Cornwall, is a tiny 0.002% of the planet's surface, yet beneath our rocky shores can be found samples of more than 90% of all mineral species ever identified. Millions of years in the making, the geology of Cornwall is unique. This unbelievable geological treasure (copper, tin, arsenic, lead, zinc, silver, etc) has powered the Cornish people's endeavour through 4,000 years of mining history: innovation, triumph and heartbreak. I was brought up on the banks of the River Tamar with the stories and the legacy of Cornish mining all around me. The landscape is deeply rooted in the impacts of that industry and in the successes and the struggles of the real people whose lives shaped our Cornish mining story.”

Will continues, “The creation and build of the Man Engine at our top secret location has taken us through a whole set of deep challenges, but we are now adding the final touches as our colossal beast prepares to take centre stage, and make this timely pilgrimage of more than 100 miles throughout our homeland.”

Cllr Julian German, Chairman of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Partnership says, “The World Heritage Site's Tinth Anniversary has something for everyone - schoolchildren, the general public, the wider community, visitors to the WHS and also to the Cornish mining diaspora across the globe. Our Cornish mining ancestors were international entrepreneurs, who propelled mining into a new industrial era, on a worldwide scale. It wasn't an easy journey for anyone then, and in many ways, it is a difficult history. However, this year Tinth is bringing alive the past, showing its meaning and significance in the present – and for the future.”

Cllr German continues, “Special projects like the towering Man Engine show we still share this same gritty ambition and ingenuity with our ancestors. Alongside our other Tinth events, the Man Engine will quite literally elevate Cornish Mining on a massive scale, highlighting its distinctiveness and importance through rich stories and spectacle. We will be taking people right across the peninsula on a series of adventures and experiences that help them to learn, understand and ultimately feel great about their own and their community's heritage.”

To find out exactly what's happening at each of the twenty stops and learn where you can see this truly amazing visual spectacle, visitwww.themanengine.org.uk and immerse yourself in the Man Engine world with a bespoke interactive map.

ENDS
Notes to editors
Man Engine facts and figures:
• Largest mechanical puppet ever made in Britain
• Entirely engineered in Cornwall
• Crawls at 4.5m high
• 'Transforms' to stand over 10m high
• With its accompanying vehicle weighs nearly 40 tonnes
• Unveiled Tavistock Monday 25th July 2016
• Two weeks 130-mile pilgrimage Tavistock to Geevor
• Visits all 10 Cornish Mining World Heritage Site areas
• 25+ events along route
• 50,000+ participants
• Cornish Mining Heritage workshops with 1200+ school pupils
• 5 'Mining Wagons', designed by local schools and community
• Final event at Geevor Sat 6th August 2016

There is limited availability for journalists, production crews, photographers and media with confirmed commissions to gain exclusive access to the South West's largest cultural engineering project this year. Please contact Karina Marshall or Kim Gray onKarina@excess-energy.co.uk or media@excess-energy.com to confirm your immediate interest, discuss press trips or special access to the build of the Man Engine or media opportunities along the two week route. Alternatively please call the Excess Energy Communications office on 01637 852 130.

• The build

o Being developed at a top secret location, hidden away from prying eyes and cameras alike. Capture the Man Engine's creation from start to finish with exclusive all access rights. Be the first to have what will be nationally sought content and footage.

• The team

o Get under the skin of the intelligent, articulate, Cornish through and through team. Experience the challenges faced that only a project of this magnitude can present and the steely determination needed to overcome them.
• The community

o Follow school groups from the ten Mining World Heritage Site areas as they immerse themselves in the history of the Cornish and west Devon mining industry. Learning about the innovative science and engineering skills upon which the industry was founded in the South West and was used as the benchmark for mining around the globe.

• The launch

o July the 25th 2016. Capture the moment the Man Engine breathes for the first time in Tavistock at 10am. Witness the crowd, coerced by the bal maidens and miners, sing mining songs and watch the Man Engine stand at full height. Follow the Man Enginethrough the historic mining town of Gunnislake across the iconic bridge and up to the top of picturesque Kit Hill for a 360˚ view of Cornwall, Devon, Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor, The River Tamar and estuary and the English Channel.

• The journey

o Follow the Man Engine and its crew from Tavistock as he journeys through the ten Mining World Heritage Sites, visiting Poldark country and culminating in a closing ceremony at Geevor Tin Mine on the 6th August
Ensure you have the priority vantage points with epic potential to capture the statuesque machine as it romps through the west Devon and Cornish landscapes.

• The penultimate evening:

• Major plans are being drawn up for the penultimate evening of the journey of the colossal Man Engine, all part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site's Tinth celebrations. Those plans currently include: (Over £30K of BID financial investment going into) the main shopping streets of Penzance being closed off for the day and into the evening, the local community and visitors alike being encouraged to come out in steampunk costume as a tribute to the steam engineering innovations of the tin mining industry and an exhilarating spectacle of engineering 'Innovation and Invention', this being the theme of the day in Penzance.

• A 25 foot Humphry Davy puppet surfacing and parading through town to meet the colossal Man Engine, offering him the gift of a massive Davy Safety Lamp as Penzance's overall motif to honour Penzance-born Humphry Davy's critical role in the invention of the Davy lamp, which undoubtedly safeguarded the lives of millions of miners and pushed mining to the next level across the world.

• There will also be fire performance during the evening and a constant 'Mad Max', steampunk feel going on about the whole town. The local independent shops will have mini Man Engines in their windows as a part of a town trail, children will be encouraged to search them out and will be rewarded with 'pieces of tin' (chocolate coins) when they find them. With many other activities for children and families, music, street food and the Pageant Wagons all featuring to bring a day long feast of festivity and celebration to the town.

• The heritage
o Capture the stories, the fortunes and misfortunes of the Cornish Miners whose craft helped shape our world. Have access to historical experts and the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site team to gain fresh insights into this major period of our industrial heritage.