Bigfoot is the Melbourne Steam Traction Engine Club’s (MSTEC) 108 ton Rapier walking dragline, whose rescue was originally reported in TOMM issues #138 and #139.

In the beginning, during the excitement of the acquisition, the Club imagined that Bigfoot would be walking in only a few months, however, a great deal more work was required than first anticipated and, for a while, it looked like it might be doomed. It ended up taking 15 months of Herculean effort as the Club rose to the challenge, in truly professional style and was able to demonstrate Bigfoot walking at their March, 2011 rally. 

There will be another opportunity on Sunday, 25th September, 2011, to witness this wonderfully amazing sight. 

The previous article ended in June, 2008, with the W90 Rapier walking dragline being deposited on the middle of the arena at the MSTEC’s Steam Museum at Scoresby, a suburb in Melbourne, Vic. It was in a dismantled and cut-down state, due to the method of transport, and looked very sorry for itself. Nevertheless, it was soon getting a lot of attention, with passers-by noticing something new and dropping into the club for a look.

Unprecedented Interest

The two articles in The Old Machinery Magazine, and a couple of clips in ov