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They gnash, they crush, they haul. They fly, they swim, they crawl. These areDiscovery Channel’s incredible and colossal X – MACHINESThe world’s most amazing machines, including a group of remarkable South African workhorses,will take centre stage on Discovery Channel (DStv Channel 250) on 17 November 2009@ 22:00 when the channel’s new action-packed engineering show, X-Machines, premieres.1
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEGet inside the world’s most formidable and awe-inspiringmachines on X-MachinesA Discovery Channel showcase of South Africa’s astounding mechanicalsuperheroesThe world’s most amazing machines, including a group of remarkable South African workhorses,will take centre stage on Discovery Channel (DStv Channel 250) on 17 November 2009 @ 22:00when the channel’s new action-packed engineering show, X-Machines, premieres.X-Machines premieres on Discovery Channel (DStv Channel 250) on 17 November at22:00Showcasing the superheroes of the machine world, X-Machines profiles the biggest and mostawe-inspiring machines on the planet as they face some of the most incredible engineeringchallenges ever. The X-Men have nothing on the X-Machines: Blade, Gnasher, The Beast,Titan, Poseidon, Hammerhead and Hulk are just some of the mechanical giants with real-lifesuperpowers that feature in the new series.In a coup for South African viewers, X-Machines will feature a local excavator and gianthaul trucks that rank among the biggest and most impressive machines on earth.“These SouthAfrican machines are just amazing!” says X-Machines assistant producer, Natalia Dannenberg.“It’s not that often that South Africa is featured in a global Discovery Channel show, but thesemachines just fitted the bill perfectly. They’re definitely up there with the biggest and best inthe world and hold their own among these massive machines.”The South African stars include the enormous Terex RH-400 excavator at Limpopo’sMogalakwena Platinum Mine. One of only 11 excavators of this size, the Terex is the onlyhydraulic-electric excavator in the world and stands a whopping three storeys high. Alsofeatured are the gigantic haul trucks of Kumba Iron Ore’s Sishen Mine in the Northern Cape.There are only four such trucks in Africa, costing R50-million each, and they’re all based at this2
mine. Dwarfing their drivers, these trucks rest on 8 tonne wheels that are 11 foot in diametereach.The show not only examines the biggest machines, but also some of the biggest locations in theworld. From minus 50 degree temperatures and the snow-swept landscapes of Canada to localmines that sprawl out in the African bush. Limpopo’s Mogalakwena Platinum Mine, the biggestopencast platinum mine in the world, is one such site that adds diversity to the show’s extremelocations.Paul Welling, Vice President & Head of Channels: Emerging Markets, Discovery Networks, saysthis inclusion of South African content is critical in connecting with local viewers. “We believe it’simportant to remain relevant in the minds of our audiences. We always try to commissionshows that include subjects and locations from across our target regions. It just so happenedthat South Africa had some of the world’s greatest machines, making it the perfect addition tothe X-Machines line-up,” adds Welling.X-Machines is unique in that the show gets into the heart and soul of these machines and thepeople that operate them. Each machine is personified and given its own name and identitywhich reflect its distinctive ability. And much like the superheroes of the big screen that theyemulate, each has its own specific superpower that enables it to overcome the greatest ofengineering challenges.“The show was inspired by Thunderbirds as these machines are superheroes in their own right.They operate in extreme environments, they all have a special mission and there’s really onlyone machine that can fulfill each task to save the day. Watching them at work is quitehypnotising and their different “personalities” come through on each job. The South Africanexcavator, for example, is amazing and looks like something of a dinosaur crossed with a swan!It’s incredible to see,” Dannenberg says.Not only does X-Machines personify these great beasts and provide first-hand narrativethrough the thoughts and emotions of their operators, but also uses radical film techniques toput viewers right in the middle of the action.Destructible cameras, mini cameras placed in hard-to-reach places and dramatic close-upfootage all add to the fast-paced excitement of the show.“We try get as close to the action as possible, to make the viewer feel as though they’re reallythere. We place mini cameras in the more dangerous spots and places the main cameras can’tget to, like on the sides and underneath vehicles or at the site of explosions to capture rockfalls. We get really awesome shots like that; that illustrate the ability of these machines in waysthey’ve never been seen before. Not even the drivers and operators have seen the machinesfrom these angles!3
“The operators add a human element to the show. They’re passionate about what they do andare truly amazing in their ability to handle these machines which are as big as houses. Theystart out on the smaller machines, say a 90 ton truck, and aspire to work on the big guys, like a310 ton truck. Their narratives convey these aspirations and how proud they are of theirmachines,” Dannenberg explains further.Technology lovers will be spoilt for choice as X-Machines takes these mechanical wondersapart and examines them and their capabilities from every possible angle. This combined withwhat Dannenberg describes as “beautiful, glossy, high-end shots” of the machines themselves,makes for compelling viewing.-EndsDiscovery Networks EMEAAbout Discovery CommunicationsDiscovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s number one nonfiction mediacompany reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 170 countries. Discoveryempowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks,led by Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Science and Discovery HD, as well as leadingconsumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media servicesincluding HowStuffWorks.com. In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, 13 Discovery brands reach 217million cumulative subscribers in 105 countries with programming customized in 24 languages.4
SOUTH AFRICANX - MACHINESEXCAVATORAKARH 400 excavatorCAPACITY42 cubic metresRECORD:Biggest Hydraulic Mining Shovel in the worldSUMMARY: RH-400 giant excavator: Terex, the world’s third largest producer of miningand construction equipment, introduced its largest hydraulic mining shovel into SouthAfrica – the 1,000 tonne RH-400 hydraulic mining shovel – the largest in the world. Itworks at Anglo Platinum’s Rustenburg Platinum Mines – Mogalakwena section, thesingle biggest opencast platinum mine in the world.5
BEHEMOTHAKAULTRA-CLASS GIANT HAUL TRUCKMAX PAYLOAD400 TONNESMAX SPEED42 mphWHEEL HEIGHT4 metersCOST6 MILLION DOLLARSRECORDBIGGEST IN THE WORLDSUMMARY: The Leibherr T 282 B Haul Trucks carrying 360 tonnes of iron ore from blast site tocrushers at Sishen Mine which is run by Kumba Iron Ore mining company. The T 282 B is notonly the world's biggest diesel-electric truck on two axles and six wheels; it is the biggest ACdrive truck.6
APPENDIXOther X-Machines include: the world’s biggest tunnel boring machine (Niagara, Canada) one of the world’s largest snow ploughs (Canada) the world’s biggest production power shovel (Canada) the unique amphibious excavator (Canada) 120 tonne trench cutter (USA) 13 000 tonne dragline (USA) 37 tonne jumbo drill rig (Sweden) the world’s largest plane (Russia) the world’s biggest water bomber (Russia) the world’s largest and most powerful heavy lift helicopter (Russia) an extreme reach telescopic excavator (The Netherlands) the world’s largest armoured vehicle (UK) jack-up barge capable of raising itself out of the water (UK) the world’s largest bulldozer (USA) the world’s largest mobile crane (Germany) the world’s largest supertransporter plane (UK/France/Germany) bucket wheel excavator – the world’s largest land vehicle (Germany) the modular crawler transporter used for transporting space shuttles (USA) the world’s only production vertical takeoff and landing tiltrotor aircraft (USA)7
Discovery Channel's incredible and colossal X - MACHINES The world's most amazing machines, including a group of remarkable South African workhorses, will take centre stage on Discovery Channel (DStv Channel 250) on 17 November 2009 @ 22:00 when the channel's new action-packed engineering show, X-Machines, premieres.
