Digger Disneyland

Excavators, diggers and dump trucks are the main attractions at five “Diggerland” theme parks located across the UK and the US. The program for children includes: thrilling rides in a cherry picker fitted onto the hydraulic arm of a 22-tonne caterpillar-tracked excavator, and the chance to get your hands on the controls of a mini-digger. While parents can drive bulldozers and operate full-size mechanical shovels. At first glance this may seem nothing more than harmless fun, however, Diggerland is a reminder that construction equipment holds an important place in popular culture. Everyone knows that children are often fascinated by construction vehicles, but the fact that many highly active enthusiast communities (for the grown ups) are dedicated to these machines is perhaps less acknowledged. There are numerous specialized publications, dedicated YouTube channels, events and simulation games available to cater for the millions of fans across the world with a penchant for construction equipment and big machines.