Monster Moves

In Charlottesville, Virginia, Jerry Matyiko and Joe Jakubik attempt to relocate the ornate, three-storey Varsity Hall to a new plot (above left). Built in 1857, the 500 tonne masonry monster throws up a host of engineering headaches…the walls are weak, the windows are rotting, and an entire wing of the Hall is loose. Will it survive a nail-biting journey downhill intact? On Vancouver Island , Canada , Darren and Tanya Daigle along with their four kids and dog visit a housing lot in search of a brand new home. After much deliberation, they buy a stunning nine-bedroom, three storey Victorian mansion (above right). It’s down to heavy hauling brothers Jeremy and Al lan Nickel to deliver the house to their farm. Crammed with precious features, will the Daigle’s dream home survive a 130 mile journey by land and ocean?

At London’s Heathrow Airport, an international team of engineers led by Nick Featherstone have to move a brand new, 1000 tonne glass and steel Air Traffic Control Tower across one of the world’s busiest runways. While in Manitoba, Canada, fearless building mover Harold Minty has to relocate five, 140 foot tall grain towers 20 miles, over a mountain frozen with ice to a new farm (above right). It’s an epic struggle to keep the towers upright as a viscous snow storm strikes.

In Omaha Nebraska , fearless mover Dave Scribnerand his son Bill attempt to make moving history, hauling two of America ’s longest locomotives through downtown city streets. It’s an action packed trek as the 100ft long diesel train - The Centennial (above left) - and the 500 tonne steam train – The Big Boy - are heaved and squeezed out of the rail yard and across town to a new hill top home. Meanwhile, 1000 miles down the tracks in Deming New Mexico another father and son move team tackle a historic railroad station (above right). The building is up for demolition so Rick and Ricky Little need to move it to a safe haven. But the old station is a 120ft long rickety relic. So they make the unusual decision to saw the building in half and move it as two loads. The big question is….will it fit back together again?