TBCSep
Oddball Walking Dragline Open Days at St Aidan's
St Aidan's Nature Park, Astley Lane, Swillington · West Yorkshire
Plant
Photo: morebyless · CC BY 2.0
Plant & Digger Events · 0 dated · verified weekly
Digger Days & Have-a-Go Events
Digger days are the family end of plant: dated events where you can watch giant machines up close or, at have-a-go days, actually operate one. Most small children are already experts, and these are the days out that reward the obsession properly.
The standout free one is Oddball, a 1940s American-built walking dragline saved from the opencast coal site it dug, now preserved at St Aidan's nature reserve near Leeds. Volunteer-run open days, next in September 2026, let you get right up to a machine the size of a house, and the surrounding reserve makes it an easy full day with a buggy. Have-a-go digger sessions appear at plant museums and at the bigger vintage rallies through the summer, and each listing says what is on offer and any age or height limits.
One thing you will not find here is Diggerland. It is a decent day out, but it is a permanent theme park that opens all season, not a dated event, and this directory lists things you have to catch on the right weekend. If it has a date and a digger, it is here, postcode and all, checked weekly.
Awaiting dates
These run most years but the next date is not announced yet. We check weekly and date them the moment organisers confirm. Get the weekly email and you will not miss it.
More plant & digger events: Working Weekends · Shows & Expos · all plant & digger events
Digger Days: your questions answered
Can children actually drive a digger?
At have-a-go events, yes, under close one-to-one supervision, usually on a mini excavator with the controls governed right down. Age and height limits vary by operator and each listing states them, so check before promising anything to a four-year-old.
What is Oddball at St Aidan's?
A 1940s American-built walking dragline, a vast excavator that moved itself on huge shoes rather than tracks, preserved on the opencast site it once dug at St Aidan's near Leeds. Volunteers run free open days, next in September 2026, and the sheer scale of it stops adults as dead as children.
Why is Diggerland not listed here?
Because it is a permanent attraction, not an event. Diggerland's parks open regularly all season, so you can go whenever suits, while this directory exists for dated events you have to catch. Plenty of the have-a-go days listed here scratch the same itch for less money.
Are digger days free?
Some are. The Oddball dragline open days are free, and machine open days at working sites often are too. Have-a-go sessions usually charge per drive, and digger displays at vintage rallies are covered by the normal gate admission, typically under £10 for adults.
What age suits a digger day best?
Anywhere from toddler to teenager, honestly, but have-a-go driving usually starts around school age depending on the operator's limits. For younger ones, watching Oddball or a working display delivers most of the thrill with none of the queueing.
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