A 3,200-year-old granite statue of Pharaoh Ramses II, weighing around 100 tons and 11 meters high, had to be transported from the Cairo city centre to the Pyramids of Gizeh. In future, it will be the main attraction at the new Egyptian Museum.
The reason for this was increasing corrosion from smog and dirt that this cultural monument was subjected to in the Egyptian capital. This delicate task of transportation was mastered using heavy load vehicles from the special vehicle manufacturer, Pfedelbach-based Scheuerle.
For the almost 35-kilometer-long route, the colossus was placed in a specially adapted construction that moves via a turntable frame on two Scheuerle heavy-load combinations. The vehicle units, which were bought by the Egyptian special transport company NOSCO, have steered pendulum axles with hydraulic axle compensation that ensure gentle and smooth transportation of the freight. Due to the all-wheel steering, the entire vehicle combination was so maneuverable that it could safely make its way through the congested Cairo streets to its final destination in the Valley of the Kings.
To transport the statue without problems and provide the utmost safety, a meticulously planned preparatory phase was implemented. An exact copy of the statue was made that allowed the NOSCO transportation specialists to authentically simulate transport. Only after a successful completion of this test was the go-ahead given to move the statue.
For Ramses, this year is not the first time that heavy load vehicles from Scheuerle have been used to ensure a safe method of transportation. In 1960, part of a statue from the Abu Simbel temple built by Ramses II had to be moved in a similar operation.