Kent roads are no stranger to odd sights
00:01, 12 September 2014
If something has to get to Britain by road, there’s a good chance it’ll pass through Kent.
This combined with some home-grown eccentricity means there’s no shortage of strange sights on the county’s roads.
Here are six of the most memorable...
Big trees
These massive boughs were an art work destined for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, where we're sure they successfully made whatever profound point they were intended to.
Not quite sure how cutting down 10 giant ancient trees quite squares with the green agenda but there you are.
A Kent haulage company was tasked with taking the trees from Trafalgar Square to the Danish capital.
Usain Bolt
Or at least, his bovine namesake, so called because he was spotted sprinting down the A2 in Sittingbourne.
The one-year-old bull was being unloaded from a trailer at the Westland’s School Farm in Sittingbourne when he broke through a fence, ran across a field and ended up on the A2
The bullock was recaptured before he cud do any damage.
Naked cyclists
Canterbury’s naked cycle ride has become a regular annual event for people who like to bare all on a bike.
Ostensibly to highlight society’s reliance on fossil fuels and the vulnerability of cyclists (to chafing and sunburn presumably) the bike ride also attracts a fair few people who just like to get their kit off.
Police warned that anyone who was just there to leer at the riders should stay away, or at least cover themselves up if they became “aroused”.
Big train
We know, it’s not a train it’s a locomotive.
But does anyone remember the comedy show Big Train? No?
Ok, well this big locomotive - a Class 92 electric engine to be exact - travelled through Kent last week on the back of a large lorry.
Despite warnings to the contrary the 21 metre-long, 126-tonne load did not cause much disruption, even though it was doing 20mph across the entire county.
Valentino
Valentino is a giraffe who mystified motorists in Kent when he was spotted poking out of his trailer, staring at traffic on the M20.
The young giraffe was being driven from Paignton Zoo in Devon to Kent in a giant horsebox (giraffebox?) to take up his new residence at Port Lympne.
His multi-coloured trailer made its way through down the M25, M26 and M20 earlier this year.
Valentino - a rare Rothschild giraffe - is now settled in at his new home where he is part of a breeding programme aiming to boost the animals’ declining population.
Transformer
Not as exciting as Optimus Prime and Co but still a pretty odd sight.
A house-sized 318-tonne electricity transformer travelled from Dover Docks, through Ashford to Sellindge last year.
Even slower than the locomotive, the 75-metre long convoy travelled at a maximum speed of 12mph along the M20 where it overtook several caravans.
The machine was transported aboard a special trailer which is 5.6 metres wide and requires a vehicle at either end to propel it.
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