Specialist rental company Hewden is taking a walk on the wild side by providing access equipment to support the UK tour of Walking With Dinosaurs - The Arena Spectacular.

The £10 million show, which began in Australia in January 2007, has received acclaim across the globe and, in July this year, the dinosaurs moved on to the UK to give audiences a taste of life 65 million years ago!

The 9-week UK leg of the tour has been taking place at 10 locations across the country and, as Mikey Hamilton, head of creatures explained, it was important to find an access equipment supplier that could support the set up and staging of each event.

"Creating a show like Walking With Dinosaurs requires careful planning and preparation. Not only do we have to set up the 15 life-sized dinosaurs, some of which can weigh up to 2.2 tonnes, but we also have to make sure that the sound and lighting are operating correctly at each venue.

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"We only have a limited amount of time to prepare for each event, so we have to be confident that our suppliers deliver the right equipment, in perfect working order, every time. Quite simply, without Hewden on hand to take care of our access requirements, we wouldn’t be able to set up the show."

Hewden has provided a scissor lift for use by the electricians, lighting, sound and automation engineers, riggers and carpenters during preparation. Fully guarded and with ample floor space, the scissor lift enables the crew to transport tools and equipment and work at height safely.

The machine also allows the technicians to access the 24-foot tall stegosaurus to replace the double row of plates that rise from the dinosaur’s back, which are removed during transportation for safety.

In addition, Hewden has supplied a mobile access platform to assist the technicians as they carry out any vital repair work. For example, when fully extended, this machine can reach the neck of the brachiosaurus, an impressive 35 feet above the ground.