Wednesday, 20 November 2013

LARGEST EVER MOVEMENT ON BRITISH ROADS

Biggest-ever load transported on Britain's roads weighing more than a SPACE SHUTTLE crawls to destination at 4mph

  • Giant transformer and specialised transporter vehicle weigh 640 tonnes
  • In total it was 100m long and 5m wide and took up two lanes of the motorway
  • Vehicle caused 13-mile long tailbacks when it wound its way along the M4



Traffic came to a standstill for the biggest load ever transported on Britain's roads that weighed in heavier than a space shuttle.
The giant transformer and specialised transporter vehicle tipped the scales at an earth shattering 640 tonnes.
The enormous vehicle was 100m long and 5m wide and took up two lanes of the motorway while it crawled to its final destination at just 4mph.




The generator transformer is the second and largest of three being removed from Didcot power station as part of its decommissioning programme



The convoy began its slow journey from Didcot power station in Oxfordshire and caused 13-mile long tailbacks when it wound its way along the M4.
It continued along the M32 to the transformer's final destination at Avonmouth Docks, Bristol.
The transformer will next be transported by sea to a Siemens plant in Germany.
Police officers escorted the load at the expense of the haulier, Allelys Heavy Haulage.


The giant transformer and specialised transporter vehicle tipped the scales at an earth shattering 640 tonnes

The biggest abnormal load ever transported on the roads will be trundling across the west of England this weekend
The biggest abnormal load ever transported on the roads will be trundling across the west of England this weekend

Traffic chaos in the wake of one of the biggest loads to take to the roads as it passes under Liddington Bridge near Swindon
Traffic chaos in the wake of one of the biggest loads to take to the roads as it passed under Liddington Bridge near Swindon
The load is almost 100m long, 5m wide and around 640 tonnes, making its way to Avonmouth, carrying a transformer from Didcot power station



A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: 'Police vehicles had to ensure the road and traffic ahead was managed to ensure there was no conflict with the load.
'There were only a few locations where traffic could pass. Police asked motorists to avoid the area and plan alternative travel routes.'
The generator transformer is the second and largest of three being removed from Didcot power station as part of its decommissioning programme.
The first was moved at the beginning of November.
Didcot, a coal fired power station, was disconnected from the National Grid in March after 43 years of service.


The load began its slow journey from Didcot power station in Oxfordshire on Friday and caused 13-mile long tailbacks

Didcot, a coal fired power station, was disconnected from the National Grid in March after 43 years of service

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: 'Police vehicles had to ensure the road and traffic ahead was managed to ensure there was no conflict with the load'

The transformer will next be transported by sea to a Siemens plant in Germany


The transformer will next be transported by sea to a Siemens plant in Germany