HEAVY transport logistics specialist Collett & Sons Ltd has completed the delivery and installation of three transformers to New Cumnock Substation in East Ayrshire.
Working in partnership with transformer manufacturer Kolektor, Collett explained the multi-stage operation showcased the firm’s capabilities in supporting vessel discharge, port storage, transport, transhipment, and installation under ‘complex logistical and site access constraints’.
The project commenced at ABP’s Port of Ayr, where Collett assisted the discharge of all three transformers directly from a vessel. Two of the transformers, measuring 9.58m L x 3.74m W x 4.23m H and weighing 170 tonnes and the third, measuring 9.58m L x 3.68m W x 4.10m H and weighing 121 tonnes, were received onto modular flat-top trailers and shunted into a storage area within the port. The offloading process was conducted over two days utilising Collett’s jacking and skidding system.
Two years later and as per the delivery schedule, the Collett team arrived back at the storage area and built a 550-tonne capacity Scheuerle girder bridge trailer around the first transformer to be transported. This, the company explained, ensured ‘efficient loading and minimal handling’ of the cargo, removing the requirement for a mobile crane.
The transformers were then transported 33 miles on the specialist trailer to a transhipment site located on North Kyle Wind Farm. All girder bridge transport operations followed the same route and delivery schedule, departing the port at 22:00 and arriving at the transhipment area at approximately 01:00. Due to restricted site access on the final seven-mile stretch, transhipment at North Kyle Wind Farm was a key requirement.
Once at the transhipment area, each transformer was transferred onto a modular 14-axle flat-top trailer using Collett’s lightweight hydraulic skidding system. The 14-axle flat-top helped navigate the challenging terrain leading to the New Cumnock Substation site.
The first transformer installation involved a 28-metre skid with rotation, as the transformer had to be turned into position. The second and third transformers were installed using single-direction skids.
Collett also provided end-to-end support for Kolektor by transporting ancillary components from Slovenia to site. The team contracted in a mobile crane supplier to offload and position the ancillaries, assisting with the final build-up of all three units.
Collett’s projects department managed all aspects of the operation, including traffic management planning, swept path analysis, route surveys, police escort coordination, cable height survey checks, and all necessary permit applications.
Joe Collett, projects at Collett & Sons, said, “The New Cumnock project presented several access and technical challenges, particularly given the substation location and scale of the equipment. I’m proud of how our teams collaborated across departments to ensure safe delivery and installation. We’d like to thank Kolektor for their continued trust in our capabilities, as well as the local authorities and police escorts who supported the operation throughout.”
Will Towne, senior project manager at Collett & Sons, added, “Incredibly proud of the team for successfully delivering a complex project under some truly challenging conditions. Just weeks before the move, a landslip occurred on the A713 which was the planned and approved route for this project, forcing us to quickly identify, survey and prepare an alternative route. The professionalism, adaptability and commitment shown by everyone involved was outstanding. This project is a true testament to what can be achieved through teamwork and determination.”
