Gas giants on the road
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. A major year-long operation has begun to move some of the largest loads ever transported in Britain through the streets of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.
More than £300,000 has been spent by British Gas to clear an 11km route through the town for the loads, which are being transported from Barrow Docks to a new £200m gas terminal at Rampside in the North Morecambe field.
Specialist haulier Mammoet, based in Middlesbrough, Cleveland, has been awarded the contract to move the 140 loads — the heaviest of which weigh 700 tonnes. They measure up to 10.6m high, 9.1m wide and more than 30.5m long. Three deliveries a week are scheduled until Christmas, followed by one load in most weeks until November next year.
Items include pipework, gas purification and fabrication plant.
Preparations for the mammoth transport exercise included moving telephone lines, lowering and ramping roundabouts and converting traffic lights; the loads move at less than 8km/h.