AS FRESH AS SEWAGE WORKS
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Folk of delicate sensibilities living in the North-East may not know it, but they have a lot to be grateful for from Stiller Transport of Stockton-on-Tees.
The transport firm has teamed up with Ventrix Fabrication to develop a special crane to carry the 25m GRP (glass reinforced plastic) beams pictured.
These beams will support the covers for the giant tanks at Northumbrian Water's Howdon sewage works. The covers allow air from above the tanks to be removed for chemical treatment, thus preventing the bad eggs smell caused by hydrogen sulphide and other unmentionable volatile organic
components. The cradle was buitt to carry four beams at a time without exceeding the height limit Each load is 4.75m high, 2.8m wide and 29m long including the tractive unit The beams were transported on an extendible pole trailer and it took 16 trips, each lasting two days, to bring them from Hampshire where they were manufactured, to Howdon.
There are eight tanks at Howdon sewage works, each 65m king and 25m wide (which, I'm informed, makes an area greater than six lawn tennis courts). Although, I fancy. you wouldn't want to chance a game of mixed doubles down there.