Tall load travels 100 miles in 3 days
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• One of the highest abnormal loads to be transported in this country arrived, via Normandy Ferries from Southampton Docks, at the Cowley complex of the Austin /Morris division of British Leyland on Tuesday afternoon.
The load, hauled by Gallia Transports of Paris, was the first of three movements to transport resistance multi-welding presses produced jointly by Sciaky SA, Paris and
Sciaky Electric Welding Machines Ltd, Slough. Each movement consists of two special low loaders each with seven axles and 42 wheels, a capacity of 100 tons, height of 20ft 4in., width of 10ft 6in. and length of 7711 9in.
The period of transport for the three movements has been governed by the suitability of tides at Southampton because it is only possible for the vehicles to be unloaded between mean and low tide. For this reason the final movement will not take place until the end of March.
The main problem associated with these loads is the height of 20ft 4in. and this has meant that hundreds of telegraph and electricity cables have had to be lifted or temporarily disconnected while additional arrangements have had to be made concerning television aerial cables and the provision of tree-lopping equipment. Because of these factors the direct 65-mile route from Southampton to Cowley was not possible and the final route, planned in close liaison with the DoE, Police authorities and other interested parties, has resulted in an actual distance of 100 miles.
The first pair of Cummins-powered Willeme vehicles left the freight compound of Normandy Ferries at Southampton last Sunday at 8 am and travelled by way of Botley and Winchester to Basingstoke for the first night stop. Leaving Basingstoke the following morning the vehicles proceeded to Harwell for the second stop-over, completing the journey to Cowley on Tuesday afternoon.
The entire transport project is being handled by Sea Cargo Ltd, of Macklin Street, Drury Lane, London, the British agents for Gallia Transports.