UK-based Collett & Sons delivered 441 components to the North Kyle wind farm in East Ayrshire, Scotland – the third largest wind farm transport project completed by the heavy haulage company.
The transport operations took place between June 2024 and April 2025, with the components required to build 49 Vestas V136 wind turbines.
The project began with wind turbine blades arriving at Glasgow’s King George V Dock and other turbine components at the port of Ayr, with the cargoes then travelling 65 miles (104.6 km) and 34 miles (54.7 km) respectively to the construction site.
The deliveries were initially split into two phases, the first of which would see Collett deliver 28 turbines (252 components) via an entrance on the east side of the project site, with the second transporting 21 turbines (189 components) via the west side.
Among the largest units, were the 67 m-long wind turbine blades, which were transported on Nooteboom Super Wing Carriers. The bottom and middle tower sections were transported on Nooteboom clamp trailers. Step-frame trailers were used for the delivery of nacelles, top tower sections, hubs and drive trains.
As Collett was progressing with the first phase of the project, it worked closely with stakeholders to pre-plan site roads and optimise delivery sequencing, ensuring all components could be manoeuvred efficiently to their respective pads.
In September 2024, a major disruption occurred on a section of the A713, blocking access to east entrance. The damage, which began as a crack in the road a few years ago, got wider and longer during investigations and eventually in September, resulted in the council shutting down all abnormal load transport along this route.
Working in close collaboration with Brockwell Energy and Jones Bros Civil Engineering, Collett’s team rerouted the remaining deliveries via the west entrance. Collett engineers supported Jones Bros Civil Engineering to produce updated swept path analysis reports and conducted further route surveys to verify the revised access points and expedited route modifications originally intended for the second phase. These changes allowed deliveries to resume, reducing the impact on the delivery schedule and wind farm’s completion date.
The second phase began in January 2024. Despite adverse weather conditions, the delivery scheduled experienced only minimal delays and final components were delivered to the site by April 2025.
Each movement was supported by Collett’s own escort fleet, police escorts and a dedicated onsite team consisting of a supervisor, six trucks, three escort vehicles and a tow truck.
