UK-based heavy transport specialist Collett & Sons, in cooperation with Robert Wynn & Sons, transported a 205-tonne Kolektor transformer from Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and installed it at Statkraft’s Thornton Greener Grid Park in North Yorkshire, UK.
The transformer, which measured 9.9 m x 3.6 m x 4.2 m and weighed 205 tonnes, was delivered in September 2025. Collett’s scope involved abnormal load transport, roll-off vessel operations and onsite hydraulic jacking and skidding, all completed within challenging weather conditions.
At the port of Rotterdam, the transformer was loaded onto a 550-tonne capacity Scheuerle girder frame trailer that had been fully pre-assembled and shipped to the port onboard the Terra Marique barge, operated by Robert Wynn & Sons. The transformer was lifted using two port cranes in a tandem setup before being secured onboard the Terra Marique for transport back to the UK.
Once at Hull’s Albert Dock, the transformer was driven directly off the vessel using a purpose-built ramp system. As a 16 m section of quay was unable to support the loaded vehicle, Collett engineered a tailored ramp solution to safely span the weak area.
Close coordination with other contractors and the relevant authorities, such as Humberside Police, meant that the 30 mile (48.2 km) route from Hull to Thornton Greener Grid Park was unproblematic – despite late-stage changes and access restrictions, among other potentially detrimental obstacles.
At the site, Collett installed a 27 m-long skid track to facilitate the final phase of the operation, which saw the transformer lifted, rotated and positioned onto its final plinth using hydraulic jacking and skidding methods.
HLPFI reported earlier this month that Collett had added a pair of TGX heavy tractors to its fleet. Last month, the company delivered six transformers for the National Grid’s Yorkshire GREEN project.
