Lengthy lorry leaves lots looking at its load
A giant load literally stopped the traffic as it was carefully transported through Staffordshire.
Under police escort the 350 tonne piece of an electrical generator slowly snaked its way along the A34 from Stoke-on-Trent to Alstom Power in Stafford yesterday.
The delicate operation was overseen by the Highways Agency who has a special team to co-ordinate the transport of abnormal loads. The total length of the load, including the tractors, was a whopping 250ft, it was 18ft wide and over 16ft high.
It began its journey to Stafford at 8am on Saturday when the generator left Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, in Cheshire.
It was transported down the M6 to junction 16 at Stoke-on-Trent where it was parked overnight. Yesterday workmen resumed the journey from Junction 16, along the A500 and down the A34 to Stafford.
It arrived at Alstom Power at approximately 1pm.
A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "The load was moved over two stages in order to minimise the impact on other road users and ensure safe passage of the load. It was escorted by police throughout the whole journey.
"This operation was authorised by the Abnormal Indivisible Loads Team which handles the movement of the largest and heaviest abnormal loads throughout Great Britain.
"These are loads in excess of 150 tonnes, five metres in width and 30 metres in length," he added.
