Electricity transmission company National Grid is warning motorists around Alcester of an abnormal load being moved next week.
On Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23, an electricity transformer is being moved from Areva Transformers in Lichfield Road to the electricity sub-station in Feckenham, Worcestershire.
A 65m long vehicle, consisting of a trailer and two tractor units, will transport the 136 tonne transformer at a maximum speed of 10 mph.
The journey has been planned in two legs. The first will take the load from Stafford to the M42 during Saturday morning. It will stop overnight before continuing the journey on Sunday morning. It is hoped the load will reach Feckenham by around 11am.
Start times for both legs of the journey will be decided by the Police and will depend on traffic conditions.
The vehicle will take the following route:
- Leave Areva Transformers on the A34
- A449, passing under the M6, to the A5
- A5 to join the M42 at junction 10
- M40, leaving at junction 15
- A46 to Alcester
- A435 Alcester By Pass
- B4090 via New End to Feckenham sub station
The transformer is one of two due to be installed at Feckenham sub station in the next twelve months. The new transformers will replace existing equipment to help meet increasing demand for energy in Worcestershire.
Ben Olney, National Grid project engineer said: ‘This is a huge piece of equipment which needs two tractor units, one pulling and one pushing to move it. The route has been planned to try and avoid causing too much disruption but, with a vehicle of this size, it’s not easy. We have worked closely with the Highways Agency to devise the route and the vehicle will have a Police escort throughout its journey.’
Ends
Notes to Editors:
National Grid is a leading international energy infrastructure business - the largest utility in the UK.
Through National Grid Gas plc (formerly Transco), it owns and operates over 6,800 kilometres of high-pressure transmission pipeline across Great Britain, and 132,000 kilometres of lower-pressure distribution gas mains in the North West, the Midlands, East Anglia and North London – more than half of Britain's gas transportation network, delivering gas to around 11 million homes, offices and factories. National Grid sold the four gas distribution networks covering the rest of Britain to other companies in June 2005.
Through National Grid Electricity Transmission plc, the company operates the high-voltage electricity transmission network across Great Britain, and owns the network in England and Wales.
For further information, please contact Jane Taylor on, National Grid press officer on 0121 333 2640 or 07785 220647.