In June 2021, the Collett Teams began transporting components for 9 Vestas V117 turbines from King George V Dock. Each of the components for each complete turbine; the three tower sections, three blades, nacelle, drive train and hub, would require specialist transport logistics for the 170 mile journey to site. Collett undertook a test drive of the journey from the port simulating the loaded blade components and has identified several necessary route modifications. 2 miles from the construction site, on approach to the wind farm, the 57 metre loaded blades would be unable to facilitate the necessary left turn to access. It was proposed that the construction of a turning head at this location would provide the required clearance to allow the all 27 of the blades to safely navigate the turn. Identifying this pinch point during the test drive allowed for the construction of a turning head at Eliock Bridge ahead of the component deliveries, this would ensure that the vehicles could safely turn around off the main road and complete the right turn on the approach to site. Working to a two-day delivery schedule, with three deliveries per convoy, Collett called upon their specialist fleet to deliver the 81 individual components.
The Team employed super wing carriers to transport the 57 metre, 14.9 Tonne blades. In addition, the use of these specialist super wing carriers allowed the transport specialist to overcome issues of the vertical alignment from the main road to Eliock Bridge, avoiding the need for works to be undertaken on the listed structure. For the other components, the 25 metre long bottom and 26 metre middle towers, with weights of 67 and 44.5 Tonnes they utilised specialist clamp trailers, whilst the remaining components, the top towers, nacelle, drive trains and hubs were transported using 5 and 6 axle step-frame trailers.
Working to a detailed delivery schedule, produced in line with the site construction needs, over a period of 14 weeks the Collett Team delivered each of the components from King George V Dock to the Dumfries & Galloway construction site. All deliveries to the 38MW Twentyshilling Wind Farm are now complete with the 9 Vestas V117 140 metre tip turbines expected to be fully operational in early 2022.
