Collett delivers 57-metre wind farm blades

Collett & Sons has  completed all wind turbine component deliveries to Twentyshilling Wind Farm, located approximately 4.8km south of Sanquhar, in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.

Appointed to undertake all planning and deliveries for the nine Vestas V117 turbines, Collett began transporting the components from King George V Dock in June 2021. Each of the components for each complete turbine, the three towers sections, three blades, nacelle, drive train and hub, would require specialist transport logistics for the 170-mile journey to site.

With Collett Consulting having already surveyed the route in detail, including undertaking a test drive of the journey from the port simulating the loaded blade components, Collett identified several necessary route modifications. Most importantly, this highlighted the access to the wind farm site itself.

Two 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 its specialist fleet to deliver the 81 individual components.

The Collett team employed super wing carriers to transport the blades, each of which weighed 14.9 tonnes. In addition, the use of these specialist super wing carriers allowed Collett 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 other components – such as the 25m-long bottom and 26m middle towers, with weights of 67t and 44.5t – Collett utilised specialist clamp trailers, whilst the remaining components – the top towers, nacelle, drive trains and hubs – were transported using Collett’s five- and six-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 components travelled under Collett escort, with police escorts in attendance for the blades, tower sections, nacelles and drive trains.

All deliveries to the 38MW Twentyshilling Wind Farm are now complete with the nine Vestas V117 140-metre tip turbines expected to be fully operational in 2022.