Heavy haulage operator Collett has completed what it says is the UK’s first dual blade lifter convoy operation, writes Peter Brown.
The company transported wind turbine blades for the Sanquhar II Wind Farm using two blade lifter trailers operating simultaneously, deploying its new Goldhofer blade lifter alongside its existing Scheuerle blade lifter.
Collett said both trailers “are now being deployed in convoy to support deliveries to one of the UK’s largest onshore wind farm developments currently under construction”.
By the time Collett completes the contract in 2027, it will have delivered a total of 480 wind turbine components for the 44-turbine project. These comprise 42 Vestas V162 turbines with 80-metre blades and two V136 turbines with 68-metre blades, as well as other components including tower sections, nacelles, hubs and powertrains.
The journey starts at King George V Dock in Glasgow, where the blades are transported on Collett’s quadruple-extendable blade trailers to a designated transition point approximately 10 miles from the wind farm site.
At this location, the blades are offloaded using Collett-owned Kalmar reach stackers fitted with specialist lifting hooks before being transferred onto the blade lifter trailers for onward transport.
The use of the Kalmars removes the requirement for a mobile crane during the transfer process, improving both operational efficiency and site logistics.
The blade lifters are then deployed for the final delivery to site. This stage of the operation requires transport through constrained villages, tight bends and restricted roadways where conventional blade trailers would be unable to complete the route.
Capable of lifting blades to angles of up to 60 degrees, the blade lifters enable components up to 80 metres long to be safely manoeuvred through these constraints while maintaining control and adequate clearance throughout the journey.
Each blade lifter operation is supported by a dedicated six-person crew, meaning the convoy operation requires a total of 12 specialist operators.
Paul Worth, senior project manager at Collett, said: “The introduction of a second blade lifter has enabled us to increase blade delivery capacity during this phase of the project while maintaining the established transport methodology.
“Every movement still follows the same detailed planning process and operational controls required to transport blades of this size through a constrained route.”
