In pictures: Roads shut in Suffolk for power station section delivery - BBC.com
In pictures: Roads shut in Suffolk for power station section delivery - BBC News
In pictures: Roads shut in Suffolk for power station section delivery
- Published
Rolling road closures were in place in Suffolk as a giant section of a power station was moved.
The vehicle carrying the transformer is approximately 80m (262.4ft) in length and weighs 500-600 tonnes.
It travelled from Ipswich Docks to Eye Airfield to deliver part of the Progress Power Station at the former US airbase, arriving at about 19:50 BST.
Streets in Ipswich - where lampposts had to be removed - the A14 and A140, have been affected.
A temporary bridge was installed at Brockford Street to accommodate the load, with the A140 reopened after it had been dismantled.
The massive transformer itself measures 10.6m in (35ft) length and weighs 221.8 tonnes.
It is the first of three sections to be transported, with a turbine and generator to be moved on the next two consecutive Sundays.
The operation was originally due to start on 8 October but was put back after the load was delayed in Europe.
The road trip is about 40km (25 miles) and started at 06:30 BST, first snaking through the streets of Ipswich.
The transformer came off the A14 at junction 51 (Claydon) and join the A140.
The journey needed to move at walking speed - but could get up to 15-20mph on the A140, officials said.
It is regarded as an abnormal load, when a vehicle bears a weight of more than 44,000kg (44 tonnes), a width of more than 2.9m (9.5ft) and a rigid length of more than 18.65m (61ft).
Suffolk County Council's cabinet member for Ipswich, Operational Highways and Flooding, Paul West said: "A great deal of careful planning and joint working goes into an operation such as this one".
In an update posted on Sunday night, Suffolk Highways said on X that the load had arrived at its destination and added: "We're now heading home for much-needed rest."
Updates on the load's progress were being posted on the Suffolk Highways X account.
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