Collett & Sons has completed the delivery and installation of three transformers for Kolektor at New Cumnock Substation in East Ayrshire, Scotland.
The complex multi-stage operation involved vessel discharge, port storage, road transport, transhipment and final installation, showcasing the company’s integrated heavy logistics capabilities.
The project began at ABP’s Port of Ayr, where Collett discharged the three transformers – two weighing 170 tonnes and one 121 tonnes – using its jacking and skidding system. Each unit was safely moved into port storage for phased delivery.
Two years later, the transformers were transported 33 miles to a transhipment site at North Kyle Wind Farm using Collett’s 550-tonne capacity Scheuerle girder bridge trailer. The final 7-mile stretch to New Cumnock Substation required specialist modular trailers and hydraulic skidding systems to navigate restricted access.
All three transformers were installed using precision jacking and skidding equipment, with the first requiring a 28-metre skid and rotation into position.
Collett’s projects team managed route surveys, traffic management, permit applications and police escort coordination throughout. Ancillary components were also transported from Slovenia, with mobile cranes deployed for the final assembly.
Joe Collett, projects at Collett & Sons, said: “The New Cumnock project presented several access and technical challenges, particularly given the substation location and scale of the equipment. I’m proud of how our teams collaborated across departments to ensure safe delivery and installation. We’d like to thank Kolektor for their continued trust in our capabilities, as well as the local authorities and police escorts who supported the operation throughout.”
Senior project manager Will Towne added: “Incredibly proud of the team for successfully delivering a complex project under some truly challenging conditions. Just weeks before the move, a landslip occurred on the A713 which was the planned and approved route for this project. Forcing us to quickly identify, survey and prepare an alternative route. The professionalism, adaptability and commitment shown by everyone involved was outstanding. This project is a true testament to what can be achieved through teamwork and determination.”