Giant load set for two-day journey
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A MASSIVE electricity transformer will begin a long tortuous road journey this morning from Invergordon to Fort Augustus.
The 190-tonne load — including the specialist trailer — will take two days to complete the journey which will involve negotiating the notoriously steep and twisty hill, Culnakirk Brae, near Drumnadrochit, at a “crawling pace”.
Specialist tractors will be deployed to act as additional braking power during the descent of the one-in-six hill which has been upgraded at a cost of £250,000.
Culnakirk Brae, which lies on the A833 between Kiltarlity and Milton, will be closed for an estimated seven hours in the early hours of Sunday.
The operation to move the transformer, needed for the upgrade of the Beauly to Denny overhead power line, will also include the partial closure of the A82 on Sunday morning.
As revealed in The Inverness Courier earlier this month, plans to move the giant load had to be delayed to enable further talks to take place between the developer, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), Highland Council, Northern Constabulary and Scotland Transerv which is responsible for main roads.
The go-ahead was only finally given following risk assessments on bridges at Drumnadrochit, Invermoriston and Allt A Mhuilinn, south of Invermoriston, on the A82.
An SSE spokesman stressed detailed studies have been undertaken to ensure the suitability of the route.
“A specialist team with significant experience in transporting abnormal loads has been brought in to deliver the transformer, which at all times will be escorted by Northern Constabulary,” the spokesman said.
“To keep disruption to an absolute minimum the delivery will take place overnight. Local residents and road users should be assured that safety is and always will be our number one priority and every step has been taken to ensure the safe delivery of the transformer.
“We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused and thank the local community and road users for their patience while this essential piece of equipment is brought to site.”
The original plan was to sail the transformer through the Caledonian Canal to a new pier to be built by SSE near the Loch Ness Holiday Park, south of Invermoriston, but talks with the landowner broke down.
Another road route via the A9 to Inverness and then along the A82 was ruled out because the load is too heavy for the Kessock Bridge.
Residents and community leaders had voiced fears about bringing it down Culnakirk Brae but they have been given assurances it will be safe.
Pam Lucas, chairwoman of Glenurquhart Community Council, acknowledged some of their fears had been eased.
“It would seem everyone has done what they needed to and we just hope it all goes smoothly and safely,” she said.
“It is all going to happen again in October but hopefully it will not become a routine event.”
She also welcomed upgrading work, including resurfacing, to Culnakirk Brae, finishing just this week.
“It must have cost a vast amount of money,” she said. “I would have thought that amount of money could have been spent on buying the land needed for a jetty.”
