Collett & Sons has successfully completed the delivery and installation of three large transformers for Kolektor at the New Cumnock Substation in East Ayrshire, Scotland, in a complex operation involving multiple transport stages and technical challenges.
The project commenced at ABP’s Port of Ayr, where Collett discharged two 170-tonne transformers and one 121-tonne unit using its jacking and skidding system. The equipment was then securely stored in port for phased delivery over two years.
Following port storage, the transformers were transported 33 miles to a transhipment site at North Kyle Wind Farm with Collett’s 550-tonne capacity Scheuerle girder bridge trailer. The final leg involved a 7-mile journey to the substation requiring specialist modular trailers and hydraulic skidding to manage restricted access routes.
All transformers were installed using precision jacking and skidding, with the first transformer necessitating a 28-metre skid and rotation into position. The project also included route surveys, traffic management, permit applications, and coordination with police escorts. Ancillary components were shipped from Slovenia and assembled on site with mobile cranes.
Joe Collett, projects director 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.
