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General News

19 May, 2023

Heavy load breaks the darkness

THE dark of night was broken with the sights of flashing lights as a 372-tonne superload made its way through the heart of Warrnambool in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

By Staff Writer

Heavy load breaks the darkness - feature photo

The impressive Hitachi power transformer arrived in town shortly after 1am on its way to its final destination at the Tarrone Terminal Station. 

Rolling along on 128 tyres, the heavy load left the Port of Geelong late last Sunday night and travelled through to Cobden on Monday, where it spent the day, before leaving later that night to make its way to Warrnambool. 

In order to reduce the impact on other road users, and to allow for a safer travel environment, the 78-metre long load was moved at night, travelling at speeds of up to 60 km/h – and slowing to around five km/h when travelling over bridges and around corners. 

Due to its 4.5 metre width, the superload didn’t take up the entire road, proving motorists the opportunity to pass under supervision. 

Traffic management officers and load escorts accompanied the superload for the entire journey, making sure that roads were safe during and after the move. 

The officers also ensured the vehicle manoeuvred safely around corners, temporarily removing signs and lights, placing steel supports over existing drainage and then putting everything back in place once the superload passed through. 

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