131 Tonne Shunt Reactor Beach Landing at Black Rock Sands | Collett

Watch Collett deliver a 131-tonne shunt reactor via a beach landing at Black Rock Sands, before transporting and installing the unit at National Grid’s Trawsfynydd Substation. Working on behalf of Royal SMIT B.V., the project brought together marine logistics, a time-critical beach landing, abnormal load transport and specialist heavy lift installation. 🔗 Read the full project story: https://www.collett.co.uk/shunt-react... PROJECT OVERVIEW ________________________________________ Significant inland route constraints required an alternative approach to reach the substation. Our team developed a beach landing solution at Black Rock Sands, enabling the reactor to bypass the restricted inland route before continuing by road. The operation began at the Port of Rotterdam, where the reactor was loaded onto our 12-row modular drawbar trailer aboard the Terra Marique, operated by Wynns & Sons, for the voyage to the Welsh coast. BEACH LANDING AT BLACK ROCK SANDS ________________________________________ With a restricted 12-hour tidal window, every stage of the beach landing required close coordination. As the tide receded, TPA Roadway Solutions installed approximately 290 metres of temporary trackway. Our crane vehicle constructed a purpose-built ramp between the vessel and the trackway to accommodate the modular trailer’s suspension tolerances during discharge. The reactor was then driven ashore and positioned above the high-water mark. The temporary ramp and trackway were recovered before the returning tide, completing the operation within the available window. TRANSPORT AND INSTALLATION ________________________________________ From the beach, the load travelled under North Wales Police escort along a pre-assessed route to Trawsfynydd Substation, negotiating rural roads and steep inclines. Preparatory tree pruning provided the necessary clearance. On site, our Heavy Lift team utilised hydraulic jacks and a 12-metre skid track to transfer the reactor from the trailer to its final position. Steel beams bridged a non-load-bearing bund wall before the unit was lowered onto its plinth. Collett also transported and installed the associated cooler bank accessories, utilising a 90-tonne mobile crane. Our Engineering Department developed the lifting, skidding and load-spreading methods to meet the site’s ground bearing pressure restrictions. Thank you to our team and all project partners for their contribution to the successful delivery and installation. PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS ________________________________________ • 131-tonne shunt reactor • Dimensions: 7.2 metres long, 4.2 metres wide and 3.9 metres high • Marine transport from Rotterdam to Black Rock Sands • Beach landing within a 12-hour tidal window • Approximately 290 metres of temporary trackway • 12-row modular drawbar trailer • Abnormal load transport under North Wales Police escort • Hydraulic jacking and skidding installation using a 12-metre skid track • Associated cooler bank transport and installation #CollettAndSons #HeavyTransport #HeavyLift #BeachLanding #ProjectLogistics