Oversized load parked up M4/M49 roundabout.
Discussion
Evening,
On Tuesday 4 of us from work went for a meeting in Axminster from Swansea so went through the M4/M49 junction around 8am. In the oversized bay there was a reaaaaaallllly long pipe on a truck, big enough that we, who are all used to seeing strange things on the back ofs lorries, noticed and commented on it. Coming back through around 4pm it was still there. We all assumed it was waiting for a timed slot to go somewhere. One of the lads who was with me went to Devon this evening, and wrote on the group chat that the oversized load was still there. A Google reveals its been there since middle of Oct. Seems like someone was a very naughty boy. Anyone know what happening with it? Supposedly its 94ton, nigh on 50m long and on the wrong trailer with the wrong permits!
ETA, bugger forgot to add the link
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/poli...
On Tuesday 4 of us from work went for a meeting in Axminster from Swansea so went through the M4/M49 junction around 8am. In the oversized bay there was a reaaaaaallllly long pipe on a truck, big enough that we, who are all used to seeing strange things on the back ofs lorries, noticed and commented on it. Coming back through around 4pm it was still there. We all assumed it was waiting for a timed slot to go somewhere. One of the lads who was with me went to Devon this evening, and wrote on the group chat that the oversized load was still there. A Google reveals its been there since middle of Oct. Seems like someone was a very naughty boy. Anyone know what happening with it? Supposedly its 94ton, nigh on 50m long and on the wrong trailer with the wrong permits!
ETA, bugger forgot to add the link
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/poli...
Can't see any problem with that really. It's no worse than those portakabins on the back of lorries hanging out either side into each of the other lanes.
I would guess there is some ridiculous conversation going on between the authorities and the transporter company with the authorities failing to acknowledge the reality of the situation and making unrealistic demands.
Fact is, it made it to the point where it is now without anybody having any problem with it so they just have to get over themselves and allow it to travel on to the intended destination. Give them a slap on the wrist and tell them next time they won't get away with it.
I would guess there is some ridiculous conversation going on between the authorities and the transporter company with the authorities failing to acknowledge the reality of the situation and making unrealistic demands.
Fact is, it made it to the point where it is now without anybody having any problem with it so they just have to get over themselves and allow it to travel on to the intended destination. Give them a slap on the wrist and tell them next time they won't get away with it.
It's odd that it's still there after a month. Are they waiting for a crane to come and reload to another trailer whilst it's parked under the M4? On the flip side, if theyre worried about road surface, they're not going to want it driving down the road. It'll be interesting how long it's left there.
normalbloke said:
94 tonnes? Definitely needs a few more axles or it’ll start damaging the road surface.
I'm sorry to say that is nonsense. I used to do heavy haulage plated for up to 150 tonnes (STGO 3) and you only need a 3 axle unit with appropriate plating. From reading the bits of the links posted it would seem that the unit in question was only plated for STGO 2 which is limited to 80 tonnes. The 94 tonnes quoted will be the total weight, not the weight of pipe. The maximum weight per axle at STGO 2 is 12.5 tonnes, STGO 3 is 16.5 tonnes, so 94 tonnes is legal on 6 axles if the unit is plated for STGO 3, which it wasn't.Also, diverting from a Movement Order routing is a massive offence carrying massive fines for both the company and the driver. The Movement Order routing and instructions must never be deviated from as you can cause bridges and water/sewer pipes to collapse at those sort of weights. At 100+ tonnes it's quite common to routed down a lot of exit slip ramps on motorways and trunk routes, across the roundabout and back up the other side to rejoin because you're too heavy for the bridge without risking structural damage. In rare cases where there's no alternative route to your destination, the police will stop the traffic crossing the bridge while you drive across it at a slow speed.
r3g said:
normalbloke said:
94 tonnes? Definitely needs a few more axles or it’ll start damaging the road surface.
I'm sorry to say that is nonsense. I used to do heavy haulage plated for up to 150 tonnes (STGO 3) and you only need a 3 axle unit with appropriate plating. From reading the bits of the links posted it would seem that the unit in question was only plated for STGO 2 which is limited to 80 tonnes. The 94 tonnes quoted will be the total weight, not the weight of pipe. The maximum weight per axle at STGO 2 is 12.5 tonnes, STGO 3 is 16.5 tonnes, so 94 tonnes is legal on 6 axles if the unit is plated for STGO 3, which it wasn't.Also, diverting from a Movement Order routing is a massive offence carrying massive fines for both the company and the driver. The Movement Order routing and instructions must never be deviated from as you can cause bridges and water/sewer pipes to collapse at those sort of weights. At 100+ tonnes it's quite common to routed down a lot of exit slip ramps on motorways and trunk routes, across the roundabout and back up the other side to rejoin because you're too heavy for the bridge without risking structural damage. In rare cases where there's no alternative route to your destination, the police will stop the traffic crossing the bridge while you drive across it at a slow speed.
normalbloke said:
Thanks for that. I read in one of the links that the load was supposedly 94 tonnes (doesn’t ‘look’ like it’s that heavy) but if so, to my untrained eye, there just doesn’t look like enough axles with the amount of weight biased to the trailer.
If it's made out of iron, maybe, but that is doubtful. There's no dolly behind the unit so if the pipe alone was 94 tonnes the front of the unit would be pretty much off the ground. As mentioned, 94 tonnes is fine on 6 axles but the axles themselves have to be meaty enough to carry the weight, or in legal speak - be 'plated' for it on the certificate riveted to the inside of the passenger door panel.Gassing Station | Commercial Break | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff