Huge load racks up a monster bill

Council chiefs in Wolverhampton and Sandwell say the cost was due to removing traffic signals and road signs, and officer time for managing the load that travelled through the region on Sunday.

See also: Huge load shatters the peace.

Wolverhampton City Council is now billing Abnormal Load Engineering based in Hixton, Staffordshire, which is managing the move on behalf of National Grid, for £54,000, while Sandwell's part in the operation will see it reimbursed for £18,000.

The transformer began its four-day journey to Ellesmere Port docks near Chester on Sunday from a substation in Ocker Hill, Tipton. After leaving Wolverhampton it passed through Stafford.

It weighs 229 tons and has been travelling at speeds of between four and 12mph flanked by a police escort.

Traffic lights along the route in Wolverhampton, including in Chapel Ash, were removed where it was too narrow for the load to otherwise pass.

Railings were removed at the ring road next to St John's Retail Park to allow it to squeeze through.

And on Craddock Street in Whitmore Reans, some cars had to be towed out of the way in order to let it past. Residents on a number of streets had been asked to avoid parking in front of their homes while it travelled through.

The transformer, which converts electricity from one voltage to another, is one of a number of parts that make up a substation.

It was a spare and is being moved to London to replace one which failed at short notice. National Grid say it will make most of the journey down south by boat.

The sight of the huge load brought residents out of their homes to take photographs. Parked cars in its path were also removed to allow it to pass.