STG News Feed

Out into the Sunshine

Having left the cold and damp of Southampton two months ago, this 85 ton beast emerges into the sunshine at Lyttleton docks, New Zealand - with the hills of the Tauhinu-Korokio Reserve in the background. After a journey of over twelve thousand miles, in a few weeks time, the machine will be fully assembled and making its contribution towards the earthquake relief effort in Christchurch. Having been involved in earthquake relief in the past - to include Romania, Turkey and Italy - it has to be admitted that STG are unlikely to find anywhere more distant in the future, hence our caption difficult loads to difficult places

The Emergence of the Pilot Car

Up to some years ago, in the UK, police escorts were the order of the day. As a consequence, transit times were largely unpredictable, given that there was a changeover of escorts, region to region, boundary to boundary. It was not uncommon for good progress to be made, only then to be stymied by a lengthy changeover. Thankfully, in recent years, the UK has adopted European practice with private, pilot cars having taken over. Manned by highly professional and experienced drivers, each having an intimate knowledge of the route ahead, it is possible to achieve realistic transit times. Here seen leaving Kemble airfield, this convoy of aircraft fuselages will shortly be on its way to Germany. That is not to say that police escorts are totally eliminated. At the “super size” level, particularly at low speed, where traffic management is vital, police escorts come back into the frame. On a recent STG movement, one pilot car and three police escorts were needed, at not inconsiderable cost. Whether pilot cars or police escorts, minimising disruption and the risk of accident are paramount.

It's on the high seas at the moment!

Charged with finding a “fast and economic” method of getting this 85 ton monster from Wembley in North London to Lyttleton, New Zealand, even the STG team were pushed to the limit. Needed as vital part of the effort to demolish earthquake damaged buildings on the South Island, speed was of the essence. With a lifetime’s experience of moving heavy plant, Martin Burgess rose to the occasion. Both days and nights were spent looking at alternative methods and routes, ports of call and vessel sailing times - before we were able to say that every possible option had been explored. Only at that stage was it possible to say, with absolute confidence, that we had found the very best solution, meeting all of the customer’s requirements. Even to the other side of the world - STG go that extra mile.

It may never fly again but .....

It will still have a useful life. Seen at the RAF base at Culdrose in Cornwall, this British Aerospace Jestream fuselage is being prepared for its final journey to Barry College in South Wales. At the college, the fuselage will join other facilities, all employed in training the aircraft engineers of the future. This movement joins an ever increasing portfolio of aerospace related projects - embracing aircraft components, both new and used, complete aircraft recovery, to include even satellite sections - where the final stage of the journey was from Cape Canaveral! Whatever the project - thorough and meticulous planning is the order of the day.

Will it fit?

STG are used to working to extremely tight margins. The most regular and obvious is in connection with bridge heights. The suitability of any high load route is dependent on the lowest bridge on the route, sometimes stretching for several thousand kilometres. Particularly where there is no apparent detour, this can "make or break" a project. The same applies to aircraft movements. Either it will fit, or it won't. Here being eased through the door of a chartered Antonov 124, this fabrication is about to start its long journey across the Atlantic, to the USA. As ever, STG - The Specialist Transport Group - played its part in ensuring that everything went smoothly, fitting in place with centimetres to spare!

250 Years Later

In 1755, a paper mill was established at Partington, ten miles outside Manchester, in the Borough of Trafford. Just over one hundred years later, with the completion of the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, the area enjoyed rapid expansion, principally because Partington was established as the nearest port to the Lancashire coal fields. Today - some 250 years later - the expansion continues with the creation of the UK's largest paper recycling plant. Here seen standing in the sunshine, this gas turbine unit from Sweden is just one of the many components which will come on line, in a few months time, when the plant goes operational. STG making its small contribution to the environment and recyling.

Wisbech - Capital of the Fens

Although 11 miles inland, Wisbech boasts one of the best yacht harbours in the country. Equipped with a 75 ton capacity boat handler (shown), it has a growing reputation in the field of boat & yacht refurbishment. Having said that, when faced with relocating this shellfish trawler to the west coast (Preston), there was only one logical solution - by road! With a width of 4.90m, and height of 4.50m, the task was daunting - especially given that, for every day the boat was out of the water, it was not earning its keep. Within 48 hours of receiving the call, STG were underway, clawing their way through the centre of Wisbech - thanks to a fine effort on the part of the local authority, removing and reinstalling street furniture along the route.

Garden Sculptures come in all shapes and sizes

Seen approaching its final destination, close to the Ascot racecourse in Berkshire, this is just one section of a massive garden sculpture. Starting its journey on the outskirts of Paris, the complete operation involved six special trailers which, in itself, illustrates the size of the completed work. This project joins many others in the same field - including works by Henry Moore and Anish Kapoor, the bronze reclining nude beside Liverpool Street Station and deliveries to the Sothebys summer exhibition at Chatsworth House. Whatever the shape or size - STG will provide the solution.

From Toronto to Monaco - and back

The Conquest Knight is the ultimate, armour plated, SUV. Not a standard, heavily modified road vehicle but built entirely from scratch, to the most exacting standards, using the very best materials. Each vehicle takes in excess of 4000 hours to build and weighs in at over 6000 kg. Powered by a 6.8 litre V10, nothing comes stronger or more powerful. Having left Toronto by KLM freighter, the next stage was from Schipol Airport to Monaco, in time for the world's premier car show, surrounded by equally exotic names - Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Porsche. Shortly after the show, the Conquest made its way back to Canada, this time by sea - all in a days work for STG - The Specialist Transport Group.

In the middle of a cornfield!

The challenges just keep coming. In this case, when delivering an Archimedes screw generator, the final destination turned out to be well off the beaten track - in the middle of a cornfield at Newby Hall, just outside Ripon. To add to the challenge, the unit then had to be craned over the trees in the background and lowered over 50 feet to the river bed. Our "off road" record is 22km near Pirot in southern Serbia, where the road was built as the trucks slowly followed behind - passing through not only fields but orchards, streams woodland and farmyards - all in a day's work for the STG team.

Difficult loads to difficult places

When faced with the task of setting up a promotion on the South Bank of the Thames, there was only one logical answer - STG - The Specialist Transport Group. The Singapore Tourist Board chose London as the launch venue for a world tour, which included Paris, Moscow and Dubai. There was just one problem – placing everything in position beside the Thames, where the only access was through the ornamental gardens, just to one side of the London Eye (another of STG's landmarks). Working alongside the numerous parties involved, precision timing and accuracy were important, if only to minimise the effect on the thousands of visitors to the South Bank each day. After weeks of planning, having left Singapore several weeks earlier, one element is seen negotiating the last few metres of its journey. Shortly after it was on its way to Paris, before then circumventing the world. Not the most difficult load to the most difficult place, but certainly a challenge!

With Lights Blazing

Yet another STG oversize load makes its way through southern England. This time the cargo is a large sculpture, in several sections, for delivery to the grounds of a mansion, close to the Ascot racecourse. Having started the journey in central France, all the vehicles involved were under escort throughout the journey. Our distance record for a load under escort was over 3000 kms, to the far side of Kazakhstan. For some sections, private pilot cars were acceptable. Along other stretches, police escorts took over. In some cases, multiple escorts are required. On a recent project, with a width of over 6.50m, the convoy was made up of two police cars, accompanied by four police outriders, on motorbikes - the sort of attention given to President Obama. This disregards the fact that, at this width, inevitably there are lamp posts, traffic lights, keep left signs and railings to be removed. All part of a highly complex operation - entrusted to the safe hands of STG.

Destined for a well known, Irish airline.

Many of you that have followed our newsletters in the past, know that the aerospace industry features strongly. Past achievements have included the recovery of a complete BAE 146 from Samsun in northern Turkey - to the relocation of an engine test assembly for Rolls Royce, from the UK to Stennis, Mississippi, USA. Operated by NASA, this facility tests some of the world's most powerful jet and rocket engines. This 737-600 fuselage is making a slightly shorter journey, from the Cotswold airfield near Cheltenham to Stansted, one of London's three major airports. Later in the year, after considerable refurbishment, it will become part of the cabin crew training programme for one of the major airlines - a well known Irish operator.

The Buccaneer

Originally buccaneers were pirates, normally French, Dutch or English, who attacked Spanish galleons returning from the Caribbean. They had little regard for the law and the spoils were divided amongst the crew at the end of each voyage, with the captain taking the lions share. Almost deliberately, their reputation proceeded them, striking fear into their opponents. The same can be said for the Blackburn Buccaneer, developed in the late fifties to combat a perceived threat from the Russian Navy. First entering service in 1962, there were both land and aircraft carrier based variants. One of its more striking features was the ability to attack at high speed from low level (200 feet/61 metres). Having seen many hours of active service, this Buccaneer is seen on route to Kemble airfield, near Cirencester. Although not in the same mould, the reputation of the pirate and the aircraft are not dissimilar

Its old, heavy and dirty

Despite this, it has many years of useful life ahead. Machinery movements are one of the many skills in the STG pack. With this particular movement, originating in the UK, the most critical aspect was the arrival time/day in Milan. Normally it is important, this time it had to take place on a specified weekend, with road closures and part of the factory roof having to be removed. Given that this was a multiple movement, everything was lined up on the approach road, ready for the off. Past movements have involved machinery from Poland to the UK, Denmark to Spain, Italy to Greece, the UK to Russia and many more. Our record stands at over 400 vehicles, just on the one project. Whether it is brand new and beautiful, or old and still serviceable, STG are past masters when it comes to both local, international and world wide machinery movements.

Doncaster UK to Timisoara Romania

Big tanks, little tanks, round tanks, conical shape tanks, square tanks - they come in all shapes and sizes. The very largest demand high load routes, the removal of street furniture and overhead cables, together with road closures and parking restrictions, notwithstanding police and technical escorts. At the other end of the spectrum, as seen in the photograph, some tanks are much smaller. Having said that, they can still end up being oversize, these come in at 2.84m diameter and therefore impossible to fit in a standard trailer. Generally, at this size, they are associated with the foodstuffs and pharmaceutical industries, both of which require particular care and attention. Within an hour or so, this trailer will be on its way to Timisoara in Romania - having passed through Belgium, Germany, Austria and Hungary on route.

The Defining Factor

Although self evident, it is a fact that the lowest bridge on the route determines whether a high load movement is practical, or not. Get it right, by even one centimetre, and everyone's happy. Get it wrong and, in a best case scenario, it is just a matter of embarrassment. Get it badly wrong and serious damage to the cargo is an inevitable consequence. Whilst in the UK, the standard motorway bridge height is 16’6’’ (5.00m), there are thousands of bridges that are considerably lower. In the case of this railway bridge, 4’3’’ (1.30m) lower to be precise. Just to confuse matters, the specified height is along the centre line, with one side being higher than the other. Therefore, if there is any doubt that a suitable route exists, STG would be pleased to carry out a feasibility study, to include a route survey.

What to do with a second hand wind farm

Why, recycle it of course. When Cornwall Light & Power installed their new, upgraded, wind farm at Goonhilly, the most obvious question was - what do we do with the old units? Despite the advance of technology, these were still capable of making a positive contribution to the environment. Having negotiated the sale to the new owners, the next question was - how do we ship the 14 units, comprising over eighty oversize pieces, to their new home? Obviously, call in The Specialists. Here seen during final loading and lashing at Falmouth, within hours the units will be underway to their new home.

It's 20 metres high!

Sorry, let's start again, I meant it was 20 metres long but, on site, it has to be erected in the vertical to 20 metres high! Even at 20 metres long, once the vehicle was taken into account, the overall length was roughly 10 metres / 32 feet longer than a standard truck. To some a problem, to STG, all in a day's work. Although moving only a short distance in the UK, this evaporator tower received the same meticulous attention to detail as movement over several thousand kilometres. In order to keep crane expenses to a minimum, good planning and precise timing were essential. For this reason, on paper, STG may not always seem to be the cheapest but, once everything is taken into account. STG represent tremendous value for money.

The Archimedes Screw

Although attributed to Archimedes, there is very little evidence to suggest that the principle and application can be traced to the renowned Greek mathematician and inventor. Some believe that the device is of Egyptian origin, others that it was instrumental in the creation of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, at the time of the Seven Wonders of the World. Certainly, in its early days, it was used to lift water from one level to another. In more recent times, despite the design being over 2000 years old, it has been used to harness the power of water flowing in the opposite direction. In doing so, it has become a very effective and environmentally friendly method of generating power. As ever, STG are at the forefront of making their contribution. The unit shown, despite being oversize, is seen just prior to loading for the journey to Antrim in Northern Ireland. Fully managed throughout by a senior member of the STG Team - Martin Burgess - other similar projects in the pipeline involve advice on access roads and installation, keeping any landscape reinstatement to the absolute minimum.

Has STG ever moved a church organ?

No, but then we doubt if many others have. When STG were approached to move this church organ from Birmingham to Reggio Emilia, near Bologna, it became evident that it needed the same skills that we apply to every other project managed by STG. Carefully removing every organ pipe - less than ten per cent are shown in the photograph - through to arranging the packing and dispatch to Italy. Once this was underway, the "mechanics & electrics" followed. Within a matter of weeks, the organ was re-assembled, giving endless pleasure to congregations in its new home town. If you ever have a church organ to move, you'll know where to come in the future!

The Bronze Reclining Nude

Although it happened over 20 years ago, the STG team look back with affection on the bronze reclining nude in the City of London. Located in the Broadgate development, on the north side of Liverpool Street Station, at the time it was one of our more unusual and challenging projects. Purely on height alone, having been cast in Florence, it soon became apparent that road movement to the UK was out of the question. This was even more so given that the client wanted the sculpture to arrive incognito, necessitating an enormous wooden crate, adding considerably to the size. Never to be beaten, we set about finding a high load route to the nearest port, in this instance Massa. From there, we had a small charter vessel standing by, ready to ship to Shoreham, from where another high load route had been arranged into central London. Since then, the sculpture has been admired by thousands, not having moved an inch in over 20 years!

John Smiths Tadcaster

It is doubtful if it could have been any more difficult. When faced with moving these 6.00m diameter brewery vessels into the John Smiths Brewery in Tadcaster, just to the west of York, even we had our doubts. Although initially a river option was considered, quite quickly this had to be ruled out. Numerous routes were considered mainly along secondary roads, avoiding every possible bridge. Eventually, after weeks of painstaking work, the route was determined and approved by the authorities. Then the easy part started, the actual movement itself. Our apologies to everyone whose journey was disrupted, the consolation is in a pint of John Smiths bitter!

STG are moving dinosaurs!

For both adults and children alike, there has always been a fascination with dinosaurs. The Tyrannosaurus Rex is perhaps the best known, having lived some 65 million years ago. The literal translation of the name is "tyrant lizard" and, at 12-13m length, the T-Rex was one of the largest land predators. As a carnivore, nothing living was safe in its path. This "life size" replica is a frequent sight on both UK and European roads, forming part of a display of automated reptiles, fascinating audiences wherever they appear. It goes without saying that, in the long list of cargo moved by STG, these are one of the more unusual. One of our customers mentioned a few weeks ago that it was high time we brought out a book featuring all the "odd, awkward and difficult" loads moved over the last sixteen years. Who knows, perhaps one day we|ll find the time to do it!

Boats come in all shapes and sizes

Many customers know that, at STG - The Specialist Transport Group, we specialise in the movement of aircraft components, notably fuselage sections. All are highly expensive and vulnerable, requiring special care and attention. The same applies to boats. At one end of the spectrum, we delivered many of the sections which went into building the world's largest, privately owned yacht, The Maltese Falcon. At the other extreme, the smaller speedboats demand the same level of care. In between there are offshore power boats, cabin cruisers, house boats, racing yachts, catamarans, canal boats, barges and pontoons. Many are wooden hulled, some are modern plastics or aluminium, a few are even concrete! This 'shrink wrapped' cabin cruiser is about to start the long journey to its new owner in Russia. As we say - one of many.

It's big, it's generally yellow, and it's always awkward!

Construction equipment has been and will remain one of STG's largest markets. Whether it is a local UK movement, across Europe by road or by sea elsewhere in the world, we will try longer and harder to find the best possible solution. Sometimes innovation is the key, attempting a method or route that has never been considered before. It|s amazing what can be done with just a little more thought. The machine shown is a Liebherr R964C Super Heavy Duty, with an operating weight of 82 tonnes - a mere minnow in comparison with some of the larger machines tackled recently.

The Port of Linz, Austria

Despite the fact that Austria is "landlocked", water transport (i.e. river) is playing an increasing role in removing oversize cargo from the roads of Europe. In recent months, STG have taken best advantage of both ocean going and river barges to Paris, Budapest, Melnik etc. This time, Linz on the river Danube, is the choice. Seen loading to barge, this piece at 5.66m wide and 4.20m high is destined for Heysham in the UK. With a single, fully supervised, transhipment from barge to special trailer in Rotterdam, on cost grounds alone, the method/route could not be bettered. Won in a highly competitive environment - stg again proved their worth.

One New Change, London

One New Change, located in the city of London, is another landmark building, complementing and yet providing a striking contrast to St. Pauls, built by Sir Christopher Wren over 300 years ago. As ever, STG have played their small but nonetheless critical part in this mammoth project. Seen waiting to discharge, having just arrived in from Spain, this gantry system is about to be craned and placed into position on the roof. One New Change joins a growing list of stg projects within central London - including The London Eye, the Broadgate development beside Liverpool Street Station, the Channel 4 building in Horseferry Road and Portcullis House, home for Members of Parliament, Westminster.

The Guggenheim Bilbao

Designed by the American architect Frank O Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum is one of the landmark buildings of the 20th Century. Designed with the aid of computers and constructed from stone, glass and titanium, the museum has been described as "the greatest building of our time". Here STG is seen delivering one of the more recent exhibits, the Anish Kapoor sculpture from the Royal Academy in London. For the last few kilometres, from the outskirts of Bilbao, overnight street closures were arranged to ensure arrival precisely on time, enabling museum staff to start setting up the exhibit with the minimum of delay. However "special" your movement is - it will always get VIP treatment from STG - The Specialist Transport Group.

You may not be aware but...

at STG we not only move cargo from A to B but we can also organise the dismantling, loading, discharge and installation. The word "turnkey" is applied in many fields but, as far as STG is concerned, it stands for the complete job, at one "lump sum" price, within an agreed time frame. In the past we have moved all manner of factories around Europe - olive oil processing machinery from Italy to Greece, breakfast cereal manufacturing plant from Denmark to Spain, a potato crisp production line from the UK to Russia etc. All have one thing in common - it wasn't just a case of moving cargo from A to B. In the photograph, a lift system is slowly lowering this generator to the ground, ready for the engineers to start the commissioning process.

We have lift off!

It's rare, it's special, very few still exist - who do we ask to move it? - why STG of course. This Max Holste 1521 Broussard is seen loading at Norwich Airport, at the start of a relatively short journey to its new home - the Bruntingthorpe Aircraft Museum in Leicestershire. Originally conceived in the 1950|s, for the French Army, the Max Holste was an aerial artillery observation aircraft, with outstanding Short Take Off & Landing characteristics. The term Broussard means "Bushman" and many were used in the former African French colonies, right through to the 1980's. Of the 363 Broussards produced, less than 25 are thought to have survived. Your cargo may not be unique but, to the stg team, all cargo gets the same, special treatment.

Into the heart of Paris, via the Seine.

When faced with the task of delivering oversize Gas Turbine units to the centre of Paris, it soon became evident that a direct road movement was impractical. Further research showed that, by selecting an ocean going barge, capable of negotiating the locks on the river Seine, cost implications could be kept to a minimum. As an added bonus, in comparison with road movements, carbon emissions were kept to a minimum reducing signicantly the environmental impact. There is little doubt that, in the future, this will become a more important consideration.

It flew all the way to Spain

No wings, no tail and no wheels. This fuselage still managed to fly all the way to Spain, without a hitch. By using a well prepared checklist the STG team were able to enter the security zone on a French civil airfield without causing a blip on the radar. We always have the right paperwork, in the right place, at the right time. This meant we were able to take flight the minute we arrived. All three British Aerospace Jetstreams landed in Zaragoza on time, unlike many flights nowadays!

Blizzards Anticipated!

The task - to get this tunneling machine, weighing 75 tons, from the UK to Barcelona as quickly as possible. Road movement was out of the question, there wasn't enough time to set up the overweight permits. Thanks to our connections in the charter market, we discovered that a vessel had just left Norway en route to Spain, with sufficient space available. Within hours, the vessel had been diverted to Sunderland and loading was completed. Minutes after this photograph was taken, the worst blizzard for years struck the north east of England!

The Royal Academy of Arts

Piccadilly, stretching from Hyde Park Corner to Piccadilly Circus, is one of the world's famous thoroughfares. Bounded on one side by Mayfair, on the other by St. James Park, it is the home to the Ritz, Fortnum & Mason and, among many other household names, The Royal Academy of Arts. In spring 2010, STG were charged with the responsibility of delivering one of the Academy's largest exhibits - the towering sculpture by Anish Kapoor, titled Tall Tree and the Eye. Measuring, when fully assembled, over fifteen metres high, the sculpture is the centrepiece of the first solo exhibition, granted to a contemporary artiest, by The Academy. Even at three in the morning, once Piccadilly had been closed to other traffic, the sculpture attracted intense interest from both the media and passers by - for all your transport problems, STG have the solution.

It's a Mosquito!

Not the malaria infecting type but the de Havilland, twin engine, World War II, Fighter Bomber. Conceived in 1939 as a light and fast aircraft, the Mosquito first saw active service in September 1941. Quite remarkably, despite being constructed predominantly from wood, the prototype was 20mph faster than the most famous Spitfire, performing a vital role throughout the war. This example, methodically built using parts from original aircraft, is seen at the start of its long journey from the UK to New Zealand. Owned by Peter Jackson, Director of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the aircraft will form the centre piece of his private collection and is expected to appear in many feature films over the coming years.

Santander - Gateway to Spain

When faced with moving a 5.00m wide load across Europe - road tolls, permits, pilot cars and police escorts significantly increase the final cost. This disregards the fact that, almost inevitably, it takes several weeks to make all the necessary arrangements. This being the case, it is important to have an intimate knowledge of all the ferry routes operating both around Europe and within the Mediterranean. With this movement, originating in Germany, by avoiding the transit journey through France, there were significant cost and time savings. On many occasions, the most illogical solution becomes the most economic solution.

Once again, STG are on Television!

Little did Volker realise, when driving north, that he was about to appear on television. A week earlier, he had been asked to collect an abnormal load from Arganda del Rey, on the outskirts of Madrid. At the time, the oversize dimensions and weight meant very little, other than special permits and escorts would be required. When it was discovered that the cargo was a bronze statue, sculptured by the renowned artist and sculptor Manolo Valdes, it was evident that extra care was needed. Just to add a further dimension to the challenge, the statue was part of an exhibition arranged by Sotheby's, within the grounds of Chatsworth House. Arriving at the main gate was easy - delivering, discharging and positioning on the main lawn, at the rear of the house, needed something extra. Hence the reason for Volker travelling north, just to make certain everything went smoothly. Imagine his surprise to discover that the operation was being recorded by BBC television - a star at last!

At STG we are always searching for ......

the ultimate challenge. One destination that comes very close is the Canary Islands and the Azores. Many years ago we delivered, on behalf of the American forces, radar equipment from a UK base to a new facility on the Azores. One criteria, as with most others performed by STG, was that the cargo had to remain on the same trailers throughout. More recently, STG were commissioned to deliver observatory equipment from Cambridge University, to one of the highest peaks in Tenerife. When asked to deliver a replica boat to Puerto San Juan, on the west coast of Tenerife, things fell naturally into place. Used for filming a remake of "Clash of the Titans", the boat is seen starting its epic journey. Once filiming had been completed, we were back in Tenerife loading this time to the Pinewood Studios, where the final shots were taken.

Variety is the spice of life!

For regular visitors to our web site, you may have noticed that we tend to feature longer, wider, higher and heavier cargo. If only to prove that "variety is the spice of life", when asked if we would mind delivering a children's summer house from Scotland to Austria, naturally we said we would be pleased to. The Corrour Estate, at 52,000 acres is one of the largest and most remote in Scotland, One hundred years ago, visitors to the estate started their journey by train, followed by horse drawn carriage, followed by the steam yacht "Cailleach", across Loch Ossian. Thankfully an access road was constructed in the early 1970's, making life much easier. Even so, when we come to look back on 2009, this project will rank among those for the title of "The Most Unusual".

A very long time ago!

It seems a very long time ago - 1977 to be precise. Romania had suffered another earthquake, one of many to strike the Balkans over the years. Relief supplies were needed as a matter of urgency and truck capacity was stretched to the limit. Everything from accommodation units to mobile surgeries were urgently needed. Once this phase was underway, Phase 2 started. This comprised heavy duty, civil engineering equipment - mainly to demolish unstable buildings and then start the process of reconstruction. Mobile cranes were part of the equation and, when speed and cost are paramount, self drive can come into its own. The photograph shows a new Hydrocon crane nearing the end of its journey on what, at the time, was one of the main roads in Romania. Since then, many weird and wonderful machines have passed through our hands - to destinations as distant as Beirut, Amman and Baghdad.

Lille - Barcelona

The regulations in Europe vary enormously, from country to country, often region to region. Sometimes, oversize cargo has to travel on the Motorway, Autobahn or Autostrada. Sometimes, movement is only allowed on secondary roads. Sometimes, only pilot cars are required, other times police escorts. On this occasion, given that the piece was 6.50m wide, weighing 55 tons, both pilot cars and police escorts were required. The photograph shows the convoy negotiating a minor road on the outskirts of Valenciennes, just part of a 1300 km journey. Whatever the problem, STG has the solution.

No passing on the left or the right!

Most people know that a standard truck is 2.50m wide. Likewise, in the UK, when the width exceeds 5.00m, special permission has to be obtained from the Highways Agency. Many will not know that the legal, maximum width in the UK is 6.10m. Therefore, when faced with moving this gargantuan 6.75m wide fabrication - even STG were put to the test. A qualification of being granted permission was that the distance on public roads was kept to the minimum. In order to deliver to the Murco refinery near Milford Haven, having originated in Germany, there was only one option - shipping direct into Milford Haven port. At this point, other obstacles came into play. The quay was not strong enough to take the cargo, trucks and cranes, all at the same time. Over the course of eight months, many options were considered and discarded until the most practical and economic was decided on - satisfying the multitude of parties involved. Needless to say, STG passed the test.

The start of a 4000km journey!

A mere 3942 kilometres to be more precise, and that's as the crow flies! This luxury, American manufactured, Recreational Vehicle (RV) is about to start its journey from the UK to Baku, on the edge of the Caspian Sea. In this instance, luxury is perhaps an understatement. Even the expression "high end" does not do this RV justice. From air conditioning to flat screen televisions, ice making facilities to King sized beds - this RV was a penthouse on wheels. On the logistics side - STG took the call late on a Friday afternoon, submitted the initial quotation late that evening with the customer confirming the order on the Monday morning. The RV was loaded just 72 hours later. Just 18 days later, much to the customer's delight, the RV arrived safely in Baku. This is despite some of the worst weather in living memory, necessitating a detour via Iran! It all goes to show that "Where there's a will, there's a way".

It's an Observatory, on top of a Mountain

Invariably, when one thinks of Spain, sun and sand come to mind. However, when faced with making a delivery to a new observatory, high in the Spanish Pyrenees, in the middle of winter, weather was a major consideration. To make matters worse, having conducted a route survey, it soon became apparent that the access road was impassable for anything other than the smallest vehicles. Therefore, transhipment would have to take place at the foot of the mountain, courtesy of the local Mayor. Just to make life really interesting, the cargo was extremely fragile, being part of a building used to house sophisticated camera equipment. Having carefully studied the weather pattern, the client, Barcelona University, finally gave the 'green light'. A few days later, despite some of the most atrocious weather in recent memory, everything was safely delivered. Another success for the stg team.

Having flown millions of miles

This Airbus fuselage section is on route, by road, from southern England to Germany. Over the coming weeks, it will be modified to become an air crew, training simulator, before then starting its final journey to the Middle East. Here it will join the rapidly expanding range of facilities operated by one of the world|s major airlines. Measuring over 20 metres long and 5.64 metres width, approval was required from the UK Highways Agency. Essentially, under UK regulations (VR1) where the cargo width exceeds 5.00m, special dispensation has to be negotiated at a national level, before more detailed arrangements can get under way with the local police and road authorities. For the STG team, this is "all in a days work". In the planning stage at the moment, currently the largest cargo is 6.75 metres wide (over 22 feet)!. To put this into perspective, it is almost as wide as three standard trucks, placed side by side!

Not far to go now!

Seen leaving the port of Dundee, this massive 170 ton transformer is in the final stage of its journey from Brazil. Although shipment from Brazil only took a matter of weeks, the preliminary work on the project started some three years earlier. When STG carried out the initial site / route survey, it became apparent that the local roads were not suitable. There was only one solution - build a new road! Working closely with the client, various schemes were considered, before the final choice was adopted. With the vehicle measuring 32.00m long and grossing at 270 tonnes, there was little margin for error. In due course, when the transformer arrived on site, it was not the end of the exercise. STG were then responsible for discharging the transformer, placing to foundations and fitting the ancillaries. Turnkey projects we enjoy. However, it is not everyday that we get involved in road design and construction!

It looks like a plane

But it will never fly! Seen leaving Ramstein in Germany, this replica fuselage section is on route to Newquay airport in Cornwall. Although originally a military aiport, Newquay has become the central hub for a new regional, civil airport, serving the south west. As civil activity increases, international flights will become an important element, with Lufthansa being one of the lead airlines. An integral part of the conversion to civil use involved a complete upgrade of the emergency services, particularly the fire fighting resources, hence the reason that this fuselage will never fly. Once installed, and coupled to a second section, the facility will be "set alight" and used to train airport fire fighters, in case of a major incident. Following this investment, not only is Newquay the Surf Capital of the UK, but now has one of the best equipped, regional aiports in the country.

This is the easy part!

In relative terms, loading to vessel and shipping is the easy part. The more difficult part is removing the unit from the factory, preparing for shipment, delivering to the port (probably under police escort) and reversing the process at the other end. Invariably, this is STG comes into its own. However complex the operation, and we have had many in the past, STG excel. Downtime is kept to a minimum resulting in the facility coming on stream sooner rather than later. A massive cost saving in itself.

Sustainability

Sustainability comes in many forms. This gas turbine is about to complete a journey that started from the Siemens works in Lincoln, UK. The first stage was by truck to Antwerp, where the cargo was transferred to the MV Mykola Chernobryvstev, for shipment to Eleysis in Greece. From there, local trucks took over and boarded a charter ro-ro vessel for shipment to Pystalleia, an uninhabited island located across the bay from Piraeus. The Aktor SA complex is Europe|s largest sewage plant and, by definition, produces gas - hence the need for gas turbines. Once they are installed and operational, the units will feed power to the mainland - a classic case of sustainability.

Military Equipment

Nowadays, military forces are just as likely to be involved in peace keeping missions as armed conflict. Whatever their role, for many years, stg has supported the armies, air forces and navies of the world. Sometimes it has been an urgent, single shipment. Other times complex, multiple moves involving several hundred trucks, charter vessels or whatever. It could be, and has been - support vehicles for the UN in Africa - generator equipment for a Royal Navy vessel in the eastern Med - support equipment for manoeuvres in the Artic Circle - the list is endless. The photograph shows one consignment being loaded to vessel, on route to the Middle East. Like every other project managed by the STG team, the aim is to get it done - in the best possible way - in the time frame specified - at the most economic cost. To use an expression - performed with military precision.

It's a ship!

Not really, it's a ro-ro vessel. Over many years, stg have built an unrivalled knowledge of ro-ro vessels, operating not only from UK ports but also throughout Europe and the rest of the world. We've shipped cargo on crossings taking just twenty minutes, through to sailings lasting over six weeks. From Samsun to Simferopol, across the Caspian Sea, around the Baltic or down to Australia - we know them all. Those with height restrictions, some that operate only at a particular time of the year, others that will accept static cargo. It's all part and parcel of coming up with the best possible solution. The vessel shown is the Grand Mercury, operated by Grimaldi, about to take on cargo at Southampton. In this case 47 military vehicles on route to the Middle East. All in a day's work for the STG team.

Convoi Exceptionnel

Convoi Exceptionnel, Schwertransport, Bred Last, and many other expressions all mean one thing - watch out - it's big! Seen leaving Dunkirk docks, this slag pot carrier is on route to Antwerp, Belgium. Although, being UK based, stg is not perhaps the first name you would think of for a relatively short run from France to Belgium, thanks to a network of partners throughout Europe, our rates are competitive and the standard of service "second to none". Why else would a customer in Switzerland, come to us in Bedford, to arrange a movement from the Czech Republic to Romania? Or for that matter, a customer in Belgium for a movement from Bulgaria to the Ukraine? Service and price, it's that simple!

Sierra Tango Golf?

STG - Sierra Tango Golf - The Specialist Transport Group. Whilst we don|t know the call sign of this particular aircraft, it|s highly unlikely to be STG. Whenever we are approached to move anything in the aircraft field, the first question has to be - is it flyable? Whatever section of the aircraft - fuselage, wings, fin etc - if it is airworthy, extra care has to be taken. Support cradles, air suspension equipment, sometimes even the use of shock meters, are the order of the day. On the other hand, if the component is not airworthy, whilst it is not true to say that less care is needed, it is not quite so critical. This was the case with this redundant fuselage, seen on its way to Germany. From there it will be refurbished for air crew training purposes, before going on to the Middle East. All in a days work for the Sierra Tango Golf team.

Please stop and water the trees!

With the majority of cargo handled by STG, there are special precautions. With particularly valuable cargo, it|s a question of taking extra care. In most cases, timing is important - there may be a vessel to meet, engineers and cranes standing by or a works site dependent on prompt arrival. With this consignment it was different. These are 200 year old olive trees, on their way from the Torres vineyard just outide Barecelona to the Hampton Court Flower Show, held annually on the outskirts of London. These formed part of a meditteranean garden, featured a few days later on the BBC. The special instructions? Not to go too fast, as the leaves will blow off! Stop regularly and water the trees! Not especially demanding but, on the other hand, important in ensuring that the cargo arrived in the best possible condition - as with all cargo entrusted to the care of STG.

A Solar Powered Ferry?

Yes, just as it describes - a solar powered, passenger ferry. If you have ever been to the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, you may even have taken a trip. Although not as prominent as the London Eye (another one of our projects), it features on the long list of "things to do", when in London. Given that abnormal loads rarely, if ever, enter the royal parks - special arrangements had to be made at night, when the park roads are normally closed to all traffic. Just as challenging was the task of lifting the ferry from the trailer (see photograph), into the water. Thanks to a close, working relationship with our German partner, everything went smoothly and the ferry now gives enjoyment to many, without any environmental impact.

Ready to deal with any emergency!

Thankfully, crash landings are a rare event. However, when they do happen, every airport has to be fully equipped to deal with the emergency. Airport crash tenders come in all shapes and sizes. This is the latest "state of the art" seen on its way from Gloucester to Holland. For something "not quite as modern", please look at our project titled "Self Load - Self Discharge". Whatever the shape or size, STG are also equipped to deal with any emergency.

STG rescue Bosnian steam train

It is not unusual for STG to be in the spotlight but, it has to be admitted, appearing on the BBC World News was a first. Described as a "chunk of dirty black steel", this rail loco was traced to the Zenica steel works where it had operated for the past 50 years. STG were commissioned to recover the loco and return it to the UK. After being fully reconditioned, the loco will enter service on the Mid Hants Watercress Line, alongside one of the finest selection of steam locomotives in the United Kingdom.

Stennis Space Center

Not unexpectedly, the aerospace industry demands the highest possible standards. The photograph shows the last few centimetres/inches of a journey that started several thousand miles earlier, from the Rolls Royce test establishment outside Nottingham, in the UK. On route - via Prestwick and Atlanta - this thrust frame, used for measuring aircraft engine performance, had to be dismantled, tested and refurbished, prior to reassembly within the Stennis Space Center. located in the Mississippi delta. Operated by NASA, Stennis is America's largest rocket and aircraft test facility. Under the watching eyes of the client, stg were responsible for every single stage, including the application of the final coat of paint! Within a few days of the frame being attached to the tower, the first engine was in position and under test, making its contribution towards aircraft safety, world wide.

Bridge Sections from Turkey

Within the STG Team, we offer a tremendous range of skills and experience - from specialist trailers to river barges, from ship's charter to rail movements. Each Associate concentrates on a particular field or geographic area. The photograph shows a vessel loading bridge sections from Turkey, before starting its long voyage to Limerick, in south west Ireland. On arrival, STG were responsible for discharging and, perhaps more importantly, having sufficient trailers in attendance to deliver the complete consignment through to the job site. As ever, yet more "difficult loads to difficult places".

Saratov - Central Russia

Saratov, has a fascinating history. The site of the present city was instigated, in 1590, by Count Grigory Zasekin. All the buildings were constructed of wood in the upper reaches of the Volga, one year beforehand. Then, in the spring of 1590, each building was carefully dismantled, every single log was marked and delivered to a pre-determined location on the new site, before then being re-assembled. The new city was completed and occupied within a matter of weeks, well before the start of the next Russian winter. The trailer on the left is shown preparing cargo for delivery to Saratov, as part of an on-going project. This piece was followed by one of the more challenging units, with a height in excess of 4.00m. It all goes to prove that, if you are sufficiently determined, anything is possible.

From Start to Finish

When British Sugar first envisaged their new biofuel facility at Wissington, one question immediately came to mind. "Given that the site is not water connected, what is the largest size that can be moved by road"? After extensive route surveys and discussions with local authorities, this question was soon answered. Having reached this stage, there then came the question of potential manufacturers, their location and the impact on cost and timing. STG then set about examining each option. Various Memorandum Reports were submitted, highlighting both the benefits and disadvantages of each supplier. Not unusually, there were enormous differences in both freight cost and transit time. When British Sugar announced that the contract had been awarded to a company in India - we were confident that we had done our homework right. Some two years after the first survey, the vessel shown is about to leave the works in Pune, for what then must be the ultimate test - Can it be done?

Rail can be the answer

Having started the journey by road, then having continued by sea, these fabrications are seen being prepared at Tallinn, Estonia for the final stage, by rail, to Bautino, Kazakhstan. Whilst perhaps, quite deservedly, Russian railways did not have a good reputation, in recent years things have improved in leaps & bounds. The units left Tallin on the 26th October, arriving at Aktau rail terminal on the 9th November, a transit time of just 14 days. More importantly, thanks to a direct link with our local agent, we knew where they were on a day to day basis. Speed with economy.

Portcullis House

Many will know of Portcullis House in Westminster, directly opposite Big Ben, accommodating Members of Parliament and their support staff. The photograph shows just two of over four hundred floor/ceiling sections, collected from Belgium, each delivered to site on a timed basis. An added complication was that the underside represented the ceiling on the floor above, which meant that each had to be "suspended" above the trailer, to avoid damage. With the London Eye opposite, these represent just two of the numerous major projects carried out by the STG team in central London.

A Birds Eye View of the Tennents Brewery

Located in the centre of Glasgow, The Tennents Brewery is probably the largest facility in Scotland. Therefore, when a major expansion was planned, STG were the logical choice. The first challenge was to keep disruption to the absolute minimum. Not the easiest of tasks, within a restricted, city centre, site. Times of operation had to be worked out well in advance so that delivery of the vessels, together with lifting into position, did not interfere with the smooth running of the brewery. To add to the challenge, even on the short journey from Grangemouth, movement times had to be negotiated and agreed with Stratchclyde Police. When you add in inevitable road works, it was obvious that STG had its work cut out. However STG promised that everything would go smoothly and, true to form, it did. Production flowed smoothly, the vessels were delivered and installed on time, to budget. Another, text book, STG project.

Everyone else says it cannot be done!

Except of course, STG - The Specialist Transport Group. The task was to move, as quickly as possible, oil related equipment from central Poland to Norway, except to say that it measured 5.70m wide and 4.23m high. Within a matter of days, STG had researched and determined a suitable high load route, avoiding all fixed obstructions. It was then just a matter of arranging to remove overhead cables (electricity, telephone, tram etc). When you have a transport problem, STG have the solution.

From the Pyrenees to Paris

STG's reputation for competitive prices and high standards of service, has travelled far and wide. Recommendation, by word of mouth, means everything. Meticulous planning, trying harder, going that extra mile - always charging the price quoted, no more, no less. That's why, when three 60 ton industrial boilers had to be moved across France, STG were the obvious choice. This was even more the case as each boiler was 4.40m high, already 40cm higher than the legal maximum, even before being loaded to trailers. High load routes were the order of the day. With the route set up, the overwidth, overheight & overweight permits in place, escorts primed, crews briefed - everything went like clockwork. Why else would customers ask STG in the UK, to move boilers across France, from the Pyrenees to Paris?

In the dead of night

The task - to move pieces 6.00m wide, from central Belgium to near Newport, in south Wales. After studying several methods and routes, one began to stand "head and shoulders" above all others. With an improved transit time and, more importantly, a 38% saving in cost, STG won the contract by a mile. Needless to say the client, a major Belgian manufacturer, was more than pleased.

You'll have to wait until the tide goes out

"The access road is a little difficult, it floods twice a day". Not the most common problem but, when over sixty vehicles are involved, it does tend to complicate matters. The task was to move the launch gantry, that helped to build the second Severn Bridge, to Avignon in France. Most of the loads were oversize, needing special permits and escorts. Everything had to arrive in strict, sequential order - to correspond with the reassembly programme. For STG, no problem - the difficult part was understanding the tide timetables, without everyone getting their feet wet!

Not your average household boiler!

The Energy Market is an important part of STG's activities, increasingly in the case of wind power, hydro-electric and wave power. The race to reduce emission levels is well underway, with all European countries determined to achieve the targets set at the Kyoto conference. However, until these come on stream, conventional power stations continue to play a vital part in maintaining supplies. With this boiler house at Retford, STG were responsible for the timed arrival of over 40 modules, each weighing over 125 tons, totalling 5000 tons.

Aircraft Propellers

Whether they are Civil or Military Propellers, both require the greatest possible care. Propellers are just a small part of the vast range of aircraft components entrusted to STG - including fuselage sections, wings, flaps, fins, nose cones, engines etc - right through to flight simulators and complete aircraft. Recovering a damaged BAe 146 from the airport at Samsun on the Black Sea, and returning the aircraft by road to British Aerospace near Manchester, was just one of the more interesting challenges in recent years.

Tyre depot - Central Russia

Having a puncture on the motorway is one matter, having a puncture in central Russia is another. With telephones few and far between, phone directories almost non existent - just finding a tyre depot is a challenge in its own right. Given that the selection on offer is mainly second hand, the next challenge is to find a size that vaguely resembles the size needed. Seen here at a local tyre depot in central Russia - the next one is over 150 miles away - thanks to the resourcefulness of the STG driver, this truck will be on its way in a few hours.

The Wheel

In retrospect, the responsibility was enormous. The capsules for the London Eye are made of glass and had never been moved by road before. They were oversize, both in width and height. Thirty two were being manufactured, there were no spares, thirty two had to arrive safely at Westminster. Timing was critical, otherwise assembly would not be completed for the 31st December 1999 - Millennium Night. Everyone at STG played their part, from the Project Managers, their secretaries and, most importantly the drivers and escorts.

The high load that gave the longest length

Power cable is infinitely more reliable, if you can avoid as many joins as possible. Therefore when Pirelli were negotiating an order for Spain, they needed to know the maximum length of cable they could wind to the largest possible diameter reel. This in turn was dictated by the lowest bridge height, to each of the destinations. After careful research, we came up with the absolute limit, enabling Pirelli to plan accordingly. The photograph shows a reel under escort through the suburbs of Barcelona.

Self load - self discharge?

Not a problem. STG are able to provide a wide variety of specialist trailers equipped with ramps and, where necessary, more sophisticated low bed trailers for cargo which is suitable for self loading and self discharging. This photograph shows a military fire engine, with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background - others include ambulances, excavators, buses, bulldozers, aircraft stairs and road planers - the list is endless. Whatever the problem - STG have the solution.

Oak? Ash? Elm? Pine?

Trees? Not perhaps the first cargo you would associate with STG. However, as our name suggests - The Specialist Transport Group - as it's a specialist operation, that's what we do - move mature trees. Once the tree has been extracted from the ground, the root and boughs wrapped, it's ready for the journey. Within hours, it has reached it's new home and carefully lowered into place - giving pleasure to many, whether it's a tree lined avenue, shopping arcade or sea front promenade - think of STG for the unthinkable.

Brightlingsea

The small Essex village of Brightlingsea had seen nothing like it before. Here at the start of their journey to Tuzla in Turkey, these carbon fibre yacht spars are just a small part of the world|s largest, high technology, privately owned yacht. Each one of the eighteen spars - six to each of the three masts - has optical fibre, stress measuring instrumentation, helping to ensure that the yacht achieves its optimum performance, whatever the weather conditions. Built from Formula 1 materials, for one of the top names in Formula 1.

The Mamba & The Argonaut

Because everything for the London Eye had to be delivered to Westminster along the Thames, STG started by modifying two barges. Special mountings and couplings were fitted so that the glass capsules could be lifted clear of the barge, without danger, despite the rise and fall of the tide. Originally the concept was to use one tug, operating a shuttle service. Then the schedule became tighter and a second tug was chartered. Then it became tighter still and second crews were employed, so that the tugs could operate round the clock. The original timetable was condensed from sixteen days to four - thanks to the crews of the Mamba & Argonaut

Do they come any wider?

In the UK, where the cargo exceeds 5.00m, special permission is required from the Ministry of Transport. Over 6.10m wide is effectively prohibited, except over very short distances. Therefore, when these loads at 7.20m wide came along, we knew we had a challenge on our hands. Careful preparation was the key - route surveys, discussions with the Ministry, police and highway authorities - slowly a solution was found. Early on Sunday morning, street furniture was removed along the route and the convoy got underway - preceded by the four police outriders shown in the photograph. Almost a VIP move! We solve transport problems, it's as simple as that!

From the middle of Surrey, to the middle of Nowhere!

Negotiating the leafy glades of Surrey, measuring almost 17 feet wide (5.20m), is not the easiest of tasks. When the final destination is Karaganda, in central Kazakhstan, it adds a further dimension. With one of the longest distances ever, under police escort throughout, careful planning weeks in advance is essential. For STG, an everyday challenge. For the driver, a trip of a lifetime. For the client, the satisfaction of knowing where the cargo was, by the hour. Like many STG projects, one that is unlikely to be ever repeated.

Russia & Beyond

Whatever the cargo, wherever the final destination - STG can offer the method and route to suit your budget. You may need satellite tracked equipment, running overland, where we can plot with pin point accuracy the progress of the cargo. Perhaps part by sea - via Finland, Estonia, Latvia or even Turkey. If timing is not critical, other options include Russian waterways and railways. Here seen being loaded by our associates in Finland, Nurminen Heavy, is an indistrial boiler en route to Moscow. We solve transport problems, it's as simple as that.

Portskewett - Malaysia

Seen leaving Portskewett, near Bristol, this oil rig filter system is beginning its long journey to Malaysia. With a width of 4.80m and a height of 4.50m, the first stage was perhaps the most difficult. Thanks to careful planning and an escort throughout the journey, everything went smoothly. Once loaded on board the vessel at Southampton, it was just a matter of plain sailing.

Gaziantep, Eastern Turkey

"If we ship by sea, it will cost a fortune to pack. Also it will take an age to get there, time is of the essence". STG were asked to come up with an alternative method / route. With this slitting machine, for delivery to Gaziantep in eastern Turkey, the customer was concerned that a sea freight option would take too long. Considering that vessels to eastern Mediterranean destinations only leave every 10 days. Therefore they asked STG to come up with an alternative method. The STG solution was both simple and complex. Given that the machine weighed 48 tons, STG started preparations in good time and had permits in place as the machine was passing final inspection. Literally within hours the machine was loaded and on its way. Passing through Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria past Istanbul and Ankara before arriving at Gaziantep just twelve days after leaving the manufacturer. No one does it better

Harlow - Baghdad

If nothing else, the STG team is known for being resourceful. Seen in the mid 70's, this Caterpillar 235 Excavator is seen at the foot of Mount Lebanon, before starting the long climb through to Damascus, followed by the final destination, Baghdad. This was part of a much larger consignment comprising also dump trucks and motor scrapers, some of which were driven under their own power from Beirut. Sleeping under the stars in the desert and trying to cross Damascus in the morning rush hour were just two of the many highlights.

Gloucester - Accra

When faced with the fact that there wasn't a suitable trailer in Ghana, the solution was obvious, ship out the complete vehicle, with its crew. This extrusion press, together with its ancillaries, made the initial journey to Rotterdam to connect with a vessel departing for Ghana. As the vessel neared Accra, the STG crew flew out and supervised discharge before starting the final stage to the works. Here the main piece is seen negotiating what was the only obstacle on the route. Yet another successful delivery to join those to other African destinations including Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

When is a quay not a quay?

In some cases, the solution is obvious. Many others require research and investigation. In the more extreme cases, it may be necessary to carry out a detailed feasibility study and route survey. In this particular case, the purpose was to consider delivery of a wood burning power station to a disused quarry on the Isle of Arran. The jetty had seen better days, and so a suitable barge was selected capable of accommodating the largest vehicle (130 tons). Whilst a short stage of the route was on public roads, the remaining seven miles was along a forest track. Despite the gradients, cambers, corners, edges and culverts, STG were able to find a practical and economic solution.

Barcelona - Reading

Multiple oversize movements, over extended distances, are an everyday event at STG. Shown on the outskirts of Barcelona, this filtration tank is closely followed by a sister vehicle on route to Thames Water at Reading. The largest "convoy" ever assembled by STG involved 54 vehicles where, as a term of the contract, they were required to travel together from the Finnish border to the final destination in middle Russia. Given that there were three collection points in the UK, scheduling 54 to join up on the same day was no mean feat in itself.

Cadiz - Gijon

The objective - to move a ship's rudder from Cadiz to Gijon in northern Spain as quickly as possible. The problem - it can take anything up to six weeks to arrange permits and escorts in Spain. The solution - fortunately, STG already knew of an operator with a 4.80m wide permit, which was valid. All that was then required was to build a frame and tilt the rudder to adjust the overall width to 4.80m. Within a matter of days, the cargo was on it's way and despite being held up for 24 hours in heavy snow, the cargo was delivered safely and on time. Whatever the distance, whether an internal movement in Europe or, in this instance, a domestic move in one country, STG's task is to come up with an economic solution, meeting all of the customer's requirements.

CH - UK - CZ - SK - H - YU - RO

STG arranged the movement of this 98 ton casting from Plzen in the Czech Republic to Resita in Romania. The first stage involved a road movement from Plzen to Bratislava, in Slovakia, where a 400 ton crane was standing by to transfer into a barge heading down the Danube, through Hungary and Yugoslavia to Portile de Fier. Transfer then took place by heavy lift crane onto a hydraulic modular trailer, for the final stage to Resita. With a total of seven nationalities involved, without a common language, this is what we call real international collaboration!

South Wales - Szczecin

Although STG we are best known of our road skills, on a regular basis, we are offered cargo which physically cannot be moved by road. The charter market represents an important part of STG's total activity. The cement kiln shown in the photograph started its journey in Aberthaw, South Wales before being transferred to a charter vessel, for shipment through to Szczecin, Poland. STG were responsible for all aspects, including full supervision throughout. Whenever you have a transport problem - STG have the solution.

Tournai - Lezajsk

Even railway cables can get in the way! In theory, there wasn't a route. Despite using the lowest possible trailers, the overall height exceeded most of the bridges on route. Therefore, the first task was to find a "bridgeless" route, avoiding all fixed obstructions. This took several weeks and, once it had been done, it was then a question of arranging to remove hundreds of cables - electricity, telephone, tram and rail. Not an easy task in itself - at one stage, for just eight vehicles in convoy, there were over thirty engineers preparing the route!

Guadalajara - Mexico

When faced with the task of delivering to the Kodak factory in Guadalajara, speed and economy were paramount. We started by sending part of the consignment by trailer to Schipol, to connect with this Martinair MD11F aircraft flying direct to Guadalajara. On arrival the cargo was transferred to local trucks, for the final journey to the factory. The larger pieces meanwhile were taken to Luxembourg aiport to board two separate Boeing 747F cargo planes on route to Mexico City where, once again, local trucks were waiting for the final leg to Guadalajara. The project was supervised throughout by STG staff, with the cargo being delivered a record six days after leaving the UK.

Leipzig - Retford

These boiler modules each with a total length of 36 metres and a gross train weight in excess of 180 tons started their journey from near Leipzig, routing through Cuxhaven before embarking on the direct ferry to Immingham. Needless to say they were under escort throughout the entire route to their final destination in Retford. STG was responsible for the management and arrival of each module "under hook", on time, prior to lifting in the vertical position within the boiler house. The total project involved some 40 movements, totalling almost 5000 tons.

Bristol - Nettingsdorf

When STG were asked to look into moving this silo to Nettingsdorf, Austria, it soon became apparent that a barge option would not be possible due to the risk of damage during transhipment. Therefore working closely with our German partners a solution was found. By using this unique girder trailer, the height could be kept to a minimum allowing us to find a suitable route, avoiding as many tight corners as possible. It took several weeks of planning but, with the close cooperation of the police, everything went smoothly and the silo was delivered safely in Nettingsdorf five days after loading.

Twisting the nights away

Twisting took on a whole new meaning when STG were asked to move a factory from Southampton to Naples. The number of trailers involved, at 55, was not a problem. The more difficult issue was manoeverability within the factory. However, thanks to careful trailer selection, planning and driver instruction, despite the tortuous route, each and every trailer twisted its way through the factory. Whenever you have a problem - STG have the solution.

Coffee mornings, afternoons and evenings.

When you spend over £100,000 on customising a van it's only natural that you want to keep it in pristine condition. Which is why the Van Nelle coffee company required our assistance. Van Nelle didn't want the van to do any of the hard miles itself, that was our task. So we carefully transported it all over Europe visiting everywhere from Amsterdam to Dublin, ensuring it remained in its pristine condition throughout. It was a case of, for once, coffee being made without the grind.

Erfurt - Luton

This was the largest piece - weighing 134 tons and resulting in a gross vehicle weight of 177 tons - of a complete press moved from Erfurt, Germany to Luton in the UK. Working closely with their partners in Germany, STG were responsible for the timed delivery of every component - using in total 11 specialist vehicles. Multiple, oversize, timed movements are always a challenge. The added complication was that we had just five days to complete the project, prior to the Christmas shut down. Thanks to careful planning, the last piece delivered the afternoon before Christmas Eve, even Santa Claus would have been envious!

When you are let down, give STG a call

When you're moving 180 tonnes of oilrig, the last thing you want is to be let down. Unfortunately, that's what happened to the company moving this rig. So at the last minute STG were asked to step in. Organising a 106-wheel trailer to get three pieces of oilrig off the ground isn't easy, especially on a Friday night when most people have gone home. But after many phone calls we had every thing up and running. The parts arrived at the Hartlepool yard, on the Monday morning, on time. Not a hard day's night, more a hard weekend's work.

To boldly go where no man has gone before.

Wild frontiers are few and far between nowadays. Thirty years ago when our driver Steve Knight started out, major roads to places like Tehran were no more than dirt tracks. Things have improved since but it's this first hand experience and knowledge that sets everyone apart at STG. Even though the roads have changed, the destinations have remained just as challenging; with places like Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on the map. It's good to know that the person in charge of your cargo has seen it all before.

A story of three halves

Moving 5.6m wide fuselage sections isn't easy. These airbus fuselages were going from Bournemouth Airport to Velbert in Germany. Finding the vehicles needed to load such wide pieces wasn't straightforward. Nor was getting them to move on the roads of Europe. Not to mention the various Police escorts required. But as usual with STG all three halves made it in one piece.

Plymouth - Riyadh

"The cargo is heavy, delicate and we would like it to remain on the same trailer, all the way through from Plymouth to Riyadh". Whatever the circumstances, it's STG's task to meet the customer's requirement, to the letter. It goes without saying that the cargo arrived unblemished and, within hours, was hard at work. It then just remained to repatriate the empty trailer back to the UK, another story in itself.

The Russian / Kazakhstan Border

Thankfully, border crossings in Europe are nowadays virtually non existant. The same cannot be said in central Russia. Even if your visas, entry permits, import licences and other documentation are all in order inevitably something will frustrate the process. Hours can slowly turn into days with occassionally days turning into weeks. Persistance and quiet determination are the order of the day, despite the frustrations.

A Siberian Motorway

Not every major road is a motorway, autoroute, autobahn or autostrada. So the skill of the driver and his knowledge of the road can often be the difference between the cargo arriving on time or not at all. This local knowledge, which STG has built up over many years, has ensured our clients are always on the road to success.

When 5 miles can seem like 500

You'd think that entering Canary Wharf wouldn't cause many problems, certainly not as many as encountered delivering to some of the world's more remote spots. But often it's these short trips that cause the biggest headaches. The odd overhanging branch is unlikely to be a major problem. However, taking down a street sign can involve a lot of red tape. Knowledge of the procedures and a lot of patience can go a long way or, as in this case, a short way.

Back seat drivers can be helpful.

When you've got a 37 metre long load to move to the south coast of England, having someone steering at the other end helps. Especially when the length of the load isn't normally allowed on British roads. At STG we've built up a relationship with the Ministry of Transport that enables us to get even the longest loads moving over the shortest time frame. Why not give us a call? We might be one back seat driver who has some advice worth listening to.

It's part of a jigsaw

When the machinery being moved is merely oversize, its not too much of a problem. When it's just one piece in over fifty, moving over six months, to arrive in a set sequence, at the alloted time, it becomes part of a very large jigsaw. This was the case when STG were asked to move machinery from Arbroath to the Luccini steel works in Piombino, Italy. Needless to say it all happened on time. So the next time you've got a puzzle, why not see if we can put the pieces together.

One lump or two?

The British Sugar plant in East Anglia is a regular destination for STG. Therefore, with this piece originating in France, STG were the logical choice. Arranging trailer equipment that satisfies both French and English regulations, together with the necessary permits and escorts, was "all in a days work" for the STG team. Whenever you have a problem - call in the experts.

We cross war zones as well as time zones

Taking this minesweeper into war torn Kosovo could have been a risky business. But when you go about it the right way, you know it won't be a problem. At STG we've spent years doing it the right way. So although our way may not be the cheapest, it will always represent value for money, you can rest assured it will always be the safest. We don't mind where we go - third world countries, war zones or wherever - distance no object!

Clockwork computer modules

The computer modules in question had to be delivered to the Intel factory, just outside Dublin. More importantly, every week for eight weeks, STG contracted to deliver 14 units at exactly 16.00 hours, every Friday evening. Within minutes, to clockwork precision, cranes set about the task of unloading and positioning each module. Disruption was kept to the minimum, enabling production to recommence early on Monday morning. So, when you need things to run like clockwork, give STG a call.

Detroit - Telford

Impossible isn't a word we like to use. Thankfully, we weren't involved in the original shipment but, on arrival in the USA, it was discovered that the cargo had been damaged on route. Given that local repairs were impossible, the task was to return the damaged, oversize units back to the UK as quickly as possible. From the date of getting the call, to the day they landed on UK shores was 12 days, without resorting to air freight. A record in anyone's books.

The leaves start dropping in a few days time

The prototype machine for removing leaves on the line, was running late. If it didn't arrive from Italy within a matter of days, it was impossible to carry out the performance trials for twelve months. As ever, STG rose to the occassion and, despite the need for special permits, accomplished the move in record time. The trials were successful, leading to an order for a fleet of machines, increasing timetable reliability on UK trains significantly.

Portuguese trams to the USA

Some years ago, STG arranged the movement of redundant trams from Lisbon to Douglas, on the Isle of Man. When an American Restauranteur wanted to incorporate the same trams for a chain of theme restaurants, there was only one logical choice - STG - The Specialist Transport Group. Despite the fact that there were no direct services from Lisbon to Los Angeles, it didn't take STG very long to find an economic solution with the trams being under way within a matter of days.

At all cost, avoid wheel spin!

Or should we say, avoid steep hills. Especially ones with poor road surfaces, like the A57 just outside Markham Moor. Unfortunately we couldn't. We had to get ten, 108 ton trailers up it. We knew the wheels would spin and spin. But at STG we believe in forward thinking. So an extra tractor was on hand for this part of the journey. They literally raced up that hill. So if you want your load to race to its destination, give us a call, we promise not to get in a spin.

Why struggle?

Why struggle, when it is possible to make things so much easier! AT STG we are impartial, to the point where it is almost an obsession. We like special trailers, but no more than rail wagons, aircraft, barges and ships. Each has its place, particularly ships. Once the cargo is on the high seas, we only need to worry about the problems at either end. In this instance, the cargo was an overhead gantry system, used for handling nuclear flasks, destined for the wet hall at Sellafield. Originating from Zaragoza, Spain, a road movement through France was perfectly feasible. However, we felt it was worthwhile to look at other options. As luck would have it, a vessel was calling at Bilbao, with cargo already on route to the UK. After some swift negotiations, agreement was reached to discharge at Workington, just 19m/30km from the final destination. Here the vessel is seen entering Workington harbour, within hours everything had been discharged and delivered. As we say - why struggle?

Making a square peg fit into a round hole.

Fitting a bottling plant into the cargo hold of an aeroplane isn't easy, even if it's an Antonov 124, one of the world's largest cargo planes. But at STG we put as much thought into loading a difficult load as moving one. So we organised the packing. Enabling each piece to interlock like a giant Chinese puzzle. Which, considering we were flying to Shanghai, was rather appropriate so, if you've got any pegs, square or otherwise, in need of a hole, why not give us a call.

One man's waterway is another man's motorway.

Sometimes the route originally planned becomes impossible due to unforseen circumstances. Here, furnace parts manufactured in Oxted were already late in production. This meant that, in order to meet the delivery deadline, movement through Holland had to take place over the weekend. Given that the Dutch authorities were not prepared to allow this to happen, STG chartered a roll on / roll off barge. As a result, even leaving Oxted late on Friday evening, the furnace was safely delivered early on the Monday morning. Yet another problem solved!

Sand and more sand, it's a red hot day

STG have been delivering difficult loads to difficult places for many years. Whether is Eastern Russia, the Middle East or North Africa - STG has been there. We believe that we hold the European record for the longest journey, with an abnormal load, under police escort - from just outside London to Karaganda, Kazakhstan. This photograph shows an STG truck, with urgent cargo, on route to the Oman. Recently, on behalf of a major UK, civil engineering contractor, we arranged oversize cargo by road from Oman to Romania - all in a days work for the STG team.

Just another one of our tall stories

We all know bridges differ from one to another. Some are short and fat. A few are wider going in than coming out. Some, like this one, are tall and thin. What we hadn't been told was just how thin. Fortunately, STG try and view the route before setting out, so we know the obstacles we are facing. This way we ensure the safe passage of your cargo and it gives us another tall story to tell our customers!