- 4 hours ago
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Get ready to restart your engines.
00:06Are you ready?
00:07Yeah, ready when you are, Paul.
00:09Our trucking heroes are back.
00:12Ranger, off you go.
00:13Hey.
00:14These are the super heavyweight champions of the road.
00:18Just another day, moving machines.
00:22It is very nerve-wracking, very, very nerve-wracking.
00:25Wielding some of the heftiest hardware in the world.
00:28Lift it up!
00:30When every mile's a battle.
00:34Where does he come from?
00:36He's obviously totally ignored us.
00:38And every second counts.
00:40Because it's such a big machine, we're going to block the yard, so we need to be quick.
00:44These are the experts making light work.
00:47About half an inch off the yard, sir.
00:50All good.
00:51Doing really well, actually.
00:52Of the largest loads imaginable.
00:55It is quite easy to make a catastrophic mistake.
00:59Well, it's a hell of a fun way.
01:00So put your pedal to the metal.
01:03We're committed now.
01:04This is it.
01:05Things are about to get trucking heavy.
01:09Start of the week off with a happy customer.
01:13It can only get worse from here, can't it, Mick?
01:21Today.
01:21It's obviously the first part of the route out.
01:24There's a few pens on it.
01:25A 69-year-old loco needs lugging to new lodgings.
01:30Come on.
01:32Come on.
01:33I'm going that way.
01:35But tricky turns are testing.
01:38Go on, go on, go on.
01:39Darren's in hot water when a hot tub's out of reach.
01:45That's me, Max, don't know.
01:48It's just like an oversized cotton reel.
01:50And a colossal cable reel collection calls for a Titanic trailer.
01:56Keep your eye on that transit.
01:58So Zach is in for a tight squeeze.
02:01He got a bit close to the trailer.
02:03In Sutton Coldfield sits a heavyweight of the haulage world.
02:10For over 40 years, they've been on the move, relocating locomotives,
02:15hauling giants of steel across Britain and beyond.
02:21This is Railway Support Services.
02:27We specialise in moving the odd, the awkward and the difficult.
02:30There's nothing in the UK that we haven't got the capability of moving.
02:384pm on the outskirts of Bristol.
02:41And one of their teams is moving a massive shunter
02:44from the Avon Valley Railway
02:46to a new home in Wales.
02:51Keep them coming.
02:53Keep them coming.
02:55Mainman Ant is leading the load of this locomotive.
02:59Right, so hold it there for us then.
03:02We're loading an 08,
03:05which is bound for Llangollen Railway.
03:13Obviously we'll get this loaded on the trailer first,
03:16get everything packed away,
03:17and then have a look at what we're going to do.
03:19No time to waste before nightfall.
03:22Just take the tension up, yeah?
03:24The crew crack on.
03:27Rev's right up.
03:28Yep.
03:29They ride up as it goes up.
03:32Ant and Leighton have rigged the ramp.
03:35Ah, no, you've got plenty there.
03:38And are ready to wrestle the enormous engine up the rails
03:41and on to the trailer's bed.
03:46Nice and steady.
03:47Go on, keep them coming.
03:50Go on, keep them coming.
03:51As the winch does its work
03:55and monitors every inch of progress.
04:00I'll say when.
04:03At last, the hulking heavyweight is in place.
04:07The cargo today is a bit of British history.
04:12A BR Class 08 Shunter, number 08202.
04:19Built in 1956, this diesel electric locomotive is a large load.
04:2529 feet in length, 12 feet high and weighing a mammoth 50 tonnes.
04:33Heavier than a humpback whale.
04:36There are tight turns on the timetable for the train.
04:43Righto, handbrake, mate, yeah.
04:45So locking it down for transport is essential.
04:48The lads get to work, criss-crossing it with chunky chains.
04:58Tension tight enough to tussle with a tornado.
05:02This loco's not going anywhere without a fight.
05:09As night falls.
05:15They're ready to attach the tractor unit to the trailer.
05:24OK.
05:25And in a flash, he's locked and loaded.
05:30Good.
05:33But before they can get out on the road,
05:35the lengthy lorry must be turned around.
05:39I'm going to go over there.
05:40You get your wheels over there.
05:42As I come back, swap lock.
05:44In the cramped yard.
05:46That will be no mean feat.
05:48Come on, come on.
05:51Right, I'm running out of room, mate.
05:52Start swapping your lock and I will push it back.
05:57Leighton engages the rear stair.
06:00Come on, turn, sir.
06:01Come on.
06:03Controlling the trailer's wheels independently.
06:07Tightening the turn with precision and control.
06:11Come on.
06:11Just try not to get too close to the cars because you're going to need the swing, yeah?
06:16Even with the extra turning ability, it'll be tight.
06:21Right, swap your wheels now, mate.
06:31Swap your wheels, that's it.
06:34They go to the left, yeah?
06:38I'm coming.
06:39I'm on his stride for the minute.
06:41Coming round now.
06:42There are just inches to spare.
06:45OK, keep swapping them and just watch me back, mate.
06:48Come on.
06:50Come on.
06:50But the boys manage the manoeuvre.
06:55Come on, come on.
06:56Come on.
06:57Despite the successful turnaround, it's too late to make tracks with the train tonight.
07:04We've parked here for tonight.
07:06There's no point in trying to push the barrier, so I'm going to wait here until about 10 in the morning.
07:09Unfortunately, nothing is simple.
07:14A train is being delivered in the morning.
07:16An ant doesn't want to hit it head on.
07:20There's another load of dew in with a steam engine on, so obviously I don't want to meet him going out.
07:26So I'll just sit here and as soon as I see him come up to that drive, you know, then I'll prep myself.
07:31And we'll go from there, really, and then see how tomorrow goes.
07:35So hopefully no accidents and traffic.
07:38Coming up.
07:40Tight roads turn up the pressure.
07:43So obviously the first part of the route out, there's a few bends on it.
07:46Obviously we don't like people on bends.
07:48Darren cracks out the big guns.
07:52So what I do now is it's all attached.
07:54I'm just going to take it out to 30 metres.
07:57To do some heavy-duty plumbing.
07:59So I'm thinking of going straight over the house.
08:04And dragging a 27 metre trailer is a tricky task for Zach.
08:09You are going to get a car, pull in front of you and brake.
08:24It's morning in the West Country.
08:27The Loco's on board.
08:29But Ant can't budge until another load arrives and clears the exit road.
08:35There's another low loader due in this morning.
08:38So I don't want to meet him going out.
08:40So I'm just waiting for him to come in, basically.
08:43And then I can get the hell out of it, really.
08:45Today's journey is over 100 miles.
08:52Beginning with a brisk loop around Bristol.
08:54Then powering north along the M5 and M42.
09:00Before finally finishing at the RSS yard, where the train will wait for its onward connection to Wales.
09:09Going out of here, it's fairly straightforward.
09:14Obviously, when I get close to the dual carriage, there's a left turn we've got to do.
09:18It's a little bit of a tight turn, but it's not too bad.
09:21And then once we're round the corner there, obviously, I'll set it back down, just double-check the height.
09:26And then from there, it's plain sailing then.
09:29All the way back to our base, really.
09:34Keen to get on.
09:36Ant has contacted the other company and has some good news.
09:40So we're going to make a move, because the other low loader is nowhere near.
09:43We're going to basically get out of here before he does get any close.
09:46Time for this yoncer to leave its station.
09:51But reaching the motorway means manoeuvring the lengthy low loader through narrow roads,
09:57tighter than a trucker's timetable.
10:00So obviously, the first part of the route out, there's a few bends on it.
10:03Obviously, we don't like people on bends.
10:05Bringing up the rear on today's journey, here's support driver, Leighton.
10:11About two from the left side.
10:13It's his job to keep an eye on the load and watch out for wildcards on the road.
10:20Come on. Come on.
10:22But within minutes, they encounter a problem that stalls their progress.
10:27Come on. Come on. I'm going that way.
10:31When navigating suburban roads in a very large lorry,
10:37one of the trickiest obstacles is a pint-sized roundabout.
10:43To take it safely,
10:46Ant's only choice is to go straight across it.
10:52Now.
10:58Okay, that's silly.
11:01Al Cairo, I'm sorry.
11:06Through one obstacle.
11:10And on to the next.
11:13Hold on.
11:16Ant must take a tight left turn to reach the motorway.
11:19But street signs are blocking the swing.
11:23Here he's that.
11:24It's one of them springy ones.
11:25Now, go on.
11:26One, very way of that.
11:28One.
11:28To make it, he'll have to engage the rear steer again.
11:33And it's touch and go if he'll clear the corner.
11:39Go on, go on, go on.
11:41Well, we get down here, just on the left here, mate.
11:50Once we clear that junction a bit, and we'll just quickly do the height now, mate.
11:53All right.
11:54Before Ant can drive on the motorway, he needs to be sure he's safe.
11:59The total height of his trailer and load should be no more than 16 feet 3 inches.
12:05Any higher, and he risks hitting a bridge.
12:10Let's quickly go and do the height.
12:17What have you got on the stick?
12:1816 feet 3.
12:19The height is spot on, and the lamps are good to go.
12:25But to get on to the fast-moving road, we'll need careful coordination between Ant and his support driver.
12:33If you keep that lane lane, go on to the motorway there, because when I get down onto the slip here, we've got the two lanes to go left, mate.
12:41He heaves the 50-ton train up the slip road, and manages to merge onto the M4.
12:50One lane now, mate. One lane.
12:53The team can cruise in convoy.
12:56We're on the home stretch.
12:59For the next couple of hours.
13:04After a three-and-a-half-hour drive.
13:09Go on, hold it through the gates.
13:11Deccan's going through now.
13:13Ant makes it safely to base.
13:17That's all right, isn't it?
13:19Time to rebuild the ramp.
13:22Ready to offload.
13:33Yes, we've just took all the chains off.
13:34Ramp's nearly built.
13:36So we're just going to offload this.
13:38So it's just come part of the way of the journey,
13:39because the trailer's going to be used for another job at some point.
13:42And then we'll just reload it when it's ready to go off to its customer.
13:45The team used the winch to gently roll the engine off the trailer.
13:52The train is ready for the onward journey to its new home on a heritage railway.
14:07And Ant is up for his next mega move.
14:10Obviously, the job's gone well.
14:12We've got back to base.
14:13Obviously, we've offloaded it.
14:14The team were here ready for me when I got back.
14:16So, obviously, we all get mucked in, get it done.
14:17You know, we can all go on tea break and see what's happening next.
14:23In the north-east, the heavy haulage heroes at Phelan's don't flinch at freight.
14:29I feel relieved now a ton.
14:31I feel relieved, yeah.
14:33They've logged everything from hulking holiday homes
14:36to humongous aviation antiques.
14:40All right, mate?
14:41That's a plane.
14:42I know, yeah.
14:42Today, they're rolling out a tractor unit equipped with a crane
14:53to heave a hot tub.
14:58It's used for smaller loads, trying to get into smaller places.
15:02This is ideal for the hot tub jobs.
15:04So, I don't have to take a trailer out of housing to stay, streets,
15:08or it's quite tight.
15:09It might be a spa day for some,
15:13but Darren's here to get his hands dirty.
15:18That's going lovely.
15:23He's prepping Kit for the lift
15:25and bringing every tool in his box.
15:29Put the chains away and then get the fly gym on.
15:31Moving mountains may be hard,
15:34but picking up a hulking hot tub from a back garden
15:37can be even harder.
15:39That's where the fly gym comes in.
15:42So, this is a fly gym.
15:44At the moment, I get up at 20 metres.
15:47Well, this gives us another 10 metres.
15:49Take another arm, basically,
15:50and when you're going up and over the houses,
15:53this is a crack number of kit.
15:57He slots the truck-mounted crane
15:59into the jib extension arm.
16:02Now, she's going in now.
16:07Trying to get it in.
16:08That's not bad at all.
16:11Darren might need every last inch of that mighty metal limb.
16:17This is a cracking bit of kit
16:18compared to the old days, right?
16:20You used to have to do it cable for cable.
16:22Before he goes to grab the giant jacuzzi,
16:25he gives the gear a good going over.
16:32So, what I do now, it's all attached.
16:34I'm just going to take it out to 30 metres.
16:37Just make sure it works as I want it to.
16:39The PM65SP crane
16:44is a marvel of modern engineering,
16:47able to articulate like a mechanical elbow.
16:51Eight extensions on the boom
16:53and six on the jib
16:54allow a 30 metre reach
16:56and fully extended,
16:58it still has the muscle
16:59to haul a half-ton load.
17:03It's a cracking bit of kit.
17:05I'll tap you with that.
17:06I'm going to pack it away now.
17:07Ready to rock and roll.
17:08We'll put it in the sat-nav
17:10and crack one.
17:17Darren's got a 15-mile trek
17:19to the pick-up location in Cramlington.
17:22And once he's loaded the hot tub,
17:24it's a 10-mile drive
17:26to its new home in Ashington.
17:31There's a gentleman moving.
17:33It doesn't seem to be too far.
17:36So, and
17:37take it over to the new place
17:39and then set it in place there.
17:42So,
17:43must be a decent-sized hot tub.
17:46In years gone by,
17:49if you wanted bubbles in your bath,
17:51you had to fart in the tub.
17:53But now that luxury is available
17:55without additional wind.
17:58This big bubble bucket
17:59sits two and a half metres square
18:02and tips the scales
18:04at a hefty half a ton.
18:06The same weight
18:07as 10,000 rubber duckies.
18:09Moving this mammoth load
18:15is weighing on Darren's mind.
18:17Depending on the street,
18:19the telegraph posts,
18:20lamp posts,
18:22and you put all the cables
18:23overhead hazards
18:23for the telephones.
18:28They can be quite stressful,
18:30quite nervous.
18:31You know,
18:32as you do more,
18:33you get more confident.
18:35And it's a challenge.
18:37This is the job
18:38through and through.
18:40As he nears the location,
18:42he receives an update.
18:45I've just been on the phone.
18:46The electricians is there now,
18:48unwiring it
18:48for us to take it out.
18:49The electricians is moving it.
18:54He says,
18:54possibly you could take it
18:55out over the back fence
18:56rather than over the house.
18:59So we'll go around the front,
19:00we'll have a look,
19:01and we'll just assess an address.
19:04Just about to pull in here now.
19:10We'll just find somewhere
19:11to park up.
19:13And we'll go and have a look.
19:16The electricians are already there,
19:18waiting for his arrival.
19:24Darren barrels round
19:25to the back garden,
19:27and it's immediately apparent.
19:29Well, really,
19:30I've got to crowbar in chocks
19:32that would normally lift it up.
19:34The hot tub's placement
19:35is a problem,
19:36and his job
19:37just got a whole lot harder.
19:41They've moved it
19:41over towards the back,
19:43but like you say,
19:43the back road's
19:44quite a fast-moving road.
19:46I don't want to put it
19:48out of one lane
19:48for 20 minutes
19:50to a half hour,
19:50so I'm thinking
19:51of going straight
19:52over the house,
19:53and we'll get it that way.
19:56Coming up...
19:58Just as always,
19:59just a little bit conscientious,
20:00a little bit nervous.
20:01Darren is going up and over.
20:04I'm looking at the house,
20:06watching where my boom's
20:07coming over the house.
20:09And a giant steel reel
20:11needs reloading.
20:13Three centimetres out,
20:14aren't they?
20:1530 mil.
20:16It's got to come back up,
20:17isn't it?
20:28Studley, Warwickshire.
20:29A village whose
20:3017th-century prosperity
20:32was built on the
20:34manufacture of needles.
20:35But now,
20:38it's home to a mover
20:39of massive metal.
20:43Anything large, really,
20:45that shouldn't be moved
20:45on the road,
20:46we'll find a way to do it.
20:48Allerly's has been
20:49moving oversized objects
20:50around Britain and beyond
20:52for decades.
20:53If that hasn't been created yet,
20:55we'll probably use
20:56the same one.
20:56Back in 2022,
20:58we joined Jamie Woodland.
21:00I just want a copy
21:01of the old drawing, please.
21:02As he put the finishing touches
21:04on another mega move.
21:07Our plan is to move
21:08this 190-ton reel
21:09from WorkSop
21:10up to Immingham Docks.
21:13Around this giant steel reel
21:15is coiled a giant wire rope.
21:19Together, they weigh
21:20a whopping 190 tonnes,
21:23the equivalent of
21:2455 Spitfire fighter planes.
21:28But flight isn't an option
21:30for this cargo.
21:32The hulking hull
21:35needs fetching
21:36from a depot in WorkSop
21:37and taking to Immingham Docks
21:40to be lifted
21:40onto a cargo ship.
21:45The permit has come back.
21:47We are approved.
21:47We have a route to go.
21:49So now we need to go
21:49get the job done.
21:51In the yard,
21:52driver Zach Bancroft
21:53and his support crew
21:54make final checks
21:56before their mammoth
21:57two-day mission.
21:58Do you want to take the shims off?
22:01If they drop and smash a light,
22:02you'll be in the doghouse.
22:06Moving such a bulky cargo
22:08requires a tractor unit
22:09with next-level pulling power.
22:12Up for the task
22:15is the man TGX
22:18whose 640 horsepower engine
22:21can pull
22:22over 250 tonnes.
22:25And for this job,
22:27it also needs a weighted box
22:29to keep its 12 wheels
22:31firmly fixed
22:32on terra firma.
22:34Stage 1 of Zach's mission.
22:41Drive his mega-lorrie
22:4280 miles
22:43to a depot in WorkSop
22:44and load the almost
22:46200-tonne reel.
22:48It's just like
22:49an oversized cotton reel.
22:50That's how I try
22:51and explain it to people.
22:52It just looks like
22:52a cotton reel.
22:53Just, obviously,
22:54it's massive.
22:55Support driver Luke
22:57watches from the rear
22:58as Zach manoeuvres
23:00the trailer
23:00that's almost
23:02three London buses long.
23:04All clear, man.
23:08Oh, he's good, isn't he?
23:10Honestly, he's brilliant.
23:15The boys make
23:16quick work of the M1
23:18and they're soon
23:19on the home straight.
23:23There's two roundabouts
23:24up here that look
23:25exactly the same
23:25and I always confuse them.
23:28Zach gets around
23:28the first of the
23:29dual merry-go-rounds
23:30with relative ease.
23:32All clear.
23:34Overcoming the next
23:37is even more crucial
23:38because his destination
23:40sits just off it.
23:43Keep your eye on that
23:44transit.
23:45But at its entrance,
23:46he meets every
23:47heavy haulier's nemesis.
23:49An impatient white van man
23:51coming the other way.
23:53He might be in a bit of a bad
23:55place for where
23:56the back of the trailer goes.
23:57Yeah, I know.
23:58He might have to
23:58prop himself up
23:59onto the curb.
24:01Yeah, he is.
24:01He's prop himself up.
24:02Go on, keep going.
24:05The van kept creeping forward
24:07but now I'm going
24:08round to the left.
24:08The back of the trailer's
24:09obviously gone the other way.
24:11All clear, the back.
24:13Because he's carried
24:14on going forward,
24:15he's kind of
24:16got a bit close
24:18for the trailer.
24:19Go on, Zach.
24:20Keep going.
24:23Zach squeezes his trailer
24:24through the tight gap.
24:27All clear, Zach.
24:29To get his truck
24:30into position
24:30for loading,
24:31he can't enter
24:32the depot
24:33by any other means
24:35than backwards.
24:36All right,
24:37this is going
24:38nice and steady
24:38for me, Nick.
24:39Keep going, mate.
24:40All clear, mate.
24:42With a bit of guidance
24:43from Luke,
24:44Zach slowly snakes
24:45into position.
24:47How are you going
24:47on to it now?
24:50Perfect.
24:52That was brilliant.
24:53Oh, look at the
24:55traffic was quite
24:57understanding,
24:58so we got no abuse
25:00today.
25:01It's an impressive
25:02piece of driving
25:03but there's no time
25:05to celebrate.
25:06Where's Luke gone?
25:07Oh, he's here.
25:10To have the reel
25:11ready for loading,
25:13Jamie has planned
25:14ahead.
25:15It's currently
25:16in a big warehouse.
25:18The overhead crane
25:19in there is not
25:20strong enough
25:20to be able to lift
25:20it by itself,
25:21so we're going to
25:22put our jacking system
25:22in.
25:23The jacking system
25:24arrived from Warwickshire
25:25a few days ago
25:26and the team
25:27already has
25:28the 190-ton reel
25:30suspended
25:31in mid-air.
25:33Make way,
25:34make way.
25:36OK, coming
25:37backwards then.
25:39Satisfied his
25:40trailer's ready
25:41to get up close
25:42and personal
25:42with its load,
25:44Zach hits reverse
25:45once more.
25:47It's looking good,
25:48looking good.
25:48Keep coming.
25:49His lorry must line
25:50up with the cable
25:51reel dead centre
25:53above the bed.
25:54If it's not
25:56precisely middled,
25:57it could shift
25:58in transit.
26:00Coming back again,
26:01Luke.
26:03Keep coming, mate.
26:04Keep coming.
26:05You all right?
26:05Keep coming.
26:06Keep coming.
26:07Keep coming.
26:09Keep coming.
26:10Stop.
26:11Yeah!
26:13Happy with that.
26:14After two hours
26:15of painstaking
26:16preparation,
26:18the load
26:18can finally
26:19be lowered.
26:21But Zach
26:21soon spots
26:22a problem.
26:24It's three centimetres
26:25out,
26:25aren't we?
26:2630 mil.
26:27It's got to come
26:27back up,
26:28hasn't it?
26:28Yeah,
26:29I have to lift it up
26:29and position it over.
26:31We've got to pick it up
26:32and he's going to drive
26:33forward
26:33and bring the trailer
26:34over towards me.
26:3630 mil.
26:38So it does make
26:38quite a bit of a difference.
26:40We're going to go forward
26:41to correct it
26:42and then come back.
26:42Yeah.
26:43This potentially lethal
26:46190 ton load
26:48will only leave
26:50when it's sitting
26:51dead centre.
26:57So after repositioning
26:59his lorry
27:00just 30 millimetres
27:02to the right,
27:03it's lowered again.
27:08It's bang on, yeah?
27:10Yeah?
27:11That's where it's staying.
27:13Lee?
27:15All done.
27:17Now in the sweet spot,
27:19the reels chained down
27:20and stage two
27:21of the plan
27:22is complete.
27:24Happy.
27:25It's all, you know,
27:26it's in the middle
27:26of the trailer.
27:27The trailer's nice
27:28and levelled.
27:29We'll do the rest
27:30in the morning
27:30before we head out
27:31on the road.
27:32That's it, done.
27:35Next stop,
27:36Immingham Docks,
27:37Lincolnshire.
27:41In the north-east,
27:46Darren is on site
27:47to transport
27:48a hot tub.
27:50Well, really,
27:51I've got a crowbar
27:52and chocks
27:53that would normally
27:53lift it up.
27:54But the placement
27:55is a problem.
27:57They've moved it
27:58over towards the back.
28:00So now,
28:01he must make
28:02a mega move.
28:03So I'm thinking
28:04of going straight
28:05over the house
28:05and we'll get it
28:07that way.
28:09Plan in place.
28:11Time to get
28:11his crane prepped.
28:13But the sheer scale
28:15of the lift
28:15has got Darren sweating.
28:18Just as always,
28:19just a little bit
28:19conscientious,
28:20a little bit nervous.
28:25Let's see how it goes.
28:29He deploys the truck's
28:31weight-bearing outriggers
28:32to keep it stable
28:33when lifting.
28:34You've got to watch
28:36out for overhead
28:36obstructions.
28:38Also watching out
28:38for drains and
28:39traffic as much
28:40as anything else.
28:43Support legs down.
28:44Truck level.
28:46So that's been
28:46happy now.
28:47I'm just about
28:47to break out
28:48the crane.
28:52We'll get it
28:52over the house.
28:53Make sure
28:53it gets there first
28:54and then take
28:55the straps over.
28:56Lift the hot tub
28:57up, get the straps
28:58under, get it lifted.
28:59And then on the
29:00back of our wagon
29:01or on the back
29:02of the largest
29:03pickup.
29:04First, Darren
29:07sends the crane
29:08skyward.
29:12He must slowly
29:13snake it over
29:14the roof.
29:20One wrong swing
29:21and it would be
29:22more than the tiles
29:23in trouble.
29:24There we're going
29:28up and over the
29:28house for one.
29:30He then sends
29:31the extension arm
29:32back down
29:33into the garden.
29:35So far, so good.
29:37Now he needs
29:38to set two
29:39straps under
29:40the tub.
29:40These will support
29:47the spar as it's
29:48lifted.
29:55He lowers the
29:56crane ready to
29:57rig.
29:59But there's a
30:00problem.
30:01That's me maxed out
30:03now.
30:04Now, the position
30:05of the tub is
30:06just too far for
30:07the 30 metre
30:08crane.
30:11It's right at
30:12the limit.
30:16The second strop
30:17can't reach the
30:18hook.
30:19Without it
30:20attached, the
30:21lift is a no-go.
30:22But Darren isn't
30:27one to back
30:28down.
30:28If I lift this
30:29end, just take
30:30my old dolly
30:31on the knee
30:33so I can roll
30:34it forward.
30:36He's got a
30:37cunning plan to
30:38coax the cargo
30:39closer.
30:41So now, I'm
30:42just a little bit
30:43short, so we're
30:44going to get the
30:45jack and the
30:45dolly to lift it
30:46up and I'll feed
30:47it towards the
30:48grass and then
30:50get the other
30:51strap on so I can
30:52lift it up.
30:52So we're just
30:53going to move
30:54it towards the
30:56house a little
30:56bit.
30:57It's a delicate
30:58balancing act.
30:59Pull too hard
31:00and the hot
31:01tub's history.
31:04Hold that.
31:08I think what I'm
31:09after is just
31:10getting that
31:10strap out here.
31:15So I'll lift it
31:16up straight.
31:19Darren carefully
31:20manipulates the
31:21crane's control.
31:22wheels.
31:23What I'm doing
31:24now, getting the
31:25rope inch by
31:26inch.
31:28Just going to
31:28get her in
31:29towards the
31:29house, put her
31:30back down and
31:31then square these
31:32straps up.
31:33Finally, they
31:34manage to move it
31:35the few metres
31:36needed and hook
31:38the second strap
31:39securely to the
31:40crane.
31:40I'm happy with it.
31:43I'm happy with that.
31:45Time to lift.
31:47But now nearer the
31:48property, the
31:49probability of
31:50problems increases
31:51and Darren could be
31:54in hot water.
31:55I'm looking at the
31:56house, watching where
31:58my boom's coming over
31:58the house, because with
32:00the jib deflection and
32:01the weight, it'll bring
32:02the boom down.
32:03I'm happy with that.
32:04The bath blasts off.
32:10If the hot tub were to
32:12drop now, the old
32:13house would get a
32:15surprise new skylight.
32:18Go back round the
32:19front and watch it from
32:20the front.
32:20The move is hanging in
32:23the balance, literally.
32:30But because of Darren's
32:32diligence, it comes
32:36safely back down and
32:38onto the electrician's
32:40flatbed truck.
32:43Well, that's we're
32:45halfway there.
32:48We landed.
32:49That's probably goes
32:51as well in the second
32:51half.
32:53The Sparks will
32:54lug the tub, while
32:56Darren makes his own
32:57way to the spa's new
32:59spot.
33:01We got up and over.
33:03We're touching go, but
33:04we got it out.
33:07However, the load
33:08lagged and took longer
33:09than expected.
33:11Now Darren is racing
33:12against the clock to
33:14get the tub safely
33:16installed.
33:17Because it's come to
33:18that time now, we're
33:19going to start losing
33:19light.
33:20And you can imagine
33:21with the jib over the
33:22house, trying to watch
33:24the jib and bring it
33:25down, and watch the
33:27landing spot.
33:29Let's hope we get
33:30there and get it in
33:32before it gets too
33:32dark.
33:33If it's too dark, if it's
33:34out in the country, it's
33:36not as easy doing things
33:37in the night.
33:39Don't seem to be too far
33:40away now.
33:40But as he arrives, things
33:43aren't locking up.
33:45He's faced with another
33:47long reach.
33:49Once again, I'm looking
33:50at it, which way is the
33:51best way to set up, which
33:52way to go over.
33:53We're looking at about 26 to
33:5528 metres, so hopefully we'll
33:57lock him up short.
33:58But once again, setting up and
34:00getting it in the right place
34:01first time around.
34:02So, the race is on, against
34:06Mother Nature.
34:08It gets set up, and get this
34:09on before it gets too dark.
34:13No pressure, they say.
34:15As the sun sets, Darren is
34:18ready to lift.
34:19But at this house, he decides
34:21to take a more direct route to
34:24the back garden.
34:25Pretty tight, but I'm going to
34:26keep it low, and go straight
34:29over the garage, rather than
34:30going up and over the roof.
34:32It's a good distance.
34:35He sends the hot tub out,
34:36low and slow.
34:38Darren must thread it through
34:39the needle.
34:41There we go, nice and level.
34:44One wrong move could cause
34:45serious damage.
34:50So far, so good.
34:52That's been the end of phase
34:52one.
34:53So I'm happy now that I'm
34:54going to get the length.
34:56I'm going to stop that there
34:57for now, and then walk around
34:59the back and take it from
35:00the back.
35:00But before he can drop the
35:02hot tub into place, Darren's
35:05got to determine the desired
35:07deckside view, because you
35:08can't completely chill with the
35:11wrong scenery.
35:12Have a look at what you want
35:13at orientated.
35:14That was my next question.
35:16Back towards the house,
35:17towards the fence.
35:18Let's get that with you.
35:20Get that moved in, OK.
35:22The perfect permanent position's
35:26being picked.
35:27So it's coming down now.
35:32Just taking the weight off now.
35:37You happy?
35:38Yeah.
35:39There we go, smiley face.
35:42Tub's ending down.
35:43We're tracking the crane now
35:44to put it away.
35:45Another happy customer
35:47for the hot tub moving machine.
36:00Still to come.
36:02He's obviously
36:03absolutely knackered it
36:05that he has to finish where he is.
36:07A broken down car
36:09derails the delivery.
36:12More concerned with the rear
36:13near side when it comes
36:14past that car, Alex.
36:29Oh, he's good, isn't he?
36:31Honestly, he's brilliant.
36:35Yesterday, driver Zach Bancroft
36:37left the depot
36:38to transport a giant
36:40190-tonne reel
36:42of heavy metal crane cable.
36:45Load and lorry
36:46finally became
36:48a 250-tonne Titan.
36:51Just bang on, yeah?
36:52Lay.
36:53All done.
36:55Out to the I-1.
36:57Then go south on the I-1
36:58down to Newer.
37:00Then go left across to Lincoln.
37:04Today, Zach will start
37:06the second leg
37:07of his journey.
37:10I'm in the van ready
37:12whenever everyone else is.
37:13Behind him,
37:15he's been joined
37:15by support driver Alex
37:17for the journey
37:18from Worksop
37:19to Imingham Docks
37:20in Lincolnshire.
37:22Pulling off.
37:23I'm just going to stay
37:23in one lane, Alex,
37:25for a bit, OK?
37:27Roger.
37:28According to the schedule,
37:30when the lorry arrives,
37:31a boat should be waiting
37:33to lift the cable
37:34and take it
37:35to its final destination.
37:38As the crow flies,
37:40it's just 45 miles
37:42to the docks,
37:43but even without delays,
37:45it will take him
37:46almost four hours.
37:48It will be going
37:48slow, slow,
37:49and, um,
37:52a bit more slow.
37:54And if you're going too slow,
37:55you've got to slow down
37:56a bit more.
37:57Even at his snail's pace,
38:00Zach should still arrive
38:01in plenty of time
38:02to meet the boat,
38:04as long as there are
38:05no hold-ups.
38:07With precious cargo loaded,
38:09Zach now has
38:10a forward support vehicle,
38:12which on the roundabout
38:13leading to the A1
38:15spots a potential problem.
38:21This could be interesting.
38:25The driver probably thought
38:26he'd parked his broken-down car
38:28safely out of the way
38:30of traffic,
38:31but he hadn't reckoned
38:32on a 250-ton Hulk
38:35with a boat to catch.
38:37Stupid place, isn't it,
38:38but he, uh...
38:40He's obviously
38:42absolutely knackered it
38:45that he has to finish
38:46where he is.
38:47Every inch of Zach's journey
38:49is pre-planned
38:51with the authorities.
38:52Go on.
38:53Keep it going.
38:54If Zach can't get
38:59his 18 axles
39:00past the broken-down
39:02Zephira,
39:03he'll have to wait
39:04for it to be towed.
39:05And by the time
39:06he gets to Immingham,
39:07his ship
39:08might have sailed.
39:09More concerned
39:13with the rear
39:14near-side
39:14when it comes
39:15past that car, Alex.
39:17He weighs up
39:18the angles
39:19and decides
39:20to go for it.
39:22Yeah, mate,
39:22I'm watching it.
39:23I'm behind you.
39:24Go on.
39:26Keep going.
39:27Yeah,
39:28plenty of room.
39:29About eight inches
39:30on him.
39:31Clear with him now.
39:32But thanks to
39:33his amazing skills
39:34at the wheel,
39:36somehow
39:36all of the lengthy lorry
39:38clears all
39:39of the stricken car.
39:42Take care.
39:43So far,
39:44Zach's journey
39:45has only encountered
39:46one brief interruption.
39:48But as he approaches
39:49Immingham,
39:50he gets news
39:51that his mission
39:52is about to come
39:53to a grinding halt.
39:55Has Jamie had any
39:58update on the boat?
39:59Is it still
39:59eight o'clock
39:59in the morning
40:00or not?
40:02Yeah,
40:03still eight o'clock
40:03in the morning,
40:04I just said.
40:06OK.
40:09Bad weather
40:09has delayed
40:10the boat.
40:12So tonight,
40:13the team
40:14will be sleeping
40:14in their cabs.
40:17And that means
40:18enduring
40:19a very particular
40:20hardship
40:20at Immingham
40:22docks.
40:23I can smell it,
40:24but I can't see it.
40:25It just doesn't
40:27smell right.
40:28It just smells
40:28like it takes
40:29years off your life.
40:31Handling more
40:31than 50 million
40:32tons of cargo
40:33a year,
40:34Immingham
40:35is the busiest
40:36port in the UK.
40:39For heavy hauliers
40:41frequenting
40:41this coastal
40:42enclave,
40:43it's also
40:44the smelliest.
40:47I've always said
40:47when you're
40:48on the approach
40:49to Immingham
40:49just keep
40:49your windows shut.
40:51Because it does
40:51stink.
40:52It's definitely
40:53in a green zone,
40:54let's put it that way.
40:55Alex,
40:57can you just tell us
40:58when the back's in,
40:59please?
41:00Yeah, yeah.
41:01I will do.
41:02You have got a bit
41:03of room on the left
41:03now.
41:05I'm just going to
41:06go a bit more
41:06and then I'm going
41:07to come to a stop.
41:10As the sun sets
41:12over the East Coast,
41:13the boys can grab
41:14some shut-eye.
41:16A new day brings
41:27no end
41:28to the nasal
41:29nastiness.
41:30You can't beat that
41:31smell in the morning,
41:32can you?
41:32Yeah.
41:37I've become
41:37nose-blind
41:38since we've been here.
41:40I can't put into words
41:41how this place smells.
41:43It's just
41:44horrific.
41:46Thankfully,
41:47it's just a short hop
41:48from the lay-by
41:49to the dock.
41:50There's a barrier
41:51on the near side
41:52which is going to get
41:53we're going to get
41:54tighter to it
41:54the further round we go,
41:55OK?
41:57Yeah, yeah,
41:58it's fine.
41:58After negotiating
41:59one final corner.
42:01Got a few metres
42:02on that at the moment.
42:03Keep going.
42:04Zach's colossal cargo
42:06comes up against
42:07an even more
42:08colossal carrier.
42:10I'll come up the side,
42:11Rex.
42:11Do you want me to stop you
42:12when you're dead in line
42:13in the middle of the crane?
42:15Yes,
42:15isn't that, yeah?
42:16Norwegian construction
42:20support vessel
42:21the Norman Samson
42:23is 121 metres long,
42:2626 metres wide
42:28and capable of carrying
42:296,000 tonnes of cargo.
42:32You're happy there
42:33for a minute.
42:35Pretty much in the middle.
42:37That giant yellow crane
42:39can manage up to 250 tonnes
42:42in one lift.
42:44Enough to take
42:45the strain
42:46of Zach's
42:47giant cable reel.
42:49A beam set
42:51to the same length
42:51as the reel
42:52will ensure
42:53that the pull
42:54is spread evenly
42:55across the load.
42:56Take his chains off.
42:59Once Zach and Alex
43:00have taken the chains off,
43:01the lift
43:02is on.
43:06A guide rope
43:07attached to the reel
43:08enables the team
43:09to prevent it swinging
43:10while in the air.
43:12and after a two-day
43:22180-mile journey,
43:24the lads can finally
43:26wave bon voyage
43:27to their super-sized
43:29cotton reel.
43:30Whoopee!
43:32Everything went to plan.
43:32Obviously,
43:33we've lost a day
43:33with the ship,
43:35but that's part and parcel.
43:37You can't do anything
43:38about the weather.
43:38See,
43:38that'll be us
43:39until whatever
43:41we're doing next.
43:43I'm looking forward
43:44to hitting the M180
43:45and having my windows down
43:48and breathing fresh air again.
43:50Next time...
43:57Somebody's wanting to walk.
43:58Hauling a hulking
43:59Highland holiday home.
44:01When it is good
44:02and the weather's nice,
44:04you're paid to be a tourist.
44:06Has Ewan on the high road
44:08to hell.
44:09I don't know
44:09what's happening here.
44:12While in Birmingham,
44:13three fathers
44:14of the steam age.
44:16Not every day
44:17you get a big gold statue
44:18travelling from Redditch
44:19to Birmingham.
44:22Make a dazzling comeback.
44:24It's pretty broad, isn't it?
44:25But raising the three-ton trio
44:27proves problematic.
44:30These things have to be precise.
44:31Nice.
44:49We'll see you next time.
45:01We'll see you next time.
45:02We'll see you next time.
45:02We'll see you next time.
45:03We'll see you next time.
45:03We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:04We'll see you next time.
45:05We'll see you next time.
45:06We'll see you next time.
45:06We'll see you next time.
45:06We'll see you next time.
45:07We'll see you next time.
45:08We'll see you next time.
45:08We'll see you next time.
45:09We'll see you next time.
45:10We'll see you next time.
45:10We'll see you next time.
45:11We'll see you next time.
Recommended
43:12
|
Up next
26:47
22:01
30:54
20:46
32:13
43:12
43:11
20:23
41:27
41:18
27:02
59:52
41:53
52:32
45:40
21:11
18:27
53:51
36:37
37:58
37:08
18:56
45:30
Be the first to comment