Abnormal Load Transport Across North Wales & The UK
Wide, long and heavy loads that cannot go on a standard vehicle. Full permit management, route surveys, police notification and our own escort vehicle. One company, start to finish.
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Quick Abnormal Load Enquiry
Tell us what needs moving and we will get back to you fast.
01244 539300What Is an Abnormal Load and When Do You Need a Specialist?
An abnormal load is any load that exceeds standard legal dimensions or weight limits and cannot be broken down into smaller parts for transport. That means too wide, too long, too tall or too heavy for a standard vehicle. Because these loads fall outside normal transport regulations, they require permits, route surveys and in most cases police notification before the vehicle moves.
We have handled abnormal loads across North Wales and the UK since 1989. We manage the permits, notify the relevant authorities, carry out route surveys, and where an escort vehicle is required we run our own, arranging additional escorts when a move needs more than one. You are not left coordinating between a haulier and a separate escort company. One call to us and everything is handled, from the first survey to the final sign-off.
What Counts as an Abnormal Load
If a load is too wide, too long, too tall or too heavy for a standard vehicle, it is an abnormal load. Here is what we move regularly.
Wide Loads
Loads exceeding 2.9 metres in width that cannot be reduced. Requires permits and in most cases a private escort vehicle. We supply both.
Long Loads
Rigid loads exceeding 18.65 metres in length. Route planning and authority notifications are required before departure.
Heavy Loads
Loads exceeding standard axle weight limits. STGO category applies. Permits and route surveys required before the vehicle moves.
Construction Plant and Machinery
Oversized plant, machinery and fabrications that exceed standard trailer limits. Moved on our low loader fleet under STGO where required.
Industrial and Energy Equipment
Large static plant, pressure vessels, generators and energy sector equipment moved under abnormal load regulations with full permit management.
One-Off Abnormal Moves
If it exceeds standard limits in any dimension, send us the measurements and we will confirm whether it is abnormal, what permits apply, and what it will cost.
How an Abnormal Load Move Works
From the first call to the final sign-off, here is how an abnormal load move runs.
Tell Us About the Load
Call or send an enquiry with the dimensions, length, width and height, the weight, both addresses, and the date. The more detail the better at this stage.
We Survey the Route
We assess the route for restrictions, bridge heights, junction clearances and any known obstacles. Where required we carry out a physical route survey before committing to the move.
We Notify the Authorities
We notify the police and the relevant highway authorities of the planned movement, giving the legally required notice period. Where a police escort is required they will confirm it at this stage.
We Move the Load
On the agreed date we transport the load with our own escort vehicle alongside where required. Live tracking runs throughout, and all permit paperwork is retained.
Abnormal Load, STGO, or Standard Haulage?
Not sure which one your move needs? Here is the short version.
Abnormal Load
Your load exceeds legal limits in width, over 2.9m, length, over 18.65m rigid, height, over 4.95m, or weight. Permits, route surveys and authority notifications required. We manage all of it.
STGO
Special Types General Order, a category within abnormal loads covering loads that exceed Construction and Use weight or dimension limits. STGO Cat 1, 2 and 3 apply at different weight thresholds. Our trailers are STGO-rated.
Standard Haulage
Your load is within standard legal limits. No permits required. See our General Haulage page or Low Loader Transport page depending on the load type.
Not sure which applies? Send us the dimensions and weight and we will tell you in one conversation.
Our Own Escort Vehicle, One Point of Contact
When you book an abnormal load move with us, the escort is arranged as part of the job. We run our own escort vehicle and coordinate it with the transport, so one call books both and one team sees the job through. Where a move needs more than one escort, we arrange the extra vehicles and still manage the whole job for you.
We also provide escort vehicles for third-party hauliers. See our abnormal load escorts page for more detail.
Abnormal Load Transport Across North Wales & Beyond
Abnormal loads take planning, and we manage the whole move from our Sandycroft base. We cover North Wales, Chester, Cheshire and the wider UK, with the permits and notifications handled wherever the route takes us.
We also deliver nationwide, and many customers travel to us.
Deeside & the local area
- Sandycroft
- Deeside
- Flintshire
- Chester
- Wrexham
- Mold
- Buckley
- Connah's Quay
- Queensferry
- Hawarden
- Saltney
- Broughton
- Ellesmere Port
North Wales & the North West
- Cheshire
- Wirral
- Liverpool
- Warrington
- Runcorn
- Widnes
- Rhyl
- Colwyn Bay
- Llandudno
- Bangor
- Denbighshire
Further afield
- Manchester
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Crewe
- Preston
- Oswestry
- Whitchurch
- Nationwide
What Our Customers Say
Our Abnormal Load Fleet
Our drivers are CPC qualified and ADR certified for dangerous goods, and experienced with STGO and abnormal load movements. Our trailers are STGO-rated, and every vehicle runs live tracking.
- 3-axle
- 13.6m deck
- Hydraulic ramps
- STGO-rated, rear steer
Our standard low loader is the workhorse for most abnormal load moves involving wheeled and tracked plant. Wheeled and tracked machinery drives straight on via the hydraulic ramps, keeping loading straightforward and fast on site. The lower deck height keeps tall loads within height restrictions, which matters when dimensions are already at the limit for road movement.
Built on a three-axle 13.6 metre deck with rear steer, it is STGO-rated for loads that exceed standard weight limits. Where the move requires permits, route surveys or police notification we handle everything before the vehicle departs.
- 3-axle
- 13.6m extending to 19.6m
- STGO-rated
- Rear steer
The step extender runs a standard 13.6 metre deck that extends on site to 19.6 metres, giving extra length for loads that overhang a standard trailer. It is the right choice when length rather than weight is what makes a load abnormal, structural sections, long fabrications and extended plant that cannot fit on a fixed-length trailer.
Three-axle with rear steer, it stays manoeuvrable at full extension on public roads and on site. STGO-rated throughout, and where the extended length triggers permit requirements we manage them before departure.
- 3-axle
- 13.6m extending to 21m
- Open deck
- Crane and forklift access
The extendable flatbed reaches 21 metres at full extension, making it the longest trailer in the fleet and the right choice for the longest indivisible abnormal loads where even a step extender falls short. The fully open deck gives unrestricted loading from the sides and the rear, with full crane or forklift access from any angle.
That suits long structural steelwork, oversized fabrications and any load where a stepped or enclosed trailer would restrict loading access. Loaded by crane or forklift at the collection point rather than driven on.
- Private escort vehicle
- Own fleet
- Travels with the load
- No third-party
Our private escort vehicle travels with the abnormal load for the full duration of the move, warning other road users and assisting with the movement through junctions, narrow sections and any points where the load needs room to manoeuvre. Because the escort vehicle is ours, it is booked at the same time as the transport and managed by the same team throughout.
You have one point of contact for the whole job and one team coordinating it. Where police notification requires an escort vehicle, ours is ready, and where a move needs more than one escort we arrange the additional vehicles.
Abnormal Load Transport FAQs
Can't find what you're looking for? Give us a call, we're happy to help.
01244 539300A load that exceeds standard legal limits in any dimension: over 2.9 metres wide, over 18.65 metres rigid length, over 4.95 metres high, or over standard axle weight limits. If it cannot be broken down into smaller parts and exceeds any of these limits, it is an abnormal load.
Yes. We run our own private escort vehicle and coordinate it with the transport, so one call books both and one team manages the move from start to finish. When a move needs more than one escort, we arrange the additional vehicles as required. See our Abnormal Load Escorts page for more detail.
Yes. Abnormal loads require a movement notification submitted to the relevant highway authorities and police before the vehicle moves. The notice period and permit type depend on the dimensions and weight. We handle all of this as part of the service.
It depends on the dimensions and the route. Standard abnormal load notifications require two clear working days notice minimum. More complex moves requiring route surveys or police escorts need longer. Call us as early as possible and we will tell you what is achievable.
STGO (Special Types General Order) is a specific category within abnormal loads. All abnormal loads require permits and notifications. STGO classification can be triggered by weight or by dimensions, whichever exceeds the standard limits. Our trailers are STGO-rated.
Yes. Abnormal loads in Northern Ireland require notification to both the PSNI Abnormal Loads Office and the Department for Infrastructure, with two working days notice. We handle the cross-border paperwork as part of the service.
Each move is priced individually based on the dimensions, weight, distance, route complexity and whether an escort is required. We include permit costs in the quote so there are no surprises. Call 01244 539300 or use the enquiry form for a fixed price.
Request an Abnormal Load Quote
01244 539300Tell us the dimensions, weight, collection and delivery points, and your preferred date. We will come back with a fixed price including permits.