Eight bizarre items you didn’t know were transported by road
The average motorway is littered with hatchbacks, vans and an endless sea of lorries. However, if you’re at the right place at the right time you can witness everything from homes to nuclear weapons making their way up our UK highways. We have compiled a list eight bizarre items that you might not know are moved via road.
1 Nuclear weapons
A controversial topic to put it lightly – the trident nuclear system was recently in the news due to the transport of key materials on road in the Birmingham area. Protestors claim such transport is high-risk, yet the government claims it has been transporting key items for over 50 years with no issues. Still, the thought of overtaking a nuclear warhead is pretty unsettling!
2 Aeroplane parts
The giants of the sky actually start life on the road. Huge components of the modern jumbo jet make their way on the motorways to huge factories like the Airbus facility in Broughton, with wings sometimes taking up every lane on the M55. This travelling fuselage from March this year is an example of the strange sights you may see on UK roads if you’re in the area when needs must and colossus cargo takes to the road.
3 Homes
A growing trend in recent years has seen pre-built properties seep into the mainstream. What many don’t know is that fully assembled homes can now be transported by road, taking the definition of a motorhome to a whole new level. Check out this ridiculous move of a huge home in the US for a taster of what is now possible. We hope the cupboards were taped up!
4 Giant transformers
While seemingly a pretty bland entry on our list when compared with nuclear bombs and jets, a recent transformer has claimed the mantle for the biggest ever load transported on British roads, and when you see the size of it, we’re sure you’ll agree that it deserves a place on the list. Crawling at a speed of 4mph, a transformer is probably expected to be transported by road, yet one of this size is most certainly not.
5 Wind turbine
The size of eco-windmills are awe-aspiring when up close. All the more reason that they are able to be manoeuvred on our roads. Here just one spoke takes up a whole truck – and what seems like half a motorway...
6 Top secret jets
Military jets are often shipped on trucks to their required strips. A fascinating example, to briefly diverge in time, comes from 1960's USA where the top-secret SR71 Blackbird surveillance plane was driven to its destination on the back of a truck. Luckily, it was sealed in this subtle box.
7 Space shuttles
Yes, genuine rockets have cruised down many roads. Gigantic examples like this space shuttle do make you wonder that surely there is a safer alternative. But as long as no mishaps occur, transportation of multi-million-pound cargo will continue.
8 Exotic sea animals (both dead and alive)
Sea creatures are moved in specially suited trucks which are often unsigned, so you may well have been stuck behind one before and not even realised. Some are less anonymous, in a pretty grim example, this whale was washed up on a Scottish beach and had to be taken by road to a landfill site. The contents would be a mystery, if not for the 12-foot tail hanging out the back…
What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen being transported? Let us know on our Facebook page