Opened in October 1950, the Loch Sloy Hydro-Electric Scheme runs water from Loch Sloy past four 40MW turbines and into Loch Lomand.
Perched next to the mountain peak of Ben Vorlich is the Loch Sloy Hydro-electric Power Scheme, the largest conventional hydro-electric power plant in the UK. This comprises of the Loch Sloy dam, a powerhouse situated on the edge of Loch Lomond, and four sets of 2m wide pipes with an inclined goods lift running alongside.
This equipment for hauling cargo up the steep inclination to the Portal Valve House (PVH) had reached end of life and required replacing with a new solution featuring modern technology.
As part of wider refurbishment efforts, SCX Special projects was brought on board to provide a turnkey solution to engineer a bespoke inclined goods transport system, capable of travelling up a mountain with an incline of 45 degrees. The extent of supply included a heavy-duty wire rope winch, capable of resisting a breakaway load at full capacity.
A key aim was to enhance safety and efficiency to modern standards, incorporating over-speed protection, debris deflection guards, and limit and proximity switches to indicate bogie position.