Highway traffic through Narrabri was diverted for seven hours on Saturday afternoon after a low loader carrying a huge hydraulic mining shovel suffered a mechanical fault and came to a halt.
The load travelling north with a prime mover front and rear came to a stop about 50 metres from the Killarney-Barwan Street intersection.
No-one was injured in the mishap. Police closed the highway and traffic was detoured while emergency services – police, Essential Energy and Transport for NSW representatives – worked through the breakdown with the haulier.
An apparent malfunction in the gooseneck pulling the low loader saw the trailer front drop and dig into the roadway.
Fortunately the incident occurred as the load was crawling through town and not at normal highway speed.
The massive excavator engine, weighing more than 100 tonnes, was enroute from Boggabri north and was not damaged.
GBP Cranes was called on to lift the front of the trailer and help get the rig on the road for repair.
The highway was reopened later on Saturday night.
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