52 including an operator console not shown the welding head 45 is slidably supported with respect to the platform 37 and movable in an axial direction by a hydraulic cylinder not shown or other means referring to fig9 a full length pipe 28 of approximately 18 m is in position and entered into the welding head 45 the pipe is supported on five conveyor rolls 51 a 51 e the pipe string 17 is shown leaving the rear of the pipe laying vehicle through rear pipe guide the outrigger 50 0054 fig1 is provided to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the outrigger 50 in this embodiment the outrigger 50 includes a strong and rigid structure 60 pivotally attached at p to the main body of the platform 37 rotatably supported on the structure 60 are two spaced apart sets 61 and 62 of polymer or elastomer coated rollers the lower set 62 supports the pipe string from below the upper set 61 constrains it from above the abutting portions of the rollers substantially correspond to the external profile of the pipe being processed the placement of the sets 61 and 62 is such that the string is forced into co axial alignment with the welding head and the next pipe similarly to the first embodiment the outrigger 50 can be hinged back onto the platform 37 in addition the platform 37 includes a hinged front end portion 70 movable between an in line configuration shown in fig1 and a folded configuration illustrated in fig1 referring now to fig1 the pipe manipulator 48 transfers a pipe from the pipe magazine 49 and places it on the conveyor rolls 51 a 51 e ready for positioning.