Polymeric pipe welding apparatus

A pipe welding apparatus for welding first and second polymeric pipes in an end to end configuration around a circumferential weld zone defined by the end portions of the first and second pipes, the pipe welding apparatus comprising:

• one or more welding heads;
• a carriage for guiding the one or more welding heads around the circumferential weld zone;
• a drive arrangement for effecting relative rotation between the pipes and the or each welding head;
• wherein the or each of the welding heads comprises a body and a heating element carried by the body for supplying heat to the circumferential weld zone to cause melting of the circumferential weld zone, wherein the heating element is arranged to reciprocate relative to the body between a retracted and an extended configuration, such that as the heating element moves from the retracted to the extended configuration the heating element melts and penetrates the surface of the circumferential weld zone forming a weld;
• and further where the pipe welding apparatus is configured to perform a weld around the entire circumference of the weld zone with the heating element extending by a first distance to the extended configuration, and overweld a portion of the weld by performing one or more additional cycles of heat element reciprocation whereby the heating element extends to a second distance in the extended configuration which is less than the first distance.