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Old 15th Oct 2015, 11:03 pm   #1
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Pylons

Having had to revisit the M1 in the south lately. I pass a familiar old face going back north just before the Toddington Services. It was a pylon that as a boy I nicknamed the Mother Pylon as it seemed fatter and is surrounded by smaller pylons,as I go further north there are 3 in a line on the south side with vertical isolators I named the 3 sisters.
I readily assumed that (like everything else) pylons were renewed on a regular basis- but this can't be -as surely they would be (even a slight) different style and look fresher?_but they are exactly how I remember them in the same position.
So the point of this thread is to ask_have those same pylons been there a very long time (obviously since I was young)but perhaps date back to the dawn of the national grid?
If this is so and the cables are the same age I have to exclaim what magnificence! and what sights would have been seen if they had fitted with an imaginary time lapse camera.
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Old 15th Oct 2015, 11:24 pm   #2
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Default Re: Pylons

My partner's mum hates the things. Personally, I love them. The thought of all that power and the way that the grid supplies 99% of the country is a great feat of engineering.

P.S. Hayley (my partner just said that they are a pain if you are trying to get decent photographs of the landscape.

Daniel.
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Old 15th Oct 2015, 11:30 pm   #3
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Default Re: Pylons

AFAIK, pylons are not renewed on any regular basis, but simply when and as needed.
Some are damaged by extreme weather, a handful by vehicle impacts, but most eventually succumb to rust. They are very well galvanised and rust can take decades to cause damage.

Some are replaced when a need for higher voltage (greater clearances needed) or greater current (thicker and therefore heavier conductors) make them unsuitable for changing needs.

Exceptionally, pylons have to be replaced with taller ones when developments or changes below the line render once safe clearances inadequate.

You may find the website of the pylon appreciation society to be of interest
http://www.pylons.org/
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:13 am   #4
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Default Re: Pylons

Most pylons date from the 1950s when the national grid was built. I don't think they 'go bad' so continue indefinitely unless there's an upgrade or local grid redesign.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:17 am   #5
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Default Re: Pylons

Possibly as interesting as the pylons and their history, is the catalogue of things people blame on them

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Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:25 am   #6
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Default Re: Pylons

Hello,

They are painted regularly. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24374923

The cables may not be original as they may have been restrung because of age or to increase capacity.

Yours, Richard

Last edited by Mr Moose; 16th Oct 2015 at 12:36 am.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:29 am   #7
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Default Re: Pylons

If the cables pass over a building with a conductive roof you can harvest some power by capacative coupling.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:35 am   #8
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Default Re: Pylons

There was an entertaining BBC2 documentary quite some years ago now about the slightly spaced-out gang (I suppose nowadays they'd be called "free climbers") who ascended and painted pylons without any safety devices and ended the day looking like the Tinman from the Wizard of Oz.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 9:03 am   #9
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Re: Pylons

Quote:
Originally Posted by broadgage View Post
You may find the website of the pylon appreciation society to be of interest
http://www.pylons.org/
That site is interesting it's comforting to know I am not the only one

Quote:
Originally Posted by turretslug View Post
There was an entertaining BBC2 documentary quite some years ago now about the slightly spaced-out gang (I suppose nowadays they'd be called "free climbers") who ascended and painted pylons without any safety devices
Yes I always wondered about those very tall ones crossing over the Severn Estuary, Bristol Channel etc - the fact they get battered by everything in nature's cannon.
I didn't realise they get painted, as I have not seen anyone doing it- blimey! what a dangerous- and tedious job?
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 9:16 am   #10
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Default Re: Pylons

In the late 1990's there used to be a UK web site run by pylon enthusiasts that featured a regular "Pylon of the month" photo, with archived previous photos. They usually had captions on the lines of "Standing magnificently on the ridge of Pontop Pike, plylon No. XXyyy looks out on... etc". It used a latin name that translated as pylon enthusiasts, but I haven't been able to find it for some years. I think it may have been run by members of the IEE Power section.

The top of the only surviving WWII "Chain Home" radar transmitter antenna pylon that was moved from Canewdon to the Marconi research labs at Baddow, can still be seen poking above the horizon after the Chelmsford exit when heading north up the A12. I understand that, no doubt due to lack of maintenance, it is now considered unsafe to climb to the very top, but I think the lower platforms are still being used to support microwave antennas.

Last edited by emeritus; 16th Oct 2015 at 9:29 am.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 9:19 am   #11
cheerfulcharlie
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Default Re: Pylons

Quote:
Originally Posted by Refugee View Post
If the cables pass over a building with a conductive roof you can harvest some power by capacative coupling.
I haven't tried the trick with the fluorescent tubes but for those complaining about pylons 'in their back yard' they could perhaps turn the situation to their advantage with a dielectric roof or big coil of wire in the attic LOL?

Quote:
Originally Posted by emeritus View Post
In the late 1990's there used to be a UK web site run by pylon enthusiasts that featured a regular "Pylon of the month" photo, with archived previous photos. They usually had captions on the lines of "Standing magnificently on the ridge of Pontop Pike, plylon No. XXyyy looks out on... etc". It used a latin name that translated as pylon enthusiasts, but I haven't been able to find it for some years. I think it may have been run by members of the IEE Power section.
The site quoted to me by Broadgage has poster pin ups of pylons you can buy for £15 to put on your wall
It's a shame about 'pylon of the month' sounds like a hoot and would have liked to have seen it.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 9:36 am   #12
60 oldjohn
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Default Re: Pylons

Years ago a friend of a friend used to paint the pylons. The paint he used was a light green wish I could remember the two chemical names possibly zinc something. It must have been a good paint.

John.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 9:50 am   #13
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Default Re: Pylons

A neighbour where I previously lived had a company who painted pylons subject of this post and also railway electric overhead power pylons. He did very well out of it. Could the paint have been zinc chromate oldjohn, although I seem to recall the top coat was silver finish.
I believe that a new shape modern pylon has been developed and will be rolled out soon.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 10:08 am   #14
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Default Re: Pylons

I have to admit that I did use the "plyon of the month " pictures to make a pylon screen saver for my work PC at the time!
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 10:24 am   #15
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Default Re: Pylons

Did you see the pylons Iceland has selected to use in certain locations? They do have to replace them frequently as the strong winds and highly abrasive dust tend to degrade the metalwork, as well as seismic and volcanic events to contend with.

http://metro.co.uk/2015/09/27/these-...shame-5409937/
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 10:32 am   #16
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Default Re: Pylons

Our Riggers used "Galvafroid" paint for external steelwork if the galvanising had been compromised.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 12:56 pm   #17
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Default Re: Pylons

Quote:
Originally Posted by 60 oldjohn View Post
'The paint he used was a light green wish I could remember the two chemical names'
Micacious Iron Oxide? Used widely on outdoor switchgear and transmitter masts and towers.

Here's one of my local 33kV towers being painted (with primer first). Note the circuit is earthed, although the 'pick-up' is still present, I'm told.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 1:09 pm   #18
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Default Re: Pylons

My good friend and neighbour has a pylon in his back garden, it's painted a dark green colour. On rainy or foggy days the insulators hiss and crackle merrily, I have tried looking with binoculars to see if it was possible to see a corona discharge. I haven't the faintest idea what the voltage is but each "cable" is actually 4 cables joined up the little spreaders between each one. the insulator hangers appear to be about 8 feet long with lots of decorative ironwork.

I have noticed that close to ground level there is a cylindrical box about 18" in diameter with 2 thick cables going up to the "gubbins" overhead. Anyone have any idea what this box is used for?

I can't see it being a test point for a multimeter

Last edited by Andrew B; 16th Oct 2015 at 1:17 pm.
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Old 16th Oct 2015, 1:46 pm   #19
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Default Re: Pylons

Quote:
I have noticed that close to ground level there is a cylindrical box about 18" in diameter with 2 thick cables going up to the "gubbins" overhead.
Fibre optic communications. Very cheap to make an earth (the top cable) with a bit of fibre in it, I don't think they are allowed to sell the bandwidth bet it saves on the 'phone bill though.
Quote:
"plyon of the month " pictures
I can't resist the thought of 'legs spread' etc..
 
Old 16th Oct 2015, 3:34 pm   #20
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Smile Re: Pylons

Hi, Years ago I attended a steam traction rally near Heacham nuclear power station. The lines ran right over the rally field and one guy had an armoured car with a tall whip aerial (unconnected) from which sparks could be drawn due to the capacitive coupling (but not enough current to cause any problems). I showed some kids how to make a small 13watt caravan type flourescent tube glow from the base of the whip. They were amazed and then scampered back to their parent's living vans and caravans to rob the tubes therefrom!
Cheers, Pete.
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