Sandwell Valley (West Midlands) Yet more questions

[mjlangford]

Hi All.

Ok, I have yet more questions and some pics.

I'll start of by asking has anyone every seen anything like whats in the first of my pics. It's a coil of wire (copper I'm assuming) wound around the conductor.

Basically there are two lines, duel circuit 132kV (correct me if I'm wrong). These 'coils' are spaced every few meters along the span of the conductors between about 3 sets of towers. One thing worth noting is that the left hand line only has the 'coils' on its left hand circuit and the right hand line only has the coils on its right hand circuit. So, any idea what purpose this coils serve???

www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6049981245/

Below is a link showing the towers
www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6049980431/
(shot facing west)

Now on to the second question. In the link above there are two suspension towers. What type are they? I'm guessing PL16 on the right, but not sure, so if any one can please tell me what each tower design is, i would be grateful.

This then brings me to question number 3. Talking about the same two lines as above. I'm confused about the mixture of towers used. I originally thought that maybe one line had been erected and then another one added next to it at a later date, as there seems to be different towers used. BUT then when I had a walk about with the camera, I then found that at various places the two lines have identical towers next to each other as below

www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6050536022/
(shot facing West)

and then the next set of towers are mixed again:

www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6049983033/
(shot facing East)

Question Number 4!!! Hopefully a nice easy one, what purpose do the 'Cat ears' serve on the top of this tower. Again what would be the type / design for this type of tower.

Just a note (it's not near any terminators) Also sorry about the quality of this pic, shoot at 300mm and then zoomed in, I'll take a better one then I get the chance

www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6049982435/

and then of course is then same type of question, what is the purpose of the flat top section as below.

www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6050534152/

I hope someone can answer these questions and that people are enjoying my pics as much as I'm enjoying looking at theirs

I'll leave this post here as I've got another one to do ;D

[lesc]

The coil of wire seems to be one of these things used to stop geese, swans and such like big birds from hitting the conductors.

==

Below is a link showing the towers
www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6049980431/
(shot facing west)

Believe it or not these are both PL16's. The one on the left is the SWE PL16 ED51101 and the one on the right os the Blaw Knox (Scottish) PL16 ED51106.


www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6050536022/

these are SWE PL16D2.

Question Number 4!!! Hopefully a nice easy one, what purpose do the 'Cat ears' serve on the top of this tower. Again what would be the type / design for this type of tower.

This is a Blaw Knox PL16 DD60 / ED51136. The ears are there because it's in a lightning hotspot and need the earth wires as high as possible.

www.flickr.com/photos/33984091@N00/6050534152/

this is a SWE PL16 DD2 / ED51110 and usually has a double earthwire. These babies are usually seen in lightning hotspots or urban areas.

HTH

Les

[mjlangford]

Thanks Les, but now I'm confused about the 'D' part of the SWE PL16D2... I was under the impression that D after a number denoted Deviation?

Any idea why there is such a mix of towers? Why are some - two SWE PL16D2 next to each other and then the next set along SWE PL16 ED51101 and PL16 ED51106 next to each other? Why not use the same design?

Anywhoooo thanks for the info Although I can appreciate the differences of different towers I see, I do however feel out of my depth trying to get to terms with their design number / designation

Mark

[lesc]

Just to add to the confusion....

=Generally=

PL16 D2 means the standard tower can deviate using ordinary suspension components up to around 2 degrees or so. Generally abbreviated to PL16

More modern designs shorten the D2 to just D so L2 D = L2 D2!

Earlier types (PL1b, PL1 and friends) can deviate using suspension type towers up to 10 degrees hence when you see PL1b S5s or PL1S S10S they're bog standard PL1's but used in deviation.

The Gorge website has a PL1 S5S in its UK gallery pictures. On here the best examples are on the thread "The Galloway Hydro System"

S can mean suspension in deviation or single circuit, so a PL1b S5S isn't the same as a PL1S but likely to be the same pylon.

=Gasp=



Les