Southampton to Bangor 1

[silversea]

Hello again! You may remember me from the times where I quite ignorantly spammed you all with pylon photos and asked for IDs! Fortunately I have at least some knowledge so it certainly makes lives easier. I was involved in a trip from Southampton to Bangor earlier today and the day before and found it worth posting about. Be warned, there is a lot of content. And questions, of course .

I was the passenger in the car, so all the pictures were taken from a moving vehicles. As a result, some of them are horrible, and as you may all know, trees are your worst nightmare when trying to photograph pylons. Be warned! I have numbered each section so if you have specific comments or answers you can use that number in your reply.

I won't be mentioning all the commoner pylons I saw, for instance the countless PL16 and L2/L3 lines I came across, so forgive me for that.
____
Part 1:

1. Starting from the A34, I found my first oddity of the trip with a seemingly normal line of L3s. On the left side of the road, near the A4130, the line split into these two separate terminal towers. Both resembled the standard deviation towers of the set, and I wonder why it wouldn't have been acceptable to just have a normal DT here... Would these be termed L3 ST?

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons001.png



2. Further on were several PL designs. Starting with these PL16s. Would these be PL16 S? i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons002.png

These connected to this PL16 DJT (or SJT if there is such a thing? All lines connecting were single circuit): i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons003.png

There was this mystery single circuit design heading away: i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons004.png

The mystery single circuits eventually became these odd L4s (L4 S?): i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons005.png

I think these are PL1B deviation towers: i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons006.png

I have no clue what the towers in the back are, perhaps they are PL1B as well: i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons007.png

Here is the PL1B D from that line, along with what I think was a CEPL4 line but it vanished behind some trees too quickly. If you recognize the background location, please let me know! I completely forgot. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons008.png


3. At one point this L6 (?) line appeared, with this deviation tower that featured some sort of modifications: i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons009.png

There was a PL16 DD line on the other side which was quite distant. It included a PL16 DDT which I missed (again). PL16 DDT is one of my biggest nemesis towers, I always miss them. A much closer PL16 D and PL16 DD (?) line on unfortunately ended on a normal PL16 DT: i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons010.png

These DDs near the terminal didn't have the double earth wires, which I assume is the reason that the PL16 DT was not a PL16 DDT. Unfortunately I wasn't paying enough attention to work out at what point from the terminal they gained double wires.
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/pylons011.png


4. From the M42 we have some low height pylons bringing a single circuit line under a nearby L2 line, but I did not manage to photograph them through the dense trees. A mystery PL line was side by side with the single circuit line (PL1S or PL1BS?). These single circuits recalled PL1B, and from this point on I will refer to this design as PL1BS to separate it from the next one until corrected. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/pylons012.png

At least two of these single circuit pylons differed in design and more closely resembled PL16s, here is one of them next to the mystery PL. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/pylons013.png

The single circuits ended at this PL1S/PL1BS DT (or DT90?). One of the two PL16-like single circuits can be seen to the left:
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/pylons014.png

The mystery PLs continued over the road. This deviation tower seems to lack the bracing on the middle arms of a PL16 deviation tower of the same angle. The one in the back does have it however, I wonder if that back tower might actually be a PL16? i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/pylons015.png

In a few places an L4 deviation tower substituted: i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/pylons016.png


5. Another half PL16 line started from this (PL1S?) terminal tower. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons017.png


6. Near Colehill was a substation/station of sorts that included this odd single-sided L6. What would you call this? L6 ST? Full points for whoever can name these three from left to right. I have not seen this bracing design on the middle arms of that left L6 before either. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons018.png


And this middle tower looks a little funky, almost L8 like. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons019.png

7.
There were several L6/L8/L2/L7 lines along the M6 Toll, which really threw me. In the first picture are these both L8 or is the much bigger one an L6!? Presumably the second image is a L8 D or D2?
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons020.png

[silversea]

Part 2

8. The area near Norton Canes services along the M6T included these two pylons chucked into a PL1BS (?) line. These resembled the terminal towers for the PL1BS/PL1S line previously, but apparently functioned only as deviation towers. i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons021.png

9. I have seen these PL towers many times before but I have never identified them:
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons022.png

10.
Along the M6 near Three Mile Line was another single circuit line which was perfectly normal until I saw these odd towers within it! I saw three of these odd towers, one deviation and two suspension. They have the look of an L4. Are they just custom single circuit L4s? i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons023.png

11.
We then took a drive through the countryside through Cheshire, and there were several oddities. Starting with these PB SS0s. There were a few odd towers in the row but I only managed poor shots of them.

PB SS0 and a deviation tower. I don't think the deviation tower is a PB SS? i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons024.png

This looks more like a PB SS? If so, presumably PB SS10 or SS30.
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons025.png

12. Past the straw dalek statue were these, these are probably some of the oddest pylons I have ever seen. Anyone know what they are?
Pre-grid? They look foreign!
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons026.png
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons027.png

13. The one in the front is similar to PB SS0, but is made of poles instead of metal, so I suppose it isn't a true pylon. Does it have a name? The one in the back is a kind of low height pylon, don't know which but I think it is the one I see with PL16s every now and then.
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons028.png

Are these even pylons? Poles? Poleons?
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons030.png
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons029.png


And that's the end of this half of the trip. I'll give you all time to read through before I post part 3-4 in a separate thread.

[caldridge]

Nice pictures, I've seen some single circuit PL16 pylons like this before there's some near Lytchett Matravers in Dorset.

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons002.png

Some strange looking L4 pylons with only three arms.

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons005.png
i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons023.png

Nov 14, 2014 13:20:47 GMT -5 silversea said:

1. Starting from the A34, I found my first oddity of the trip with a seemingly normal line of L2s. On the left side of the road, near the A4130, the line split into these two separate terminal towers. Both resembled the standard deviation towers of the set, and I wonder why it wouldn't have been acceptable to just have a normal L2 DT here... Would these be termed L2 ST?

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons001.png

That is actually an L3 line, they look similar to L2, only a bit smaller and have different bracing, that area is not for from Didcot, I might see if I can photograph the pylons there. I think there's a nuclear power station in the area.

More PB SS0 pylons.

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons024.png

I already know three routes there's two in Dorset. One that heads from Shaftesbury to Corfe Mullen (Route PZA) and one from Clifton Maybank to Sandford (Route PZB) the route changes to PL16 pylons at Lytchett Matravers.

And there's one in Cornwall that heads from Fraddon to Rame.

I'm not sure if I've seen any pylons like this in person, they might be pre grid pylons.

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons026.png

And this might be a wooden pylon.

i1050.photobucket.com/albums/s405/DolphinsongMelody/Photo%20hosting%20album/pylons029.png

Christopher

[silversea]

Thanks for the comments.

Ah yes those pesky L3s. I must admit I was too distracted by the double terminal towers to check the bracing of the other towers in the line. Need to study these (along with L66/L1 which seems to have little/no info online). There is a line near me which I thought was L3, but I haven't been able to find a standard suspension tower in that line to check.

[silversea]

I wonder if it would be possible to work out the types of PL single circuits, there seem to be so many types.

[silversea]

So those weird pre-grid Cheshire pylons are on the A51. I followed them with google maps and they become poles only 10 or so towers in either direction. However at 53.092542, -2.558772 there are some really weird river crossing pylons, but this is all I can see of them:

An interesting field trip for someone perhaps?

[caldridge]

Where abouts are those pylons?

[silversea]

Near the A51. Google maps suggests some path goes from the A51 and right by them but I don't know if it is restricted access or not.

North-west of Stoke-on-Trent and south-east of Chester.


See: www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z4ZZm8DTNzC4.k4qoMtDWUcZo

[yv47r]

Ah I think these originate near Crewe from the 132kV substation there where the L2 line comes in from Cellarhead and PL1b line runs through north-south and then PL4? runs north. If its the same pre-grid line it runs towards Wrexham area.

Cheers Paul

[silversea]

The map didn't seem to save it so I updated it to show the extent of the line. It begins and ends with poles, no substation involved.