PL Line in Grimsby (PGY)

[dmills]

In the last few days have been looking into this rather odd little PL line in Grimsby which is quite hidden and easy to miss unless you keep your eyes peeled!

What puzzles me here is that the tower numbers don't match. The third tower in the line is named PGY005. Where are the other two towers before? Here is an individual breakdown, can anyone identify these too? Ive looked at the tower bible and the PL1a seems to be the closest match especially with the 4th pylon. Also worth mentioning is what looks like an odd suspension tower nearer the end of the circuit

First we start from Grimsby substation with the middle pylon with what is to be assumed PGY001 (cant get a positive ID with its location)


Then comes a rather substancial terminal tower where we then go underground for a short while. Still no positive ID as the plaque is quite high up, we can assume this is PGY002? Didn't want to get too close as the loud buzzing and the conductors near the ground put me off!


Next comes another terminal tower this time where the underground cables come back up to surface. This tower I managed to ID as PGY005 (this is where the confusion starts!)


Next is a suspension tower with a slight deviation angle to it - looks the most like a PL1a out of the lot i'd say? No positive ID as buried in a load of trees, perhaps PGY006?


Followed by perhaps a D30 deviation tower, again no ID due to diffficult terrain. Assumedly PGY007


Then a suspension tower that is very difficult to see let alone ID due to being on a golf course. Rather oddly doesn't seem like a PL tower? What on earth is it? L4M? Assumedly PGY008.


Final deviation tower in the line - easy to see and picture but the fence makes it impossible to ID. No deviation angle on it at all but possibly of this type to reduce cable height as it is already barely inches from the local lamposts and trees.


Then the final terminal tower to Yarbrough road substation. No ID for obvious reasons!


So I guess the three questions are..

1. What towers are we looking at here?
2. Why is there an odd suspension tower in the circuit
3. Why does the number on PGY005 not fit into the circuit?

[yv47r]

Hiya, I seem to recall seeing these a long time ago when I was staying in Cleethorpes at one of the caravan parks but back then I wasn't into taking many photos of pylons.

The first three photos show PL16 DT towers the second and third having 'bucket' cable terminal connections.
The fourth photo could be a PL4 D2 tower Lesc will confirm for sure
The fifth photo may also be PL4 D10 but looks a bit like PL1 as well
The sixth photo definitely a L4M that has replaced an older tower
The seventh photo again could be PL4 D10 but poss PL1
The final photo PL4 maybe DT tower.

As for the tower numbering only positive closeup ID of each tower number will let you make sense of the numbering. As if often the case with the larger Supergrid 275/400kV towers and routes things have been altered and modified a lot over the years. Replacement towers usually have an R suffix whereas additional towers will have A, B, C etc. as required. But that is only a rough guide though!

I am sure Lesc will confirm or correct me :-)
Cheers Paul

[dmills]

Interesting that you thought the 4th picture was a PL 4! I had them down as PL1s!

I have a positive Id on the 5th pylpn as PGY007 which means we are missing PGY003 and PGY004!

I wonder if the underground cables replaced a section of pylons? The 4th pylon does have some deviation which they are allowed but it would be explained If they put in a terminal tower slightly off route.. but it's still a PL series terminal tower :S

I think the L4M is due to a height increase needed to clear the golf course /trees?

Anyone have any back ground? Les?

[lesc]

May 1, 2015 17:40:56 GMT -5 yv47r said:

Hiya, I seem to recall seeing these a long time ago when I was staying in Cleethorpes at one of the caravan parks but back then I wasn't into taking many photos of pylons.

The first three photos show PL16 DT towers the second and third having 'bucket' cable terminal connections.
The fourth photo could be a PL4 D2 tower Lesc will confirm for sure
The fifth photo may also be PL4 D10 but looks a bit like PL1 as well
The sixth photo definitely a L4M that has replaced an older tower
The seventh photo again could be PL4 D10 but poss PL1
The final photo PL4 maybe DT tower.

As for the tower numbering only positive closeup ID of each tower number will let you make sense of the numbering. As if often the case with the larger Supergrid 275/400kV towers and routes things have been altered and modified a lot over the years. Replacement towers usually have an R suffix whereas additional towers will have A, B, C etc. as required. But that is only a rough guide though!

I am sure Lesc will confirm or correct me :-)
Cheers Paul

Confirmations / corrections forthcoming YV47R

1st three photos are indeed the PL16DT note the different types of terminals
4th picture is PL1a S5S(Pirelli)
5th picture is PL1aD30 (Pirrelli)
6th pic is an L4MD prob because the line's been mucked about with
7th pic is a PL1aST or DT (Pirelli) this is way too chunky to be a PL4. Looks like one of these Emperor Ming efforts

All but the L4 are in The Tower Bible available if you trawl around these fora.

(edit) Welcome, dmills to the wierd and wacky world of 132!

HTH

Les

[dmills]

I'm guessing the first half of the circuit is a PL 16 modification to the existing PL1 second half - with PL16s being used I'm guessing it wasnt many years after the circuit was erected that it was redesigned? I would say that the underground cables between the two PL16DT towers replaced a line of straight PL1s? Hence PGY005 being the third tower?

Interesting though, thanks for all contributions and the warm welcome!

Are we talking 132kv for sure here? And what age roughly could the original circuit be? When did PL1s date to?

[lesc]

Welcome to the even weirder and wackier world of pylon designations in this case PL1SS5S is a normal suspension pylon deviating by 5 degrees. There's S10S too. Saves on designing a PL1 for small deviations as it's already built in. The same 5/10 degree deviation can apply to the more recent 132 tower types.

The PL1 dates to the start of the grid in the '30s there are still plenty of them about!

Single circuit PL1 can either be the PL1b or PL1s both designations are used in these fora. Plenty pics too if you trawl.

Looks like 132 to me the insulators are the right length.

Les

[pylonsbuzz]

That isn't the Pirelli PL1a design it's a PL1 Not PL1b or PL1a

[pylonsbuzz]

A PL1 vs a PL1a is that the PL1a is a smidge chunkier than a PL1, PL1as have a difference that I can see, the deviation pylons are different on PL1a and the suspension pylon is quite similar but not a PL1a, Pirelli did the PL1a, Not the PL1.

[lesc]

The Pirelli PL1a ED51104 is very like the PL1, this PL1a S5S example from dmills could be lifted straight out of the Tower Bible, image left is the Pirelli PL1a



Les