Rowde and Bromham

[caldridge]

Here's some recent pictures I took of PL4 route CC & L2 route YYM between Rowde and Bromham in Wiltshire.

First here's the PL4 pylons on Berhills Lane.

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Next I went down a byway to Rowdecroft Farm to take some pictures of the PL4 & L2 pylons on the byway.

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The pylons have just come from Sandridge after leaving Melksham substation.

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Some pictures of the L2 deviation tower.

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Looking the other way.

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Some pictures of the PL4 pylons.

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And here's the L2 pylons on Durlett Road.

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An L2 suspension tower with a cell phone antenna.

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The pylons down in the valley.

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The pylons go their separate ways after this, the PL4 pylons cross the A361 near Devizes and the L2 pylons cross the A342 at Rowde. They pylons meet up again near Pewsey and then go their separate ways again near Burbage, I did a fieldtrip of that area a few years ago.

Enjoy!

Christopher

[caldridge]

One thing I noticed, Route YYM has different spacers than Routes ZF & ZG. If you look at this pictures that yv47r took, Route YYM has the spacers on the left and ZF & ZG have the spacers on the right.

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Do the spacers mean anything about the voltage?

Christopher

[yv47r]

Yes the spacers can certainly tell you what the operating voltage might be. In my photo of YV 49 the left hand side of the tower as in the photo is running at 275kV whereas the right side is on 400kV and at the time the conductors and insulators had just been renewed on this side of the tower. The flat style of spacers is an older design probably from the last time the conductors were renewed probably at least 20-30 years ago whereas the dipped style seen on the 400kV is more recent and the current type of spacers they tend to use on twin conductors as shown. Even the quad-bundle conductors used on the L6 towers have changed over time from the original X style to the more recent square type ones.

Cheers Paul

[caldridge]

So could the voltage for Route YYM be 275kV?

[yv47r]

According to my copy of the NGC system map tacked to the side of the wardrobe next to where I am sat right now typing this the YYM line from Melksham to Bramley is running at 400kV at present. And judging by the photos it may well be due a conductor and insulator upgrade along with the strengthened tower base mod as well.

Cheers Paul