L66?

[robin]

This row of pylons runs from a substation on the edge of Lanark (having spent ages following them on streetview) out to a new cage-style terminal tower across the M74 from Lesmahagow after a nice D60. They used to cross the motorway rather awkwardly via a random L8 (which pulled the insulator strings out of line) to connect to the 1980s L8 route that runs down to Harker. I seem to remember the L2-ish tower after the L8 having different latticework from other L2s, but I wasn't a member of the forum then, so had just assumed they were older or newer than other L2s. I then decided I had imagined it as across the fields, they look like normal L2s. However, I got a better look at them the other day and they might just be L55 after all. Here's a photo zoomed in on streetview of a suspension tower (sorry it's not very good)-
s1286.photobucket.com/user/batman19711/media/streetview_zpsnzwqglgr.jpg.html
Somewhere else to add to the list of places I have to get to with my camera.

[robin]

Sorry, I was still asleep. I meant L66 (obviously). I'm sure they have a cross instead of a "V" in between the middle arms. I'll investigate further if and when I have time to get down there with my good camera.

[yv47r]

Hi robin, as far as I am aware the line you refer to is L3 and it used to join the original L66 line from Strathaven to Harker but when that was replaced by the replacement L8 line in the 1980s to increase transmission capacity it was teed in via an L8 DJT tower. Once the new Clyde valley wind farms came on stream and the substations altered then this tee was removed and the DJT tower was altered - this is the one on the west side of the M74 and just to the north is the new 2-3 years old substation that was inserted. The L3 line was cut back and now terminates with an L7 DT tower with bucket terminal arms. I would guess this is running on 132kV and is cabled from the L7 tower to the new substation.

Cheers Paul

[robin]

Dammit, thought I'd discovered something nobody else had noticed was still there. I should have known better! I've been looking at pictures of the L66 towers near Harker and they are indeed different. The L66's look shorter and wider than these towers. I'll get down there some time anyway as the Lanark end terminates with one of the original terminal towers and that lovely D60 is right at the side of a back road. I seem to recall where the line teed off across the motorway there were two DJT towers side by side (I could be wrong. As I said I wasn't a member then and my interest has always been towards 132KV towers). One was demolished along with the three or four other towers in between the DJT and the D60. Thanks for that.

[yv47r]

Hi Robin, I don't know what the original configuration was when the L3 line to Lanark teeded off the original L66 line. It may well have been two DT towers as I have seen this type of junction before in Scotland almost as if they have never seen the L2 or L8 DJT junction towers and simply stuck two DT towers really close to each other instead to make up the junction. Only in Scotland as well!?? The L66s are shorter and wider than the L2 or L3s and those L66s at Harker on my to see list as well but I would ideally need a car to try and record more of the towers heading east towards Stella (Newcastle). I recall looking up the Lanark tee on google earth in street mode and in the older images you could see where the L3 joined the L8 line crossing the motorway.

Cheers Paul

[caldridge]

Do you mean the L3 route that heads from Kirkfieldbank, just south of the A72. Like what Paul said, the line used to cross the M74 and end at a farm near the L8 pylons, the line was cut back and now ends before reaching the M74 with an L7 terminal tower. Think the only remaining L66 routes are the ones from Harker to Stella and from Monk Fryston to Moor Monkton and I think there's also a guest L66 pylon in an L3/L7 line at Harrogate.

Christopher

[zulumike]

Hi Chaps, would really help if we could get the route marker plate information from your trips, for the reasons that I have posted. zulumike.

[yv47r]

I really do need to win that lotto and buy that campervan and go on my UK pylon safari lol! Then I would be able to collect all the codes hehe. I would guess the original Strathaven to Harker line was coded XA and so as no other teed routes other than the one to Lanark it *might* well be that the L3 line refered to could be XAA following CEGB/NGC style of coding, however the Scottish coding is a little different to ours I think!