Question to North Somerset members

Travelling down the M5 yesterday, for the first time in several years, l was intrigued to see what appeared to be a substantial airial ropeway under construction about 1/2 mile to the east of the motorway. Anyone here know what it is? New design of electricity pylon? Or is it actually an airial ropeway, and if so what is it for?

New style pylon.

https://www.nationalgrid.com/national-grid-build-worlds-first-t-pylon-somerset

David

Than you David

Thats quite elegant in my opinion, with a bit of thought they could have made it a bit bigger, stuck some blades on it and made it wind turbine at the same time - so dual purpose!

Somehow I think the wires would be in the way of the rotating blades

Would look quite interesting with a helical Darrieus rotor on top of each pylon

*** Darrieus wind turbine ***

John

Spoilsport.

Look, they often laughed at Brunel with some of his ideas - look how most of them turned out! (we'll wash over some of his disasters though). So, I shall go get my super-large top hat & waistcoat, stick a big cigar in my mouth and get designing automatically folding turbine blades.

Very elegant, innovative design. It's worth noting too, the cable section through the Mendip Hills AONB is using buried cables.

A shame the towers are made in China though.

By the time the pylon has been redesigned and (probably) massively strengthened plus the likely issues of maintaining/repairing the turbine are taken into account I guess it might be better to put turbines up nearby?

Edited By V8Eng on 10/02/2022 09:02:37

Edited By V8Eng on 10/02/2022 09:03:59

What it really looks like - presume the marketing dept. would not think of what's going to be hung on them?

Oh bother, the cranes have gone home and the top half is facing the wrong way!

I live further down the M5 but new line passes about half a mile from our house, now they are there I'm not sure about them, true they are smaller than the old lattice style but there is a lot more of them, I assume they have to be closer to reduce sag in the cables.

Looks like war of the worlds machines striding across the levels.

Local news last night reported Hinkley B station ready to be switched off in a few days so no more power until 'C' station is up and running.

Bill D.

No worries Fusion power is just around the corner.😉

Fusion

Edited By V8Eng on 10/02/2022 20:17:47