There are a lot of pylons in Bedford, of quite a variety of types; they are all 132 kV. A single walk is not enough to cover them all: pylon hunt 17 previously covered the Watshams “PL7” type, and a third visit is needed to Clapham (just outside of Bedford) to finish off the rest.
I first saw the terminal towers in the Manton Industrial Estate in the distance during pylon hunt 4 to Clapham in August 2022; only 14 months later did I finally return in order to document them. (I need to return to Clapham to retake the photos with a better camera.)
This walk was not meant to be scenic at all (it was planned purely for gathering documentation photos), but there was still plenty to see and enough to make the photos worth sharing.
Starting out with a few photos from in town:
A line of Watshams towers passing over a built-up area:
Straight line tower, double earthwire (DD2)Towering above …10° double earthwire (DD10), one of the pylons I specifically came to document
The next part of the route was a short public footpath that I have never taken before and that was nicer than I expected:
Always mud …Looking across the allotmentsA pylon in the distanceTreesI always enjoy scenic routesA gap in the trees and bushes gives a view of a residential streetOnwards again
Here we come to a confluence of pylons: in the distance is Cut Throat Lane Switching Station:
This line of SEE PL1a towers terminates here; the Watshams line approaches from the rightPL1a line tower basking in the sunOver the road, an L4(m) D90; note that one side is unpopulated, and from this viewpoint the 90° deviation (change in direction of the power line) appears highly exaggerated. In the distance is the new electrification of the Midland Main Line railway.Looking down onto the River Great Ouse, with the shadow of the bridge visibleOne side of Paula Radcliffe Way was closed for maintenance, so I took a sneaky walk along it to get some photos of an L7 or L7(c) DJT (there is no pavement except for along the bridge)The road to Clapham is scenic tooA distant L4(m) D30A PL1a S60 hidden behind the trees; this pylon is located on a rifle range!Milliken Brothers single-circuit tower built to a late 1920s designA look at the 132 kV suspension insulator string; I don’t know what’s up with the single Stockbridge dampers around hereThat L4(m) D30 again
The next destination is Manton Industrial Estate, which is up a hill. Hills mean nice views.
Houses along the road up the hillThe weather was a troublesome mixture of sun and cloud, thus alternate bright and dark photosA pair of masts standing tallA strange plot of landAnother of those old Milliken towersDistant wind farmHill view
The first tower is an L7 or L7(c) DJT: double-circuit junction/terminal. Here it terminates a double-circuit line.
The end of the lineClose-up view; the auxiliary crossarms at the rear are not in useThis sealing end platform is where the wires transition from aerial to underground.
A few shots of the industrial estate:
Both L4(m) DT pylonsIndustrial premisesA cute little van outside of a cafe …… with a funny sign in the windowAll three terminal towers, seen for the last timeThose two masts again
Finally, time to return to the station.
Heading backHill viewSome housesSome brown building … (sun’s gone again)
Thanks to a comment from @Icanhearwhatyouresayingandtheanswerisno on Imgur, I made a point to check out this pillar box today in passing, and … well, what do you know, it’s a VR!
I’ve walked past this before without noticing itVR royal cypher: this Handyside-made pillar box is Victorian era!
Finally back at Bedford station.
Thameslink class 700 train waiting in the platformLooking down the lineInteresting new overhead line equipmentA closer look; nothing like the traditional types found in the UKAboard and waiting for departureLeaving the station
