NWE PL2
Contents
Overview
NWE PL2 was a 132 kV grid project from the 1930s. Assigned Milliken Brothers contract number E111, it appears to have been conceived at the same time as NWE PL1, which was contract number E112. The scheme is known to contain both single and double circuit towers, including a number of fully custom towers. The two terminal towers remain at Ribble Grid Supply Point substation (53.757° N 2.732° W): one double circuit (originally tower 75) and one single circuit (originally tower F3). At least one line crossed the River Ribble, as the drawings for NWE PL2 indicate that section 6 of the project was the Ribble crossing. Both lines now divert south-west and terminate short of Penwortham 400 kV substation on PL16 DT towers. Lines in the ground visible from aerial photography show what appear to be the covered-over trenches dug for the two cable routes back to the substation.
It would stand to reason that the majority of the single circuit line used standard PL1 towers. The tall suspension towers alongside the Ribble are a modified design to standard PL1 (four “X” bracing pairs above the middle crossarm), but this may not reflect the design of the standard suspension towers used along the rest of the line.
The two terminal towers at Ribble GSP use non-standard crossarm arrangements that would not be repeated in later tower suites.
| Found | |
|---|---|
| Design contractor | Milliken Brothers |
| Height (straight line tower) | ? |
| Voltage | 132 kV |
| Dates back to | 1930 (drawings) |
| Conductors | Single |
| Design conductor | ? |
| Design earthwire | ? |
Tower forms
The following diagrams are shown to scale at 12 pixels per metre:
Terminal tower F3 is unusual (and possibly unique for the UK) in having swept-back crossarms. Terminal tower 75 is also unusual in having a single fishtail auxiliary crossarm instead of the more common long top crossarms. Both top phases use it to route the conductors to the cable sealing ends.
See also
- Pylons at Penwortham, Preston (Flickr)