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The Gorge - Flash Bristow's Website
Pylons around the UK
Having seen my site, Ian McAulay of Envision shared some of his collection of pylon photos with me. They are mainly of the UK, so I did not want to use them all in my pylon photos pages, because my focus is on "pylons around the world". However, they are excellent and need to be seen, so they are aired on a page of their own. The full size images are great and we are very privileged that Ian shared his photos!

For an explanation of the tower model names, please see this page on structures.

For my hundreds of photos of pylons worldwide, please click here.

With many thanks to Ian McAulay, who took all of these photos except the one in the USA (taken by Roger Sidaway) and who supplied the descriptions.


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L6 (left) and L12 (right) 400kV towers near Ormiston, East Lothian. Both have equivalent carrying capacity. Shows how much slimmer a tower could be with computer based design in 1980 than in 1960.

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Single circuit 132kV PL1b series S10S tower near Dalmellington, Ayrshire. Most of the grey paint has peeled to reveal red oxide primer, making an impromptu camouflage pattern.

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Single circuit 275kV towers near Tuxford, Notts. There are 2 lines of these crossing the A1 near here - believed to be only 275kV single circuit in England. These are known as 'cat's head' towers - you can see the outline of a cat's head in the angle towers with the ears forming the earth peaks.

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132kV PL1b series towers near Kirknewton, West Lothian. Early tower designs were made to take a small deviation even in the case of suspension towers. This is the only double circuit example I know which actually takes advantage of that. D2 suspension tower on the left, D30 angle tower on right.

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400kV L12 series towers near Gifford East Lothian. Low winter sun reflecting off the conductors.

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132kV Folded-plate tower, Cambridge Science Park.

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Single circuit 275kV 30 degree angle tower on Scotland-Northern Ireland interconnector, near Drongan, Ayrshire.

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Single circuit 275kV line towers near Patna, Ayrshire.

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Single circuit 275kV 30 degree angle tower near Straiton, Ayrshire.

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Single circuit 275kV towers near Straiton, Ayrshire. Single circuit towers are short enough to hide in forestry quite effectively.

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275kV/400kV paired L2 series D60 towers near Edinburgh

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400kV L9 series towers near Inverkip Power Station, Inverclyde, reflecting late afternoon sun.

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400kV L9 series towers near Inverkip. Low-height towers were used here to limit the impact on the skyline as they climb up from the coast.

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400kV L9 series towers near Inverkip. The terminal towers are an ad-hoc design based on bits of the L9 angle towers.

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400kV L6 series towers near Thirsk, North Yorkshire. D30 angle tower nearest camera. Early morning sunshine on a misty December morning.

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400kV L6 series towers near Thirsk. Same location looking the other way.

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400kV low-height L12 series tower near Thirsk. Tower looms dramatically in dense fog.

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400kV low-height L12 series line tower near Thirsk. Better weather this time!

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400kV low-height L12 series towers near Thirsk. Transition to full-height towers in distance.

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400kV low-height L12 series LD30 and LD towers near Thirsk.

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275kV L2 series D30 towers with big height extensions, Bruntsfield station Edinburgh.

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Double circuit 132kV PL16 line near Currie, West Lothian.

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Double circuit 132kV PL1b line near Kirknewton, West Lothian.

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275kV L3c near Malton, North Yorkshire.

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220kV single circuit towers near Ardee, Co Louth. White paint makes excellent camouflage against the sky, but completely useless against landscape!

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400kV L6 series towers near Dungeness, Kent. To get the height down below the flight path from Lydd airport, angle towers have been used at reduced span and height and with the earth peak omitted so the whole thing is not much higher than the height to the top conductors. Not a pretty sight though.

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132kV Folded-plate tower, Cambridge Science Park.

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Single circuit 275kV line tower near Tuxford, Notts.

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132kV terminal tower, Braco substation.

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132kV terminal tower, Braco substation.

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132kV terminal tower, Braco substation.

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132kV terminal tower, Braco substation.

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132kV terminal tower, details of number plate, Braco substation.

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132kV towers near Braco substation.

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L6 towers at south side of Forth crossing near Alloa on Longannet-Denny lines. River crossing towers appear to be ordinary L6 with high extension. Adjacent angle towers appear to be junction or terminal towers for strength.

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L6 towers at north side of Forth crossing. Kincardine crossing in background.

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L6 towers at north side of Forth crossing. Kincardine crossing in background.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines. One circuit underground, possibly along old railway line, one on gantries.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, gantries and other terminal.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, gantries and other terminal.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, gantries and L6 towers.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, conductors seen against sky.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, gantries and L6 towers.

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Crossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, gantry in detail.

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rossing where Kincardine-Tealing line ducks under Longannet-Denny lines, L2 terminal. Kincardine river crossing in background.

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Kincardine river crossing towers seen over trees.

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Kincardine river crossing towers seen over trees.

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Kincardine river crossing, north tower and strainer seen through fence around power station site.

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Kincardine river crossing, north tower and strainer seen through fence around power station site.

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Kincardine river crossing, showing both towers and strainers.

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Kincardine river crossing, showing both towers and strainers (overexposed).

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L2 tower silhouetted against sky, Kincardine.

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Kincardine river crossing from south side.

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Kincardine river crossing from south side.

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L2 towers near Airth, Falkirk.

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Kincardine river crossing, south tower.

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Kincardine river crossing, tower and strainer.

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Kincardine river crossing, south strainer.

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Kincardine river crossing, south strainer seen against early morning sky, Longannet power station in the background.

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Kincardine river crossing, both towers.

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Kincardine river crossing, south strainer, detail of 8x insulator string bundle.

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PL1 D60 angle near Buchanty, Perthshire.

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PL1 D60 angle near Buchanty, Perthshire.

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PL1 D60 towers near Buchanty (camera shake).

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PL1 D60 towers near Buchanty, Perthshire.

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PL1 D60 angle near Buchanty, Perthshire.

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PL1 D60 angle near Buchanty, Perthshire.

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PL1 D60 angle near Buchanty, Perthshire.

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PL1 towers near Buchanty, purpose of rod on top of nearest tower not known - possibly lightning protection?

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Anti-windfarm poster on A8222 near Monzie.

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Anti-windfarm poster on A8222 near Monzie.

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L2 D60 angle tower in yellow primer, Falkirk.

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L2 D60 angle tower in yellow primer, Falkirk.

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A different L2 D60 near Falkirk in yellow primer.

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Insulator string replacement L2 line tower, Falkirk.

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Insulator string replacement L2 line tower, Falkirk.

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Insulator string replacement L2 D10 or D30 tower, Falkirk.

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Insulator string replacement L2 line tower, Falkirk.


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This page last updated: 01 September 2022



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