SV650.org - SV650 & Gladius 650 Forum



Photos Place your images here. There's also a "U" rating so please respect this.

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 15-08-22, 07:00 AM   #1131
Luckypants
Moderator
Mega Poster
 
Luckypants's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Nr Ruthin
Posts: 7,055
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Unusual to see new pylons going up. Is there new windfarm activity around there?
__________________
"Your Viffer sounds like it is raising hell! Spot on." - Witchery 17/4/08
Snow Plough Appreciation Society - Member #3

Luckypants is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-22, 08:06 AM   #1132
DarrenSV650S
Member
Mega Poster
 
DarrenSV650S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dundee
Posts: 4,402
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Not that I know of, but there could well be. Not sure of the route of the replacement ones
DarrenSV650S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-22, 06:50 PM   #1133
Ruffy
Member
 
Ruffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: nr. Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Posts: 317
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
Also found some new pylons going up near Schiehallion. Probably not that interesting to most, but I'm a sparky so found it quite interesting
This is right up my street too, so there's at least one appreciative viewer! (I spent 15 years in the Electricity Supply Industry dealing with this sort of stuff, though I moved on to work elsewhere a few years ago.)

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
The cable was suprisingly light
I'm also surprised to see only a twin conductor system - I'd guess at 500mm2 csa each, all aluminium conductor. Larger (greater capacity) bundles are commonplace now

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
The scaffold and net is presumably to catch the cable if it falls onto the road! Bit scary to think of, especially since it was live. I could hear it buzzing underneath.
Two electrical circuits on each tower, 3 conductors each side per circuit - one circuit will usually remain live whilst the other is being replaced. Yes, the net is to stop a conductor unexpectedly falling onto the road. The risk of falling conductor is more from the one being removed or installed, all pulled under tension, but not not energised you'll be pleased to hear!

I can't see running blocks/pulleys on the towers and it all looks put together, tensioned and finished ok, so the stuff on the ground is most likely the old conductor that's been dropped, now waiting for proper clear up.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luckypants View Post
Unusual to see new pylons going up. Is there new windfarm activity around there?
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
Not that I know of, but there could well be. Not sure of the route of the replacement ones
From a quick browse of the SSEN website, it appears to be reconfiguration of line entries for the new Kinardochy substation that's under construction nearby. (If I were a guessing man I'd say you could see it just in the distance of Darren's 3rd picture - the one with scaffold & bike.)

Reading the blurb, the new substation is to manage power flow effects arising from a number of factors - connections of generation incl. windfarms elsewhere, general power flow pattern change, new switching and reactive power devices to maximise capacity of lines etc.

There's some other progress pics on the SSEN project page too:

https://www.ssen-transmission.co.uk/...hy-substation/
__________________
Spannering the wife's SV650S K5 pointy in Black, and son's SV650 X curvy in Blue.
RIP SV650 X curvy, crashed and written off December 2019.
I'm (procrastinating about) fixing up an old Yamaha FZ600 to get myself fully back on the road.
Ruffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-22, 07:30 PM   #1134
DarrenSV650S
Member
Mega Poster
 
DarrenSV650S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dundee
Posts: 4,402
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Interesting stuff Ruffy. Thanks for that. I had a quick google but couldn't find anything on the construction.

The road at the top left of this pic is the one I was on, which leads to Loch Rannoch. Pic is from their website. And yes I did see that construction site, which is the one in my pic like you say.
Quote:
Are the cables solid? It almost felt like it had an inner core. Maybe just because it was aluminium. We removed some 240mm solid core aluminium SWA cables recently and everyone was amazed at how light they were compared to copper.

That road is also where I took this pic back in April. Presumably to monitor the traffic before construction started?
DarrenSV650S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-22, 10:01 PM   #1135
Ruffy
Member
 
Ruffy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: nr. Ashby-de-la-Zouch
Posts: 317
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
Interesting stuff Ruffy. Thanks for that. I had a quick google but couldn't find anything on the construction.
Even with the power of Google, it sometimes helps to have a bit of specialist insight and background into what you're looking for. I didn't find it first search either!

Lovely part of the world - I have fond memories of a mountain marathon I did in the Rannoch Moor area about 30 years ago, and also getting out and about while I was working near Stirling for a short while in the mid 90s, but it's a long time since I've been up there. (Flippin' eck, I'm old!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
...Are the cables solid? It almost felt like it had an inner core. Maybe just because it was aluminium.
Probably. There's a lot of different stuff out there for overhead conductors, but I'm pretty sure it's Rubus conductor - IIRC a nominal 500mm2 All Aluminium Alloy Conductor AAAC. It's not hollow but has a series of counter-wound layers of smaller aluminum strands. Google images may be better than my explanation.

It's not my area of expertise but I understand that all aluminium conductors have become more commonplace because the alloying technology has improved to allow the elimination of traditionally stronger and heavier steel cores that were found in earlier ACSR (Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced) conductors. Like you say, weight is a factor when hanging stuff in the air, so is cost (copper is comparatively expensive even though it's a better conductor), so is electrical performance (Al is better conductor than steel) and also thermal performance (when Al/Fe metals expand at different rates in combined conductors as electrical load changes and the conductor changes temperature it can cause functional problems over time, accelerated deterioration or need for more maintenance or replacement).

(And before you start thinking I'm amazing , I'm not, I can't really tell by just looking at your photos. I might still be wrong but fortunately, this is Beauly-Denny line, a relatively recent upgrade to GB Transmission System, in essence just rebuilt from 132kV to 275kV but it's physically much bigger structures and higher in the air - it's very well known in the industry because of the consenting challenges it had prior to construction. Some facts/info just sticks in the brain!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S View Post
...Presumably to monitor the traffic before construction started?
Now I really would be guessing - I don't know what the box is for, but you could very well be right that it's a traffic monitor - certainly looks like a very good hypothesis seeing the induction loops I spy in the road behind your bike.
__________________
Spannering the wife's SV650S K5 pointy in Black, and son's SV650 X curvy in Blue.
RIP SV650 X curvy, crashed and written off December 2019.
I'm (procrastinating about) fixing up an old Yamaha FZ600 to get myself fully back on the road.

Last edited by Ruffy; 15-08-22 at 10:03 PM. Reason: inevitable typo correction
Ruffy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-08-22, 10:47 AM   #1136
redtrummy
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: N W Leicestershire
Posts: 242
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

What camera do you use Darren? The photos always look great (must be the super fine weather you have up there). Had many a great holiday in Glen Coe and the surrounding area including catching the train to Rannoch Station and walking back to the Glen Coe campsite via the Kings House hotel
redtrummy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-08-22, 01:37 PM   #1137
DarrenSV650S
Member
Mega Poster
 
DarrenSV650S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dundee
Posts: 4,402
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruffy View Post
Even with the power of Google, it sometimes helps to have a bit of specialist insight and background into what you're looking for. I didn't find it first search either!

Lovely part of the world - I have fond memories of a mountain marathon I did in the Rannoch Moor area about 30 years ago, and also getting out and about while I was working near Stirling for a short while in the mid 90s, but it's a long time since I've been up there. (Flippin' eck, I'm old!)

Probably. There's a lot of different stuff out there for overhead conductors, but I'm pretty sure it's Rubus conductor - IIRC a nominal 500mm2 All Aluminium Alloy Conductor AAAC. It's not hollow but has a series of counter-wound layers of smaller aluminum strands. Google images may be better than my explanation.

It's not my area of expertise but I understand that all aluminium conductors have become more commonplace because the alloying technology has improved to allow the elimination of traditionally stronger and heavier steel cores that were found in earlier ACSR (Aluminium Conductor Steel Reinforced) conductors. Like you say, weight is a factor when hanging stuff in the air, so is cost (copper is comparatively expensive even though it's a better conductor), so is electrical performance (Al is better conductor than steel) and also thermal performance (when Al/Fe metals expand at different rates in combined conductors as electrical load changes and the conductor changes temperature it can cause functional problems over time, accelerated deterioration or need for more maintenance or replacement).

(And before you start thinking I'm amazing , I'm not, I can't really tell by just looking at your photos. I might still be wrong but fortunately, this is Beauly-Denny line, a relatively recent upgrade to GB Transmission System, in essence just rebuilt from 132kV to 275kV but it's physically much bigger structures and higher in the air - it's very well known in the industry because of the consenting challenges it had prior to construction. Some facts/info just sticks in the brain!)

Now I really would be guessing - I don't know what the box is for, but you could very well be right that it's a traffic monitor - certainly looks like a very good hypothesis seeing the induction loops I spy in the road behind your bike.
Quote:
Originally Posted by redtrummy View Post
What camera do you use Darren? The photos always look great (must be the super fine weather you have up there). Had many a great holiday in Glen Coe and the surrounding area including catching the train to Rannoch Station and walking back to the Glen Coe campsite via the Kings House hotel
It is a beautiful area. One of my favourite places to go on the bike.
That's some walk! I'd want an enduro bike for that

Camera is just my phone. Galaxy S21
DarrenSV650S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 16-08-22, 05:02 PM   #1138
redtrummy
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: N W Leicestershire
Posts: 242
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

I will own up - Thinking about it we could have driven to Kings House Hotel then caught a bus to the train station, did the walk across the moor and then drove back to the campsite. Too long ago for a clear memory to be honest. but we were pretty active some 40 years ago
redtrummy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-09-22, 06:16 PM   #1139
DarrenSV650S
Member
Mega Poster
 
DarrenSV650S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Dundee
Posts: 4,402
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Had my MOT on Saturday and I've only done 2000 miles this year. Probably the lowest since I started riding!

So I went for a run to get a head start on next year





DarrenSV650S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 27-09-22, 06:34 PM   #1140
admin
John T
Mega Poster
 
admin's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Shrewsbury, Shrops, UK
Posts: 2,447
Default Re: The random rideout pictures thread

Great photos once again. Looks a lot dryer and warmer than my ride into Wales today.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk
__________________
Admin for this forum and the main site. John@sv650.org
admin is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
GM3 Idle banter and random drivel thread Milky Bar Kid SV Ecosse 550 29-06-10 12:04 PM
The completely random picture thread - Strange people DarrenSV650S Photos 12 18-09-09 08:32 AM
Another random thread from me, might make you smile though... missyburd Photos 13 16-05-09 06:09 PM
MM2 random thingummybob thread El Saxo The Border Patrol 49 10-05-09 10:54 PM
Few Random Pictures mister c Photos 32 21-03-08 03:34 AM


All times are GMT. The time now is 10:39 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® - Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.