Device attached to Grid Pylon

charles · Apr 24, 2020

Hi guys, a couple of questions; 1. What is the cylindrical device attached to one of the pylon conductors, it appears to have a cable coming out of each side which is twisted around the HV conductor? 2. What is the silver rod running up the side of the pylon structure? Pictures attached.

Regards, Charles

pc1966 · Apr 24, 2020

I think the silver rod is probably an attachment point for a fall-arrest harness for anyone climbing to do work on the pylon.

No idea about the disk thing though!

davesparks · Apr 24, 2020

I agree the silver rod is probably a tensioned steel wire to attach a harness to.

The round disk looks a bit like a flux capacitor charging station for a delorean (special edition) , but could just be ET's lunchbox.

bill01803 · Apr 24, 2020

The cable rapped around the conductor will be fibre network cable so the lunch box could be a joint

westward10 · Apr 24, 2020

Could be an SAR.

Zerax · Apr 24, 2020

westward10 said:
Could be an SAR.

Search And Rescue ??

westward10 · Apr 24, 2020

Zerax said:
Search And Rescue ??

Synthetic Aperture Radar

shaun1 · Apr 24, 2020

Looks like one of these:

Home

AFL offers fiber optic cable, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectors, fusion splicers, test and inspection equipment, training services.

www.aflglobal.com

westward10 · Apr 24, 2020

shaun1 said:
Looks like one of these:

Home

AFL offers fiber optic cable, transmission and substation accessories, outside plant equipment, connectors, fusion splicers, test and inspection equipment, training services.

www.aflglobal.com

It does indeed.

buzzlightyear · Apr 24, 2020

Just found out is a pylon whinch for the local traviler in case he has run out of steel. Lol

charles · Apr 24, 2020

Sorry guys and thanks, my old age and the lockdown has made me more dosey than usual. It’s obvious it’s fibre optic.... durr! Not sure about the rod though, it is located where the climbing steps are, but it looks a bit flimsy and is only attached every few metres, I think if I jumped off I’d rather be attached to the pylon.

snowhead · Apr 24, 2020

The Rod will be for the Safety line.
They'll have another clip / line they move up to a step above as they climb.
The saftey line will probably have a running clip that goes over the fixings without removing it, so they are always clipped on at least one line.
Unlike the men that erected them in the 50's and 60's.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUowNWSk4uU

JD6400 · Apr 24, 2020

Wow, thanks for the video.
It was a different time !

Taylortwocities · Apr 25, 2020

No safety lines, not even wearing gloves.

Strima · Apr 25, 2020

The dish is a Skywrap, the DNO have been installing these over the last couple of years as part of a network monitoring system upgrade, my last employer was involved with part of this at ground level.

The vertical cable is part of a Latchway/Cabloc fall arrest system used by climbers. Very common on towers and masts.

View: https://youtu.be/BMxb7Rghcmg

telectrix · Apr 25, 2020

pylon men:
Tut-Tut. no hard hats.

buzzlightyear · Apr 25, 2020

telectrix said:
pylon men:
Tut-Tut. no hard hats

humpty dumpy men .lol.

Strima · Apr 25, 2020

snowhead said:
The Rod will be for the Safety line.
They'll have another clip / line they move up to a step above as they climb.
The saftey line will probably have a running clip that goes over the fixings without removing it, so they are always clipped on at least one line.
Unlike the men that erected them in the 50's and 60's.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUowNWSk4uU

My father-in-law worked on the pylons around this time, he was on the insulators gang. He loved the work but when a pylon collapsed into the Great River Ouse killing eleven men he decided on a career change.