Telegraph Poles

[Metroman62]

Not a great picture, but I think once this type of telegraph pole was seen a lot at the side of railway lines. Are there many left around the country? This one is the only one I have spotted and is between Amersham and Chalfont & Latimer on the Metropolitan Line

 

[LowLevel]

There's a few still left approaching Firsby Curve between Bellwater Jn and Thorpe Culvert on the Skegness line.

 

[91104]

There was still plenty around Sleaford when I was learning the joint line in Feb/March

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Bit of a long shot this and I haven't got the faintest clue if it's accurate but wasn't the largest in the UK near Dalmellington, Ayrshire beside a viaduct? Removed now I think but I seem to recall talk of it once on a railtour down that way.

 

[W230]

Used to be loads around Thetford when travelling between Norwich and Ely. Not sure if they've disappeared with a tidy up during the resignalling work as not been that way for a while.

 

[TDK]

There is one at Tyn y Morfa UWG LC on the line between Chester and Llandudno Jct.

 

[Tio Terry]

I'm probably one of the last people to be trained by BR to maintain, renew and enhance telegraph poles and telegraph pole routes. I joined BR, in Norwich, in July 1964 and, on my second day, was told to catch the 06:20 from Norwich and join the Telegraph Gang, the Ganger was Jock Hanney.

I wont bore you with all the story but the first thing I got involved with was the renewal of a Telegraph Pole in Brandon Yard - between Thetford and Ely. It's still standing, I went past there a couple of months ago. No wires on it now, the areas been cabled (at last!) but I know exactly which pole it is because the arms are off-set to carry the wires past the water tank used to top up the steam engines (long gone, but the pole with the off-set arms remains!). At the end of July this year I will complete my first 50 years in the Railway Industry so that pole has stood there for all that time! Next time I'm that way - I still have family in Norfolk - I'll take a picture of it.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Plenty in sunny south Sussex !

 

[AndyPJG]

I'm probably one of the last people to be trained by BR to maintain, renew and enhance telegraph poles and telegraph pole routes. I joined BR, in Norwich, in July 1964 and, on my second day, was told to catch the 06:20 from Norwich and join the Telegraph Gang, the Ganger was Jock Hanney.

I wont bore you with all the story but the first thing I got involved with was the renewal of a Telegraph Pole in Brandon Yard - between Thetford and Ely. It's still standing, I went past there a couple of months ago. No wires on it now, the areas been cabled (at last!) but I know exactly which pole it is because the arms are off-set to carry the wires past the water tank used to top up the steam engines (long gone, but the pole with the off-set arms remains!). At the end of July this year I will complete my first 50 years in the Railway Industry so that pole has stood there for all that time! Next time I'm that way - I still have family in Norfolk - I'll take a picture of it.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Brandon/@52.454174,0.624764,3a,77.1y,86.79h,94.03t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1ssXXF8DC84Zt4xJT4T9sXwQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x47d830935409d72d:0x3964e4acb26df4cf is in the area

 

[Railsigns]

An open wire pole route is still in use between Forres and Inverurie.

 

[John Webb]

We're planning to put up a short length of pole run in the garden of St Albans South signal box as a reminder of what used to be there for the older visitors and to show younger visitors how it was done before underground cables and fibre-optics!

 

[ianhr]

Pole lines used to be a feature of almost every railway in the world but most have disappeared now, or lie derelict. When heritage railways try to recreate the authenticity of specific periods, e.g. the 1950's, it seems to be something that they overlook. However the Isle of Wight Steam Railway (absolutely the best for atmosphere!) are planning to reinstate theirs.

 

[fsmr]

Pole lines used to be a feature of almost every railway in the world but most have disappeared now, or lie derelict. When heritage railways try to recreate the authenticity of specific periods, e.g. the 1950's, it seems to be something that they overlook. However the Isle of Wight Steam Railway (absolutely the best for atmosphere!) are planning to reinstate theirs.

We still have them to 1/5th scale at the Stapleford Miniature Railway Leics

 

[Parham Wood]

Back in the late 70s I worked in the cable section of the Western Region S&T department. I did a lot of the planning for converting pole routes to cable routes. It was an interesting job although sad to see the overheads go as they were an part of the railways. So I am afraid a lot of the Welsh valleys and West Wales pole route demises are down to me. Mind you it was wonderful walking the track doing surveys for the cable route, lots of fresh air, oh and rain at times! Readers may be interested to know that on these still semaphore routes the cables were often "mole ploughed" into the ground. A special cable train was used with a special wagon which mounted a plough about 1.4m high and 8cm wide. It was hollow with a solid tip. As the plough went through the ground the cables went down the middle of the plough and were burried.

There was only one train of this type on the railway as I recall and it was operated by a private Glasgow based company. Their staff used to man the plough. They always had an enormous box (no, a hamper) of sandwiches and stayed in 4* hotels. We poor railwaymen existing on expenses had to make do with 2* hotels and if we were lucky the hotel would make a round or two of sandwiches. However the Glasgow boys were a great bunch and would share their food, although we did have difficulty in understanding anything they said!

For the train buffs the train was normally hauled by a slow speed running class 47.

I would expect pole routes to be quite an expensive investment for most preservation railways. They would also be targets for thieves for the copper wire. It would be nice however to see routes again by the lineside as they are so part of the past rail scene.

 

[Tio Terry]

Back in the late 70s I worked in the cable section of the Western Region S&T department. I did a lot of the planning for converting pole routes to cable routes. It was an interesting job although sad to see the overheads go as they were an part of the railways. So I am afraid a lot of the Welsh valleys and West Wales pole route demises are down to me. Mind you it was wonderful walking the track doing surveys for the cable route, lots of fresh air, oh and rain at times! Readers may be interested to know that on these still semaphore routes the cables were often "mole ploughed" into the ground. A special cable train was used with a special wagon which mounted a plough about 1.4m high and 8cm wide. It was hollow with a solid tip. As the plough went through the ground the cables went down the middle of the plough and were burried.

There was only one train of this type on the railway as I recall and it was operated by a private Glasgow based company. Their staff used to man the plough. They always had an enormous box (no, a hamper) of sandwiches and stayed in 4* hotels. We poor railwaymen existing on expenses had to make do with 2* hotels and if we were lucky the hotel would make a round or two of sandwiches. However the Glasgow boys were a great bunch and would share their food, although we did have difficulty in understanding anything they said!

For the train buffs the train was normally hauled by a slow speed running class 47.

I would expect pole routes to be quite an expensive investment for most preservation railways. They would also be targets for thieves for the copper wire. It would be nice however to see routes again by the lineside as they are so part of the past rail scene.

Cuthbertson's from Biggar.

I did the same job as you but in East Anglia, we always had to get a merry-go-round slow speed controlled 47 sent to East Anglia specially for us to use as there were none based there.

 

[Lockwood]

I think there's still one on the Fareham Bus Rapid Transit(!)

 

[L&Y Robert]

I would expect pole routes to be quite an expensive investment for most preservation railways. They would also be targets for thieves for the copper wire. It would be nice however to see routes again by the lineside as they are so part of the past rail scene.

I remember in the 60s on holiday in the Scottish Highlands noting that in some places the overhead telegraph wires were rusty! One day, after a bit of rooting around somewhere I found off-cuts in the grass, and found that the wire was indeed galvanised steel - like fencing wire. It would have a higher resistance than copper, but presumably it served the purpose and of course it wouldn't be worth stealing.

Having read the thread thus far, a distant memory stirred and took me up to the remoter parts of our attic, where I sat for an hour looking for an article I dimly remembered in a magazine. At last I found it, in the September 1966 issue of "Railway Modeller". The article was last of a series of four by B.P.Mills titled "Western Region Signalling Practice". The piece contains a good description of poles and wires associated with signals and telegraph - "The Rig" as he calls it, and some really excellent detailed drawings of poles, insulators, wire fixings and wot-not. This particular piece was the last of four, the previous articles having been published in Sept. 1965, and Feb. and May of 1966. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have those.

 

[Dan_225]

I noticed this at work a few weeks back, the old pole still remains on the UP cess just before Thornliebank station on the East Kilbride Line.

Can easily be seen from the road bridge as depicted in google street view.

 

[trentside]

There was still plenty around Sleaford when I was learning the joint line in Feb/March

They survived the latest round of re-signalling, so obviously aren't getting in the way enough to remove them - even if the boxes they once connected are now closed!

 

[davetheguard]

I took this picture at Melton Mowbray station yesterday.

Telegraph poles, but no connecting wire.

 

[edwin_m]

I remember in the 60s on holiday in the Scottish Highlands noting that in some places the overhead telegraph wires were rusty! One day, after a bit of rooting around somewhere I found off-cuts in the grass, and found that the wire was indeed galvanised steel - like fencing wire. It would have a higher resistance than copper, but presumably it served the purpose and of course it wouldn't be worth stealing.

I think overhead telephone wires are also steel (but insulated twin conductor). If it is worked to and fro (for example by wind swaying the cables), single strand copper eventually work-hardens and becomes brittle. As they only worked things like phones, block instruments and bells the amount of current would be small and the resistance of steel wouldn't be an problem.

 

[Strat-tastic]

Sorry guys; couldn't resist...

 

[L&Y Robert]

Sorry guys; couldn't resist...

What?
Don't get it.

 

[Strat-tastic]

What?
Don't get it.

OK OK he's a character from Red Dwarf who also has an interest in telegraph poles. Specifically late 20th century examples.

 

[trentside]

Saw a few around in Norfolk yesterday, seemed to be a few in quite good condition near Reedham.

 

[infobleep]

An open wire pole route is still in use between Forres and Inverurie.

Great to see some still in use. I'm sure they won't last. I got a shock when I saw them in use in Norfolk in the last 2000s. Sadly they have now gone but I can't blame them of their removal.

Pole lines used to be a feature of almost every railway in the world but most have disappeared now, or lie derelict. When heritage railways try to recreate the authenticity of specific periods, e.g. the 1950's, it seems to be something that they overlook. However the Isle of Wight Steam Railway (absolutely the best for atmosphere!) are planning to reinstate theirs.

I think that's a great idea. Perhaps one other steam railway companies can adopt in time.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Railsigns]

The Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway has erected a pole route along part of its route.