Wednesday 27 April 2011

Power to the people

Loath 'em or loath 'em, pylons seem to be an essential part of our infrastructure. I seem to recall reading that overhead power lines are about ten times cheaper than buried cables. I suppose that's because buried cables have to be at a lower voltage than overhead ones, therefore they need to be thicker to cope with the increased current: thicker cables = more copper = more expense. So we're stuck with pylons.


These are near Sutton Stop on the north Oxford; they were nicely lit by the evening sun on 3rd April.


Can't complain really. After all, one of the main uses of canals was the transport of coal, which every early power station burnt.

2 comments:

Llosgi said...

Whenever I see pylons striding across the landscape, I remember Stephen Spender's wonderful poem 'Pylons'.

The secret of these hills was stone, and cottages
Of that stone made,
And crumbling roads
That turned on sudden hidden villages

Now over these small hills, they have built the concrete
That trails black wire
Pylons, those pillars
Bare like nude giant girls that have no secret.

The valley with its gilt and evening look
And the green chestnut
Of customary root,
Are mocked dry like the parched bed of a brook.

But far above and far as sight endures
Like whips of anger
With lightning's danger
There runs the quick perspective of the future.

This dwarfs our emerald country by its trek
So tall with prophecy
Dreaming of cities
Where often clouds shall lean their swan-white neck.

Vallypee said...

Stunning photos, Halfie. The skies are more like a Turner painting than photography. Beautiful...I ust say I rather like pilons...just as I also like cranes. Big steel frameworks that soar into the sky really appeal to me.