The Pylon Appreciation Society

A selection of useful links and pylon related information. (They will open in another window.)
If you know a link to include here, please email pylons@gorge.org.

Research articles:

• UK CEED: The scope for undergrounding overhead electricity lines (PDF) - providing a comparison of costs and other factors between erecting pylons, and burying the cables.
  
  
• UK Childhood Cancer Survey: "This study provides no evidence that exposure to magnetic fields associated with the electricity supply in the UK increases the risk for childhood leukaemia, cancers of the central nervous system, or any other childhood cancer." (Please note, while this is a very thorough study, Pylon Appreciation Society makes no claims that powerlines do, or don't, cause cancer. The reader is encouraged to make up their own mind.)
  
  
• Unusual lichens under pylons on zinc enriched soil
  
  
• Strategies to identify dangerous electricity pylons for birds
  
  
• Nesting by Raptors and Common Ravens on Electrical Transmission Line Towers
  
  

• Gridlines - National Grid's magazine for Grantors (land owners with pylons on their property - Archives available in PDF form, include articles about EMF and pylons as well as farming issues etc.
  
  
• National Grid information on pylons and transmission lines
  
  
• TREC-UK: Electricity transmission grids - why they are needed - also many links to articles about methods of transmission, with the emphasis on "green" or sustainable energy resources
  
  
• A simple overview of the UK Electricity Supply Network
  
  
• RTE photo library of construction projects, showing pylons being built - also links to photo galleries of overhead lines, substations etc.
  
  
• Video clip of the first pylon being erected in Scotland, in 1928
  
  
• YouTube: Flying Linesman's videos of inspecting powerlines from a helicopter in the USA - amazing footage
  
  
• Geograph: photos of substations
  
  
• Geograph: photos of pylons
  
  

• The Fusebox - a wealth of electricity-related information and activities for 6 to 15 year olds - Recommended!
  
  
• The Electricity Transmission Story - Canadian website
  
  
• BBC Schools programme: Electricity - this is aimed at teachers and suggests several activities related to electricity
  
  
• Public Information Film: Play Safe - a 1979 film about safety around substations. It is quite dramatic / scary in places so not suitable for very young children.