The UK's National Grid/ power generation - historical data ?

[Harry Bloomfield]

Hi,

I have had a few questions passed asked of me about the UK's National
Grid, the technicalies of power generation, distribution and so on,
right down to the local sub-stations. In trying to provide answers, I
have found there is very little information to be found on the
Internet.

Has anyone found a web site which provides some good technical
explanation of how the UK network actually operates and particularly
when the National Grid was started and came into full operation?

 

[Andrew Gabriel]

Hi,

I have had a few questions passed asked of me about the UK's National
Grid, the technicalies of power generation, distribution and so on,
right down to the local sub-stations. In trying to provide answers, I
have found there is very little information to be found on the
Internet.

Has anyone found a web site which provides some good technical
explanation of how the UK network actually operates and particularly
when the National Grid was started and came into full operation?

I have a book somewhere which talks about the roll out of the
National Grid (128kV) and the first stage of the Super Grid
(275kV), but it was published before the second stage of the
Super Grid (440kV). From memory, I think the National Grid is
around 1950. I can't remember the date of the first stage of
the Super Grid, but I recall the second stage being built in
the late 1960's.

I'll try searching out the book next week, but I don't know of
any websites. You might find the following article I wrote
quite interesting though...
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]

 

[Eur Ing John Rye]

Hello Harry

Hi,

I have had a few questions passed asked of me about the UK's National
Grid, the technicalies of power generation, distribution and so on,
right down to the local sub-stations. In trying to provide answers, I
have found there is very little information to be found on the
Internet.

Has anyone found a web site which provides some good technical
explanation of how the UK network actually operates and particularly
when the National Grid was started and came into full operation?

Unfortunately no, but there are books and articles that you ought to be able
to get through your local library.

There is an official 2 volume history of the industry written by Dr Leslie
Hannah. Volume 1 is titled "Electricity before Nationalisation, and the
second volume "Engineers Managers and Politicians".

There are also books describing the development of the individual Area Boards
after nationalisation (eg "Light in the East" by C T Melling published in
1986 ISBN 0 904064 14X.

There was an excellent historical review paper on the development of The
National Grid in one of the IEE journals. I have a copy somewhere, but can
not find it quickly.

John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

On 31/01/2004 Andrew Gabriel opined:-

I'll try searching out the book next week, but I don't know of
any websites. You might find the following article I wrote
quite interesting though...
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]

Thanks for the link, one of my unasked questions was about the
stability and accuracy of the 50Hz mains frequency.

 

[J. Michael Care]

The National grid itself started with the Central Electricity Authority and
was inservice in the late 20's, 1928 comes to mind, running at 132 kV. It
also standardised the system frequency at 50 Hz but frequency conversion of
non standard frequencies was not completed until the 40's. Some dc systems
still existed in London when I worked there in the mid 70's. As noted by
another there is some historical data in the IEE web site (iee.org.uk) but I
have not serched that recently.