Underground cable photos

Here is a small selection from our archive of underground cable photographs going back over a century. On this page we are concentrating on the era from the 1890s up to Nationalisation in the late 1940s.

SWEHS 3.1.006.jpg – Date 1893 – First cables being laid High Street/Back of Bridge Street. Bristol, City Cable laying in progress..
SWEHS 3.1.024.jpg – Date 1893 – Baldwin Street cable works with brick cable markers. Bristol, City Original page from BCED record log with photograph affixed..
SWEHS 18.1.001.jpg – Date 1897 – Torquay, first cables being laid from The Strand to Beacon Quay electricity works Devon, Torquay .
SWEHS 18.1.003.jpg – Date 1898 – Torquay, Beacon Quay original installation. Commenced supply 1898. Three Willans steam engine/Easton Anderson alternators with three Ferranti rectifiers in background. Devon, Torquay .
SWEHS 3.1.007.jpg – Date 1900 – Baldwin Street, near Bristol Bridge. Mr J Duggan behind cloth capped gent on left. Bristol, City Cable works, note bricks with circuit description..
SWEHS 3.1.015.jpg – Date 1900 – Arc lamp maintenance and trimmer team. Bristol, unknown location .
SWEHS 7.1.086.jpg – Date 1912 – 10kV 0.4 PILC cable in Mannesman tubes and low voltage cables in a bunch. Cornwall, Causewayhead, Penzance .
SWEHS 3.3.225a.jpg – Date c1915 – Cable jointing gang in Shirehampton Road. Bristol, Shirehampton Tom Webb was in charge of driving cart, tall man is Arthur Attwood and on extreme right is Albert Keepin..
SWEHS 3.3.229.jpg – Date 05/1921 – Cable diversions Temple Back from Half Penny Bridge direction. On the photograph, the cables have been identified in ink. Bristol, Temple Back .
SWEHS 3.1.045.jpg – Date 1922 – Extensive cable works in Temple Back facing Phillip Street. On the photograph, the cables have been identified in ink and is signed BCED. Bristol, Temple Back .
SWEHS 3.3.226.jpg – Date 05/1922 – Cable diversions Temple Back adjacent to Half Penny Bridge. On the photograph, the cables have been identified in ink. Bristol, Temple Back Bristol Tramways and Carriage Power Station opposite and Castle Flour Mills across bridge in background..
SWEHS 3.1.048.jpg – Date 1925 – Workmen involved in the single to three phase changeover photographed in Vyvian Terrace. Bristol, Clifton .
SWEHS 7.1.104.jpg – Date 1927 – Delivery of Henley cable. Small van of Cornwall Electric Power Company Cornwall, Carn Brea .
SWEHS 7.1.189.jpg – Date 1930 – Tamar 33kV Submarine cable from Saltash to Devonport being installed. Devon, Torpoint .
SWEHS 15.0.113.jpg – Date 1930 – Tamar – Devonport to Saltash 33kV cable crossing. Barge with cable on Devonport shore. Devon, Devonport .
SWEHS 15.0.114.jpg – Date 1930 – Tamar – Devonport to Saltash 33kV cable crossing. Tugs guiding barge loaded with the cable drum. Devon, Devonport .
SWEHS 3.2.103.jpg – Date 1934 – aying 33kV cables from Portishead Generating Station across River Avon (to Avonmouth). North Somerset, Portbury .
SWEHS 3.2.104.jpg – Date 1934 – Laying 33kV cables from Portishead Generating Station between Avonmouth Dock and Avonmouth. Bristol, Avonmouth Dock .
SWEHS 3.2.108.jpg – Date 1934 – Laying 33kV cables from Portishead Generating Station between Avonmouth Dock and Avonmouth at River Avon crossing. Bristol, Avonmouth Dock Cables being greased before being pulled through pipes across River Avon..
SWEHS 9.0.021.jpg – Date 1930s – River Dart 11kV cable crossing. Devon, Dartmouth & Kingswear .
SWEHS 9.0.009.jpg – Date unknown – 33kV Callenders submarine cable passing through Barnstaple. Devon, Barnstaple .
SWEHS 9.0.092.jpg – Date unknown – River Taw crossing. 21 ton drum of Callender 33,000kV submarine cable for Whitehall Securities Corp. Ltd. View of drum on special low loading wagon. Devon, Barnstaple .

Notes and suggestions for further reading

Also see Overhead Line photos.