Markers on overhead lines at Northampton

[K.o.R]

I was on a train stopped at Northampton the other day and noticed on several of the overhead lines there were these small clear discs with a coloured reflective patch in the middle hanging from the upper of the two lines; some red and some either green or white.



Any idea what they are for? Apologies for potato phone camera picture.

 

[Railsigns]

Those are bird scarers.

 

[K.o.R]

Those are bird scarers.

Interesting! They were only within the platform limits; perhaps they had a problem with birds swooping on passengers?

 

[Kneedown]

They tend to have these, and other designs on overhead wires, both railway and national grid, in the vicinity of bird migration routes and other areas where large waterfowl are. A Swan or Goose flying at full pelt could certainly do some damage.

 

[Ediswan]

They tend to have these, and other designs on overhead wires, both railway and national grid, in the vicinity of bird migration routes and other areas where large waterfowl are.

There is an impressive collection on the line running across Walthamstow Marshes and between the Warwick Reservoirs. Sorry, can't find any photos.

 

[Kneedown]

There is an impressive collection on the line running across Walthamstow Marshes and between the Warwick Reservoirs. Sorry, can't find any photos.

I've seen some designs like big orange balls strung along the wire, presumably to improve visibility to an approaching Swan.

 

[Class15]

Interesting. Have occasionally noticed these things and wondered what they are.

 

[SargeNpton]

At Northampton station, the railway is adjacent to the River Nene, which would reinforce the idea that they are there to prevent waterfowl from flying into the wires.

 

[edwin_m]

I seem to recall orange triangles are attached to a wire if it is a live 25kV feeder, where staff might otherwise think it is a return conductor.

 

[Ediswan]

I found a video showing the collection between the Warwick Reserviors (just south of Tottenham Hale). From 10:00.

 

[thecrofter]

I seem to recall orange triangles are attached to a wire if it is a live 25kV feeder, where staff might otherwise think it is a return conductor.

Yes. Yellow Triangles are affixed to Bare Feeders where they could be mistaken for Return Conductor or Earth Wires. Used to be dictated in RTE 6023 back in my day!

 

[Elecman]

I seem to recall orange triangles are attached to a wire if it is a live 25kV feeder, where staff might otherwise think it is a return conductor.

Correct

 

[K.o.R]

One thing that was interesting was that these discs were only fixed to the wires close to the gantries, not all the way along as you might see on lines between two pylons. Maybe it's to discourage a bird from alighting too close to a gantry and ending up extra crispy?

 

[Dieseldriver]

Those are bird scarers.

I would honestly have never guessed that! Learn something new everyday!