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Proposed Substation for Network Rail

Substation Action Group

Runcorn Substation Page

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Revision 5 of 13. January 2004 (additional text and new photo)
So that they can judge the scale and appearance of the proposed substation on Station Road, the Substation Action Group repeatedly asked National Grid for photographs of comparable installations. National Grid eventually provided some pictures, but they look much smaller than the site layout drawings on their "Weaverham" brochure, and the installation they've chosen (at Patford Bridge in Northants) turns out to be much closer to both the railway line and the overhead cables than we were told was possible. Our Technical Committee has been investigating these discrepancies, and will prepare a report for the Local Planning Authority.

This page may also develop some technical arguments, for interested readers (you know who you are!) once the formal objections have been lodged with VRBC. We are very grateful for the generous technical support we have received from a number of experts in the electrical, transport and planning fields, some of whom must remain anonymous.

In the absence of any truly comparable photos from National Grid, we've taken some pictures of the nearest 400kV substation we can find. This is on an island in the River Weaver, between Frodsham and Runcorn, just north of the M56 flyover (GR SJ523794) and links the Rocksavage plant of Ineos Chlor to National Grid's 400kV network, transforms voltage for the 275kV Mersey Ring, and provides Manweb (the DNO) with a 132kV local supply. From a comparison of the National Grid brochure and the 1:25,000 OS map, it seems to be about the same size as the one proposed for siting in Green Belt land on Station Road at the Acton Bridge / Weaverham boundary.

A comparable installation in Runcorn, October 2003

This is what it looks like. Note that this photo was taken from a footpath on the other side of the river, at least 150m (500 feet) from the substation itself. In contrast, the site on Station Road starts immediately adjacent to the public highway, and the installation would completely fill the field of view.

Here's another picture : this is (I believe) a 275kV pylon at the Runcorn / Frodsham site. The 400kV pylon proposed for Acton Bridge would be even more massive than this, with four sets of three cross-arms rather than two, and more prominent downleads.

Pylon and downleads at Runcorn, January 2004

Do you think this is acceptable, on a prominent green field site between our two historic villages?

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