Power cuts

[vernon]

Meanwood in Leeds has been hit by a power cut. Not experienced one since the winter of discontent.

 

[TVC]

Isn't it still gas lights up there? I understand in posh Roundhay they have Mr Edisons DC electrcity network now.

 

[sunnyjim]

Happy days- before POS terminals, so pubs stayed open & bought out the candles.

 

[Night Train]

The last powercut I experienced was at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales about three years ago. We got by when I ran an extension lead from the inverter in the back of my car. A whole site with wind and water turbines and solar panels and we powered our laptops from a diesel car!

 

[gbb]

Meanwood in Leeds has been hit by a power cut. Not experienced one since the winter of discontent.

Winter of discontent, was that mid to late 70s ?
Eee, i remember on nightshift, we used to get a table out in the workshops, a couple of lantern torches and a pack of cards...ready for the power to go off at maybe 10 or 11pm. Sat in the gloom playing crib until it came back on...magic
IIRC, we (everyone) knew when the cuts were, what days, what times.

 

[spen666]

Meanwood in Leeds has been hit by a power cut. Not experienced one since the winter of discontent.

There's discontent every winter in wor house

 

[Arch]

Winter of discontent, was that mid to late 70s ?

Yes, I remember evenings by candlelight when I was little. I gather, us being in Belfast, that there sometimes additional sectarian strikes, especially the bakers. Mum tried to make her own bread, and discovered a hitherto unsuspected talent for producing wheat based bricks.

We had a cut here in York a couple of years back, but only my street. I got candles out, and it was a good excuse to get takeaway for dinner. At least when one has camping kit, one can still brew up on the Trangia.

 

[vernon]

Power's back.

I was wrong about the winter of discontent.

It was the coal conservation measures including a three day week in the early seventies that led to power cuts.

I remember doing my homework by candle light.....

Well I remember the candle light

 

[vernon]

We had a cut here in York a couple of years back, but only my street. I got candles out, and it was a good excuse to get takeaway for dinner. At least when one has camping kit, one can still brew up on the Trangia.

It never occurred to me to dig out the Trangia. Having a gas cooker helps.

 

[Night Train]

Power's back.

I was wrong about the winter of discontent.

It was the coal conservation measures including a three day week in the early seventies that led to power cuts.

I remember doing my homework by candle light.....

Well I remember the candle light

I remember it well and even now we still keep candles in the house and a lot of torches.

We still had a gas lamp on the top landing of the stairs and maintained it right through to the late 90's, just in case.
I'm sure only one phase was switched off at a time so when the house was in darkness the lamp post outside the living room window was on and vice versa.

I am so tempted to install some gas lighting in my house.

 

[Arch]

I am so tempted to install some gas lighting in my house.

There are still gas lamps around York Minster, they cast a lovely light, and look especially picturesque when it snows.

 

[vernon]

Leeds has around twenty five gas lamps still operating. Some are in pub court yards in the city centre.

 

[slowmotion]

It wasn't so long ago that London had a few street lamps directly powered by methane from the sewers. Biofuel, or what!?

Edit: Hmm, sorry...it seems their main purpose was to burn of methane rather than use it as a light source. See here...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewer_gas_destructor_lamp

 

[vernon]

It wasn't so long ago that London had a few street lamps directly powered by methane from the sewers. Biofuel, or what!?

Currently my wife could fuel a few street lamps with her methane production it's a very recent affliction.

She's finding her flatulence embarrassing.

I'm finding it hysterical.

She's not impressed with me.

 

[marinyork]

I think it is about 2 substations a day in the country that are broken into and cause power cuts. That's on top of other types of power cuts.