James Watson CEng, FIET
@engineerlondon.bsky.social
Engineer. Historian. Beer-Drinker. Publican's Friend. Hi-Fi Anorak. Technocrat. Patriot. Improving Husband. Feminist. “The Attenborough of the Relay Room”
Pinned
We are not the BEST commissioning engineers on the British power system, but we are in the top two 💁🏻♂️
!⃝ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 ⚡️👆🏻
!⃝ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 ⚡️👆🏻
The perfect beer before a transient feeder simulation with reversion and hot standby auto close 👌🏻 As our saviour taught us- TPSO be damned!!!
November 8, 2025 at 11:18 PM
The perfect beer before a transient feeder simulation with reversion and hot standby auto close 👌🏻 As our saviour taught us- TPSO be damned!!!
Transient feeder fault with FR. Double F3 flap to quench and then auto restoration. This is what it’s all about 💪🏻🙌🏻👌🏻😍
October 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Transient feeder fault with FR. Double F3 flap to quench and then auto restoration. This is what it’s all about 💪🏻🙌🏻👌🏻😍
Morning ☀️😘
October 19, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Morning ☀️😘
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
The other afternoon, a small-scale electricity supply failure to a domestic supply run at shallow depth beneath the pavement, just the sort of thing that, were it to happen on his patch, wouldn't be @engineerlondon.bsky.social's concern.
October 16, 2025 at 11:23 AM
The other afternoon, a small-scale electricity supply failure to a domestic supply run at shallow depth beneath the pavement, just the sort of thing that, were it to happen on his patch, wouldn't be @engineerlondon.bsky.social's concern.
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
@engineerlondon.bsky.social Well-designed transformer with convenient mug shelf.
October 12, 2025 at 8:24 PM
@engineerlondon.bsky.social Well-designed transformer with convenient mug shelf.
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
How do you isolate a gas main?
Pinch it! 😬
Pinch it! 😬
October 6, 2025 at 2:11 PM
How do you isolate a gas main?
Pinch it! 😬
Pinch it! 😬
Case of my 1967 ‘A Unit’ having a cheeky respray ready for the new installation in my study, under construction
October 2, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Case of my 1967 ‘A Unit’ having a cheeky respray ready for the new installation in my study, under construction
Typically 11 kV (or 6.6 kV) to 400 volt. Capacity ranges from 300 kVA to 2 MVA. In London we call them TCs (transformer chambers) and there are 30,000 of them. Elsewhere they are known as distribution substations, mostly fed via cable, a few by woodpole OHL in rural areas
@engineerlondon.bsky.social Hi. I have a question, which I hope you will answer for me. You know these buildings on our streets? Are these substations with transformers that feed 230V to a few streets? Are they fed by bigger high voltage cables underground?
September 23, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Typically 11 kV (or 6.6 kV) to 400 volt. Capacity ranges from 300 kVA to 2 MVA. In London we call them TCs (transformer chambers) and there are 30,000 of them. Elsewhere they are known as distribution substations, mostly fed via cable, a few by woodpole OHL in rural areas
Just examining the phasing on a tee off as I was trying to find an every day regular phase cross for my trainees. But this is a single phase tee off so it’s arbitrary. Still worth surveying tho. My wife loves our walks ⚡️
September 11, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Just examining the phasing on a tee off as I was trying to find an every day regular phase cross for my trainees. But this is a single phase tee off so it’s arbitrary. Still worth surveying tho. My wife loves our walks ⚡️
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
Ceci n'est pas une usine! The Brush factory in Loughborough has a distinguished history building locomotives. It also supplied electrical equipment for the original eurostar class 373 (TMST) trains.
#Rail200
#Rail200
September 5, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Ceci n'est pas une usine! The Brush factory in Loughborough has a distinguished history building locomotives. It also supplied electrical equipment for the original eurostar class 373 (TMST) trains.
#Rail200
#Rail200
Op test on Reyrolle OBYR-14 132 kV, 5000 MVA, 2000 A ABCB 💥
September 4, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Op test on Reyrolle OBYR-14 132 kV, 5000 MVA, 2000 A ABCB 💥
Building up the cooler bank on a new 120 MVA 275/33 kV YNd1 transformer. The radiators work just like yours at home. We put warm fluid through them and the surface area cools the fluid and extracts heat from the transformer core and windings, allowing it to function at a safe working temperature 👍🏻
August 20, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Building up the cooler bank on a new 120 MVA 275/33 kV YNd1 transformer. The radiators work just like yours at home. We put warm fluid through them and the surface area cools the fluid and extracts heat from the transformer core and windings, allowing it to function at a safe working temperature 👍🏻
Hard at it ☀️💪🏻
August 17, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Hard at it ☀️💪🏻
The last of eight lovely DAR shots which me and Jade smashed out today in the West Midlands 👌🏻💪🏻👏🏻🥰
August 9, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The last of eight lovely DAR shots which me and Jade smashed out today in the West Midlands 👌🏻💪🏻👏🏻🥰
Mr and Alex looking at an old bakelite back DC board. Alex is wearing a knife switch mask 😆
August 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Mr and Alex looking at an old bakelite back DC board. Alex is wearing a knife switch mask 😆
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
"If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?"
-T. S. Eliot
-T. S. Eliot
August 7, 2025 at 2:41 AM
"If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?"
-T. S. Eliot
-T. S. Eliot
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
Two trains with a direct link across two centuries: Locomotion was built by Robert Stephenson & Co in 1825. The firm later became part of English Electric and then GEC.Through a merger in 1989, GEC-Alsthom was created. It went on to build our original class 373 (TMST) eurostar trains.
#Railway200
#Railway200
August 7, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Two trains with a direct link across two centuries: Locomotion was built by Robert Stephenson & Co in 1825. The firm later became part of English Electric and then GEC.Through a merger in 1989, GEC-Alsthom was created. It went on to build our original class 373 (TMST) eurostar trains.
#Railway200
#Railway200
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
Disaster averted 🫖
August 7, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Disaster averted 🫖
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
August 3, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
Kids, yes your friends have gone on a package holiday to the beach. However, do they see stuff like this:
August 2, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Kids, yes your friends have gone on a package holiday to the beach. However, do they see stuff like this:
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
🎶Are friends Electric?🎶
This #pylonporn pic has certainly proved itself a friend in a number of #AlphabetChallenge categories! Well worth lying down in the wet grass for 😂
#WeekEforEasyE #MobilePhotography 📷
This #pylonporn pic has certainly proved itself a friend in a number of #AlphabetChallenge categories! Well worth lying down in the wet grass for 😂
#WeekEforEasyE #MobilePhotography 📷
August 2, 2025 at 6:10 AM
🎶Are friends Electric?🎶
This #pylonporn pic has certainly proved itself a friend in a number of #AlphabetChallenge categories! Well worth lying down in the wet grass for 😂
#WeekEforEasyE #MobilePhotography 📷
This #pylonporn pic has certainly proved itself a friend in a number of #AlphabetChallenge categories! Well worth lying down in the wet grass for 😂
#WeekEforEasyE #MobilePhotography 📷
Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
Renewables have powered over 50% of the UK’s electricity for the first time on record.
Clean, secure, homegrown energy = lower bills, good jobs, climate action and freedom from fossil fuel markets we can’t control.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Clean, secure, homegrown energy = lower bills, good jobs, climate action and freedom from fossil fuel markets we can’t control.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
July 31, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Renewables have powered over 50% of the UK’s electricity for the first time on record.
Clean, secure, homegrown energy = lower bills, good jobs, climate action and freedom from fossil fuel markets we can’t control.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
Clean, secure, homegrown energy = lower bills, good jobs, climate action and freedom from fossil fuel markets we can’t control.
www.gov.uk/government/s...
The new pool looks very inviting 🏊♂️🏊♀️🏊
July 31, 2025 at 3:20 PM
The new pool looks very inviting 🏊♂️🏊♀️🏊