back
in the red:
POLE To POLE
Telegraph
Poles, is there nothing finer!? Well,
yes, Shoe Trees but thats for another
time. Read on to find out about my
fascination with these miracles of man
made nature. Hypnotizing!
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Ah,
Telegraph Poles. How wonderful. I
have not only taken pictures of
these wooden beauties in my life
but I have also taken it upon
myself to actually erect some in
my own back garden. Telegraph
poles are fairly easy to make.
All you need is your neighbours
tree, a hacksaw and 47 miles of
metal cable. They
have an amazing ability to create
dimension and depth on a layout
because they are installed in a
row and they can be located
behind or in front of the tracks
and buildings. I advise locating
them in front in some areas
because it creates this illusion
of depth. Yes. Depth.
If
you check out the picture on the
left you'll see a fine example of
one of the Telegraph Poles I made
myself. Its so beautiful. You
don't get many of them to the
pound.
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| I
have set up many different
societies in order to bring
Telegraph Poles to people
attention. Unfortunately I have
only managed to make 14 people
climb up them to commit suicide.
Ah well, its a vast improvment on
the 47 who smothered themselves
to death when I told them about
the advantages of having a nice
clean handkerchief. Fortunately
I have managed to convert some
non-believers, showing them that
when a pole has had its day they
can still come in useful.
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Most
people these days love to take
care of their gardens and what
better than a retired pole to
brighten up any dark corner of
the flower bed? All you have to
do is go to any timber yard or
dusty desert road, hack the
bastard down, chop it up and make
a natural looking feature that
will look like its been in your
garden since your Gran was knee
high to a riding crop!
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Back
in the 20th century a new type of
Telegraph Pole was constructed.
Rather a simple idea really; 'Why
not make one out of metal'
someone said, thus a new breed of
this ever popular and important
feature was born. They
were made for areas with
restricted access, too many times
workers had climbed the ever
sturdy wooden versions only to
fall and impale their heads on
metal railings. Making them from
hollow galvanised steel meant
that the dropwire could be
threaded through the interior of
the pole so that all vital
maintainance could be done from
the safety of ground level. They
think of everything don't they!
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| If
you take a look on the right you
will see one of the first
telegraph poles which connected
Australia with the rest of the
World.It was constructed between
1870 and 1874 and was connected
from Java and Port Darwin. As of
1994 there were only 3 recorded
poles left standing. On
me joining Red Dwarf there were
only two left in the world, I
purchased one. They are made of
Cypress Pine otherwise known as Callitris
intratropica.
They
have a lovely texture and make an
interesting party piece.
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| Hopefully
I have managed to interest you
into taking up Telegraph Pole
spotting and collecting as a
hobby. Having a 60 foot wooden
pole in your garden can be very
liberating. Sure neighbours
complain that you're blocking out
their light but its worth the
hate mail, bricked windows and
dog poo through the letterbox. Enjoy
your poles!
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So's
not to get into trouble these pictures
and information came from Northern
Herritage Register, lightstraw.co.uk,
Telegraph Poles Reclaimed and New and
Telegraph Poles.
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