The magazine for National Grid grantors Winter 07 Gridline nationalgr d

The Great Storm Recalling the events of 20 years ago Working together The war against foot-and-mouth Family affair Father and son team up at the National Ploughing Championships

Also in this issue: key contacts map, daffodil growing in Scotland, grantor photo competition UPDATE Key stories from National Grid and its nationwide grantor network

It’s been an eventful few months since we brought you the last edition of Gridline, so there’s plenty to tell WELCOME you about in this one. First of all, though, thank you to all those who responded to our request for land Contents ownership details. We’re continually updating our databases, so please let us know if your details are incorrect. For all grantors, but mainly our rural grantors, probably the biggest issue of the year has been the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the south of England. On pages 6 to 9 of this issue, we examine how the outbreak aff ected you and National Grid, and we hear from Fred Landeg, acting chief veterinary offi cer at Defra. Th is year also saw the 20th anniversary of the Great Storm, which devastated huge swathes of southern England. We hear from those who were aff ected and those who were working that night on pages 10 and 11. Finally, we’d like to introduce you to Clare White as the new editor of Gridline. If you’ve got any news you’d like to share with other grantors, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Clare. Contact details are on the back page. 14-15 Hector Pearson, land and development stakeholder and policy manager

Look out for Open Farm Sunday, a national open farm day co-ordinated by Linking Environment And Farming 10-11 (LEAF). Farms across the country open for one day in June and invite people on to their farms to see and hear the positive steps farmers are taking to look after the countryside, while producing safe, wholesome and affordable food. To get involved or to fi nd out more about Open Farm Sunday, visit www.farmsunday.org. NEWS NATIONAL GRID’S LAND AND DEVELOPMENT GROUP... is responsible for acquiring all rights and permissions from statutory 04 How huge transformers 19 authorities and landowners needed to install, operate and maintain were transported to a National Grid’s electricity and gas transmission networks. We act as new substation the main interface for landowners who have our gas and electricity Editor’s comments 05 Gas transmission marker equipment installed on their land. Listed below are your National Grid Seasons greetings from the winter posts highlight safety contacts. For individual offi cer contacts; see pages 16 and 17. 2007 edition of Gridline, National Quick response rewarded Grid’s magazine for grantors from FEATURES ELECTRICITY AND GAS made on 0800 404090. Note the the Land and Development team. Sending in details for a new database earns farmer a £50 ■ North west and Scotland tower’s number – found just below In particular, we welcome the company’s voucher and paves the way for other grantors to follow suit 06-09 Coping with foot-and- 0161 776 0706 the property plate – to help crews gas pipeline grantors, who are receiving this mouth disease PROFILES ■ South east 01268 642091 locate it. publication for the very fi rst time. im Meikle (pictured above left ), of land along the route of gas transmission On pages 16 and 17, we provide you with 10-11 Looking back at the ■ South west 01452 316059 ELECTRIC AND MAGNETIC owner of East Banglour Farm in pipelines. Th e prize for being fi rst out of the direct contact for answers to any queries or chaos caused by the Great 18-19 A daffodil grower ■ FIELDS East 0113 290 8236. issues you may have regarding any National West Lothian, was among 12 lucky hat was a £50 high street shopping voucher. ■ Storm of 1987 in Scotland and thwarting WAY LEAVE PAYMENTS For information on electric Grid pylons, pipes or cables on your land. J winners who were rewarded for “It is vital to keep track of owner/ 12-13 A snapshot of just some thieves in rural Lincolnshire ■ For information on way leave and magnetic fi elds, call the EMF We also look at the huge investment responding quickly to a request for land occupier details along the entire length National Grid work underway payments, telephone the payments information line on 08457 023270 National Grid is making in its electricity and ownership details, to be submitted for a new of the pipelines, so that we can contact 14-15 Inside story on LAST WORD helpline on 0800 389 5113. (local call rate). gas transmission networks. Some of the centralised National Grid database. the right person when maintenance is the National Ploughing ELECTRICITY EMERGENCIES Website: www.emfs.info. projects are featured on pages 12 and 13. Th e database brings together information required,” said Rob Greaves, National Grid Championships 20 Q&A with farmer, grantor ■ Emergency calls to report pylon GAS EMERGENCY Thanks previously held in regional locations and asset protection offi cer. “It also enables us 16-17 Double-page contact and property developer damage to National Grid can be ■ 0800 111999. Clare White contains details on 11,000 individual owners to communicate our ‘safe working in the map for key lands offi cers Arthur Watson Gridline editor and occupiers, associated with 26,000 parcels vicinity of pipelines’ message.”

02 | Gridline Gridline | 03 UPDATE Key stories from National Grid and its nationwide grantor network

DON’T Path of history MISS OUT A historic Roman road has been National Grid will be attending a discovered during work on National number of county shows in 2008, Grid’s £840 million gas pipeline in starting with the County South Wales. Show from 15 to 17 May. National Th e road was found as digging began in the Brecon Beacons, on Grid will invite grantors affected by its the 190-mile pipeline from Milford major projects for hospitality. See Haven to Gloucestershire. A section the next issue for a full list of of the road – which is estimated to shows to be attended. date from the fi rst century AD – will be lost to the pipeline but other sections will be preserved. “Despite extensive archaeological surveys, which took more than 15 months to complete, and the close proximity of a Roman fort, there was initially no evidence that a road existed in this particular area of the pipeline,” said Neil Fairburn, GREEN: Guests plant a rare Chinese archaeology project manager for Hornbeam at National Grid (pictured below). Lying about 18 inches below From small acorns the surface, the road is in good Caution: Slow vehicle ahead Volunteers and local condition and in places it’s possible Massive transformer delivered for new Lincolnshire substation to see where carts have been pressed co-ordinators from the Tree down on the stone. wo huge 140-tonne transformers have the Continent to Boston in the UK, before Warden Scheme were High profi le... by design been transported to the site of a new embarking on their six-hour journey to their among guests at a special DISCOVERING BURIED substation at Bicker Fen in Lincolnshire, fi nal resting place at Bicker Fen 10 miles away. reception in Kew Gardens to Improved marker posts highlight pipeline safety TREASURE: THE FACTS T which is being constructed to secure “Moving pieces of equipment of this size is a mark the 20th anniversary of ›› Finders of objects more than 300 future power supplies for the East Midlands. major logistical exercise,” said project manager uring the next 12 months, reminder of the presence of the pipelines, years old, and which contain at least Th e deliveries, which took place in August and Terry Collins. “We constructed a haulage road to the Great Storm. National Grid is introducing a in order to prevent accidental damage,” 10 per cent of gold or silver, have September, were made possible by a specially enable construction traffi c to bypass the village of The scheme was set up by new style of surface marker post said asset protection offi cer Rob Greaves. a legal obligation under the terms constructed girder frame trailer, hauled by two Bicker and upgraded a 3km stretch of road and the Tree Council as a national Dto identify the route taken by “Each post is numbered and has an of the 1996 Treasure Act to report tractor units, with an overall length of 65 metres existing bridge near the substation.” volunteer network of active high-pressure gas transmission pipelines. orange sticker detailing the National Grid items to the local coroner. and a total of 112 wheels. Th e completion date for the new substation is local tree champions, who act To date, there has been no consistency emergency contact number.” ›› Prehistoric precious metal items Th e transformers were shipped by sea from April 2008. as the eyes and ears for trees in the design of posts employed for this Any landowner or occupier planning to found aft er 1 January 2003 also in their local communities. purpose, and the new version will provide carry out activities, such as excavation work qualify as treasure. a distinctive National Grid identity for the or tree planting, in the vicinity of a pipeline National Grid has supported whole gas transmission system. should contact the Asset Protection team the scheme since 1997. Made of lightweight plastic, the posts on 0800 731 2961. Th ey should also consult National Grid goes transatlantic Today, there are about 7,500 will not cause damage to equipment if National Grid before carrying out cultivation Following regulatory approval of its merger aft er a thorough review process by the New Tree Wardens in 138 local accidentally struck during activities such to a depth of more than 0.5 metres. with KeySpan in North America, National York State Public Service Commission, networks across Britain, as hedge cutting. Remember that pipelines do not Grid is not only the largest utility company in which lasted well over a year. It means together donating 1.8 million Th e high-pressure gas transmission always run in straight lines. If owners/ the UK but is also the second largest utility in National Grid now has around 28,000 pipelines are buried between 1 and 1.5 occupiers have any doubt about the hours a year to local trees. metres underground and there are more location of a pipeline – or if any markers the United States. employees across its operations. About 65 See page 10 for the special Th e merger was approved in August 2007, per cent are based in the US. than 7,000km of them nationwide. have been damaged – contact the Asset feature on the Great Storm. “Th e posts act as a warning and Protection team.

04 | Gridline Gridline | 05

FEATURE CRISIS in the countryside Many farmers and rural companies went out of business as a result of the 2001 foot-and-mouth disease epidemic. So the news of another outbreak in August sent shudders through the farming community

ollowing the birds and domestic poultry. All three outbreak of eight outbreaks have required movement cases of foot-and- restrictions, biosecurity precautions and mouth disease in other control measures. Surrey and Berkshire Guidelines issued by the National during August and Grid Land and Development team to September, a range employees and contractors echoed of controls and the commitment in the company’s Frestrictions were put in place by the Working for You publication. This Department for Environment, Food states ‘take all reasonable precautions and Rural Affairs (Defra) to help to prevent the spread of animal and prevent the spread of the disease. plant diseases’. As if foot-and-mouth wasn’t bad National Grid had two substations enough for farmers, the past few very close to the foot-and-mouth months have also seen outbreaks of outbreak in Surrey – Chessington, just Bluetongue disease and H5N1 avian outside the surveillance zone, and West influenza, affecting large parts of Weybridge, in the protection zone. southern England. “Fortunately, we had just finished Bluetongue is caused by a virus spread by midges and aff ects animals that chew the cud, such as sheep and cattle. Avian infl uenza is a highly contagious £8 billion viral disease aff ecting the respiratory, – the estimated cost to the digestive and/or nervous system of UK of the 2001 epidemic many species of bird – including wild

06 | Gridline Gridline | 07 FEATURE EXPERT VIEW Q&A monitor the situation closely via the Defra website for changes in zone boundaries or 6,000,000 other developments,” added Paul. TACKLING FOOT-AND-MOUTH Projects which were already under – the number of animals construction on third party land outside the Fred Landeg, acting chief veterinary offi cer at the Department for Environment, Food and slaughtered during the 2001 affected areas went ahead as normal – while Rural Affairs (Defra), outlines the threat from foot-and-mouth disease and the department’s foot-and-mouth epidemic also abiding by any requested biosecurity measures. Seven-day notice letters about approach to containing this summer’s outbreak new work also ask grantors to stipulate any measures that needed taking. Q What is foot-and-mouth Q What would be the not be eff ective in the refurbishment work on the overhead “We fully understand that the recent crisis and why is it so important impact on the economy if current epidemiological transmission line from Chessington to was a very worrying time for farmers and to control? the outbreak spread, and circumstances. We also have West Weybridge when the foot-and-mouth other landowners aff ected or threatened by A It is an infectious disease how confi dent are you that a clear disposal process outbreak was confirmed,” said lands officer foot-and-mouth,” said Geoff Smale, regional aff ecting cloven-hoofed it has been contained? and contracts in place for Paul Sage. “The line passes through the delivery manager for southeast England. animals, in particular cattle, A Th e consequences to the commercial plant incineration land of two grantors – whose dairy farms “Our priority throughout is to be sheep, pigs and goats, as well economy would be very serious. and rendering, so that pyres were subsequently placed in the 10km sensitive to the needs of grantors in the as deer and some zoo animals. However, evidence at the or the burial of carcasses on surveillance zone. farming community while, of course, While foot-and-mouth is not present time gives a degree of farms is unnecessary. “Unless absolutely necessary, we avoid carrying out our statutory obligations to normally fatal to adult animals, confi dence that the disease is Q What are the key carrying out work within protection and maintain the national gas and electricity it is debilitating and causes currently contained within the messages that need to surveillance zones during an outbreak. We transmission system.” signifi cant loss of productivity. restricted area of Surrey, and all be taken onboard? In young animals it can be fatal. current measures are focused on A Our message to farmers, Q How is it spread? ensuring this remains the case. as always, is to remain A Animals pick up the virus Th ese are still early days, though, vigilant and immediately either by direct contact with an and I strongly urge farmers report suspicion of disease along at the worst possible time,” said Barry. infected animal or by contact to remain vigilant for signs of to Animal Health, and to FACING THE CRISIS HEAD ON “Th e crisis began in Surrey just as the with people, vehicles and things disease, and to carefully inspect Our message to operate the highest standards breeding season started in August, and the contaminated with faeces, urine their animals regularly and farmers, as always, is of biosecurity. restrictions on movement meant we weren’t or other secretions from an report any suspicious signs. to remain vigilant and The countryside remains able to introduce rams, or the bull we bring infected animal. Th e virus may Q What has changed since immediately report open and there are no 2001 that makes it easier to in from , until November. also be carried on the wind suspicion of disease restrictions on people “Th at severely damaged our chances of and may survive in meat or contain an outbreak? going about their ordinary producing a decent lamb crop next year meat products derived from an A It is important to learn the business, unless they are on – which is worth £20,000 a year to infected animal. lessons from any outbreak and we an infected premises. the business. Q Why is it so important to have done so following 2001. We Q Why hasn’t the “In addition, August and September are cull all aff ected animals? have a clear published contingency countryside been ‘closed when we normally sell the animals, so that A Th e slaughter of susceptible plan with agreed structures, down’ as it was in 2001? had a big impact on cash fl ow. With the animals on an infected roles and responsibilities to be A Th e key lesson learned ban in place, we had to keep feeding our premises is a requirement implemented in an outbreak. was that the countryside livestock, while being completely unable to under the Animal Health Act Government agencies work closely should be left open to the earn a living. 1981. To try to stop the spread together from the start of any public. There is a balance to “And when we were fi nally able to send of the disease, our control outbreak, in partnership with be struck between the need lambs for slaughter last month, prices had policy is the slaughter of these local authorities, the police, and to control foot-and-mouth dropped dramatically due to the sudden animals and those identifi ed as industry and other stakeholders. and the need to enable the Th e impact of foot-and-mouth disease Only eight miles away at Ripley, farm cattle surge in supply.” dangerous contacts. Th ere is also an emphasis on open public to have continued has been very real for farmer and National were culled aft er the virus was found. Despite all the present frustrations, Barry Emergency vaccination and transparent information access to the countryside. Grid grantor Barry Sutton. He runs a beef, Barry, who runs the farm with his son said that farming has given him a good would be considered if it sharing with the public. We also need to ensure that sheep and cereals business at Arbrook Farm Duncan, took over the 900-acre business lifestyle over the past 30 years. “I’m sure we was thought that additional Emergency vaccination is other important industries, in Surrey, which found itself deep in the 30 years ago. will weather this storm as we have problems measures were required to another option to us, although such as tourism, are not surveillance zone at the time of the outbreak. “Th e foot-and-mouth outbreak came in the past,” he said. control the disease. the decision so far is it would unnecessarily affected.

08 | Gridline Gridline | 09 FEATURE Winds of change October marked the 20th anniversary of the Great Storm of 1987, which devastated huge tracts of southern England, felled 15 million trees and caused the death of 18 people. Gridline talked to a National Grid employee and a grantor caught up in the day’s events.

nd to the lady from Wales THE LINESMAN who rang to say she’d heard “ a hurricane was on the way, Phil Burgess, a lands offi cer in the don’t worry, there isn’t, but Southeast Delivery team, was a it will be extremely windy, linesman for the Central Electricity particularly across the south.” Generating Board (CEGB) back So said weather forecaster in 1987. He was on the front line on the evening of the clean-up operation aft er the Aof 15 October 1987, in words that have become Great Storm. one of the most infamous quotes in TV weather “I remember waking up in the forecasting. In the ensuing hours, the most severe early hours of the morning to this 15,000,000 storm for nearly 300 years raged across the southern incredible howling noise. Part of – the estimated number half of the UK. the roof came off the house and I of trees felled during the Th e storm made landfall in in the early couldn’t even get the car out of the THE GRANTOR hours before tracking northeast towards Devon and drive because of all the debris,” Great Storm up to the Midlands, going out to sea via Th e Wash. he said. Commercial willow growers JS Wright & Th e strongest gust in the country was recorded as “We managed to get the CEGB trees and assist the EEB overhead Sons lost at least 2,000 willow trees to the ferocious 122mph at Gorleston, Norfolk. assets back in working order quite linesmen carrying out repairs.” winds that struck the southeast of England on 15 Whole forests were left decimated. One third of quickly, and then we joined the The storm also left a whole October 1987. But the full impact of the night did not make the trees at Kew Gardens were uprooted, as were Eastern Electricity Board (EEB) row of wooden 33kV poles in the itself apparent until much later, according to chairman of the six of the seven famous oak trees in . overhead line teams who were Pitsea Marshes area standing at company Nick Wright (pictured right with some of the trees Fallen trees blocked railways and roads and brought working to get the low-voltage a crazy angle. “A helicopter was which have grown up since the storm). Th e business was founded down power lines, leaving hundreds of thousands of distribution lines back onstream. called in to straighten up the poles by Nick’s grandfather in 1894 and today delivers more than 400,000 homes without power for more than 24 hours, and “Th ere were scores of linesmen and we helped to compact the ‘sawn blades’ a year to cricket bat manufacturers for fi nishing. “It was in some cases much longer. descending on the area and I surrounding ground, which had only two or three years aft er the storm that we discovered the residual Despite the devastation, experts say that the storm remember meeting people from as become quite waterlogged after damage to the timber, which had occurred from trees being whipped damage opened up undermanaged woodlands, far away as Wales and Sunderland. recent rain,” said Phil. around by the wind,” said Nick. “Th ankfully, the Great Storm didn’t letting in light and leaving valuable dead wood “Most of our work focused “A lot of trees still had a full aff ect production as dramatically as was feared. In the years aft er habitats open, which created opportunities for a on removing fallen trees using canopy of leaves which, together the Second World War, the company established relationships wider variety of bird and insect life. chainsaws and clearing the timber. with the soggy ground, must have with a large number of landowners, which greatly expanded Since the storm, there have been considerable We had a couple of platform lorries helped to topple them. the number of people growing willow, and this paid off improvements in the capacity of supercomputers, as which we used to help us remove “It was very hard – working from 20 or 30 years later. We also planted a lot of new well as the use of new forecasting models that give a “I remember waking dawn to dusk for two or three days trees in the aft ermath of the storm and more realistic simulation of how the atmosphere – but there was a very strong team these are now at exactly the right works. As a result, extreme weather events can be up... to this incredible spirit and a determination to get the age for felling.” predicted much more accurately. howling noise” job done.”

10 | Gridline source |17 FEATURE

Making all thethe rrightight

connections 65 – the number of times all By 2012, National Grid will have spent £16 billion renewing the electricity lines and and expanding the electricity and gas transmission networks. gas pipelines owned by 25% National Grid would travel the proportion of New Here are a few examples of the type of work involved round the world’s equator York’s electricity needs supplied by National Grid CROYDON CABLE TUNNEL PROJECT

›› When: Started November 2006 and due to fi nish in 2011. ›› Why: A 10km tunnel is being built between PELHAM TO WALPOLE OVER- substations at Beddington and Rowdown, under HEAD LINE REFURBISHMENT the London Borough of Croydon, to reinforce the network in London and the south east. Th e ›› When: Th e project was started in 2005 and project is to replace existing 275kV cables laid has recently been completed. under the highway in the 1960s. ›› Why: National Grid refurbished the 94km ›› What: Located at a depth of 30-90m below 400kV line between Walpole in Cambridgeshire the surface, the tunnel is cut using a boring and Pelham in Hertfordshire to secure power machine – with prefabricated concrete sections supplies to East Anglia. inserted aft erwards. ›› What: Th e work involved pulling more ›› Lie of the land: Th e tunnel mainly follows than 1,600km of new line on to 253 pylons, as the route of existing roads. Th e project team well as fi tting new insulators and line spacers, SOUTH WEST section, National Grid is working with consulted closely with the local council, elected and carrying out pylon maintenance. Th e line REINFORCEMENT PROJECT contractors to build a 1.8km tunnel beneath councillors, MPs and several community groups crosses 40 roads – including the M11– fi ve the River Exe, two railway lines and an SSSI. before submitting planning applications for the railway lines, six waterways, and 99 footpaths IRON ACTON TO WHITSON been on the Welsh side of the River Severn, ›› When: Th e fi rst section of the 73km A 200-tonne boring machine is cutting the head-houses that sit above access shaft s, placed at and bridleways. OVERHEAD LINE where the route crosses some Sites of Special gas transmission pipeline (Ilchester to tunnel to a maximum depth of 30m below approximately 4km intervals. Th e M11 motorway caused a particular REFURBISHMENT Scientifi c Interest (SSSI). Drainage ditches are Barrington) was laid in 2006 and work on the the riverbed. “Constructing a tunnel makes it unnecessary to challenge because the project team had to use a a feature of the landscape and they support a rest of the pipeline to Lyneham is due to be ›› Lie of the land: Th e new gas pipe dig up the highway in an already congested area,” system of pulleys, instead of scaff olding, to place ›› When: August 2007 to December 2008. variety of aquatic plants and animals including completed by the end of 2007. crosses land owned by around 200 said Simon Pepper, consents offi cer south east. the new lines over the carriageways. ›› Why: Refurbishment is necessary on water voles, dragonfl ies and otters. ›› Why: National Grid is constructing a new individual grantors. “Cables are easier to maintain and extra circuits ›› Lie of the land: “Twenty-two pylons the 275kV overhead electricity transmission “Extensive consultations were held with the 600mm diameter pipeline through Somerset “An extensive consultation process was can be added if needed. Due to their relatively alone were located on agricultural land line that runs between Iron Acton, near Countryside Council for Wales,” said Simon and Devon in a multi-million pound project carried out with the Environment Agency, the high cost, tunnels are not always the best option, belonging to the Audley End estate and the line Bristol, to Whitson, close to Newport. Gronow, lands offi cer south west. “Special to meet increasing demand for energy in the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the but they do provide a good long-term and also runs through a stud farm near Newmarket ›› What: All 117 pylons on the 30km route consent is required to work close to creatures region, and to supply a new at Devon Wildlife Trust, and river user groups sustainable solution in dense urban areas, where racecourse,” said Barry Cullimore, lands offi cer are being refurbished. like these and we always take care not to Langage, Plymouth. before the project began,” said senior project very extensive road excavations or new overhead south east. ›› Lie of the land: So far, most work has disturb their habitat.” ›› What: On the Aylesbeare to Kenn manager Ian Sarson (pictured above). lines are not feasible.”

12 | Gridline Gridline | 13 For more information on the FEATURE Society of Ploughmen phone; 01302 852469 or visit www.ploughmen Furrowlywell done .co.uk Around 200 of the country’s top ploughmen were at Crokey Hill, near York, recently for a highlight of the farming calendar – the National Ploughing Championships, sponsored by National Grid

rganised by the Society of Ploughmen, it was the fi rst time the championships had returned to North Yorkshire for 36 years. Visitors were able to view all types of ploughing, from the conventional and reversible work, to vintage tractors. Th e magnifi cent heavy horses, in their ornate fi nery, were PLOUGHMEN: O Father and son another big crowd-puller. discuss tactics Meanwhile, at the sharp end of the competition, the leading ploughmen were battling for the supreme honour for the perfect furrow. Th e judges look at how straight the – the British national title. furrow is, how uniform the ploughing is, how neat it is, and that all weeds and stubble are buried well. ROBERT MAKES IT FIVE-IN-A-ROW “You need a lot of patience, a good eye for detail and Travelling to this year’s national championships was the the ability to maintain your focus over a long period of easy part for Yorkshireman Robert Laybourn, who had time,” said Robert junior. only a short journey to make from his parents’ home at Judging of the competition involves a complex scoring Elmsall Lodge Farm, near Pontefract. system and the results are not announced for another Up against him in the National Young Farmers’ three hours. Robert was placed third – the fi ft h time he Conventional Ploughing Championships were 16 has fi nished in the top three. competitors from as far away as Devon and Cumbria. Robert’s father, who takes part in local vintage tractor But the 24 year-old, who teaches hands-on farming ploughing competitions, said that he was proud of his skills at Bishop Burton college, has previous form in these son’s performance, which is all the more creditable championships. Aft er fi nishing third in the National because he doesn’t get much time to practise. Young Farmers’ section four years ago, he won the title in Robert senior said: “He qualifi ed for these 2004 and 2005 before being pipped to the post last year. championships in October last year, but has only Robert’s father – also called Robert – is a National Grid competed once in 2007 because of work commitments. grantor with 950 acres of land which is devoted largely to He is the main tractor driver on the college farm and arable farming. helps us out at harvest time, but that’s commercial “Th ere’s quite a lot of pressure on the competitors ploughing – a diff erent skill altogether.” because only the winner goes through to the plough- Robert junior, who is vice-chairman of the Pontefract off next day, against 12 other qualifi ers from the other Young Farmers’ Club, admits that eyebrows are conventional ploughing classes,” explained Robert senior. sometimes raised when friends from outside farming Th e competition itself lasts for more than four hours hear about his ploughing exploits. “But they become a – with the ploughmen frequently stopping their tractors lot more interested when you explain all the complexities to check their line and adjust plough settings in the quest involved,” he added.

14 | Gridline Gridline | 15 NORTH WEST AND SCOTLAND TEAM FEATURE TEL NO: 0161 776 0706

LANDS OFFICERS ADMINISTRATOR NORTH WEST AND SCOTLAND TEAM The North West and Scotland team cover North Wales to Scotland, including Lancashire and Cumbria. Dominic Alan Mark Bob Catherine Janet Becky YourYour kkeyey Toft Whitmore Thomas Tute Stevens Clarke Kearsley EAST TEAM TEL NO: 01132 908235

CONSENTS LANDS contactscontacts OFFICER OFFICERS

CENTRAL OPERATIONS TEAM TEL NO: 01926 655884 Timothy Nigel Wilson Scott Deborah Sharon CENTRAL DATABASE & PAYMENTS ADMINISTRATORADMINISTRATOR Bull Taylor Holmes Stephenson Turner Naylor ADMINISTRATORS ADMINISTRATOR EAST TEAM The East team extend from Buckinghamshire to the Scottish border, including Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Jackie Mary Linda Mike Paul Simon Julie Wilkie Lawson Friel Rockett Ganley Booth Smith

SOUTH WEST TEAM SOUTH EAST TEAM TEL NO: 01452 316059 SOUTH EAST TEAM The South East team cover TEL NO: 01268 642028 East Anglia to and CONSENTS LANDS , including London and CONSENTS LANDS OFFICER OFFICERS SOUTH WEST TEAM the Home Counties. OFFICER OFFICERS The South West team extend from Cornwall to the Potteries, including South Wales, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. Richard Richard Simon Simon Amanda Amy Walsh Evans Gronow ADMINISTRATOR Pepper Pritchard Jones

Paul Simon Barry Trish Barry Brian Paul Swinbourne Dando Mercer Grogan CullimoreCullimore Mead Sage ADMINISTRATOR

Richard Robert Lee Maureen Sue Phil Alison Biggs Millar Durant Bright Dunham Burgess Williams

16 | Gridline gridline | 17 PROFILES “The colder climate means the bulbs are not so susceptible to disease”

Enter our photo competition Caught Gridline is offering readers the chance to win 12 bottles of wine, courtesy of National Grid grantor Camel Valley Wines. red-handed Simply send in a favourite photo taken by you and judges Farmer John Townroe and lands will choose the best image. This month’s theme is winter. offi cer east Simon Booth were From frosty fi elds to snow-clad hills, the possibilities are more than a match for thieves, endless. Send prints* to: Gridline photo competition, 122 who were stealing cable and other materials from a site where PICTURE THE Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 4QY. SCENE: Examples of Or email images to; [email protected]. an overhead line refurbishment winter photography Closing date: 1 February 2008. was taking place. A total of 124 pylons were *Regretfully submitted prints cannot be returned. Visit www.camelvalley.com for more details on their wine. being refurbished on the 40km-long High Marnham to Chesterfi eld route in Nottinghamshire. At the time of the incident, contractors were Project South West working in fi elds containing Watch: three pylons on John’s 500- acre Westfi eld House Farm at SCOTTISH PRIDE: (left to right) Warsop, near Mansfi eld. Special measures Ken with Olga the daffodil picker “Aft er the theft s, we also team leader, and Dram the dog discovered wheel tracks at the How are the project team ensuring that site, which were not those of our local salmon are not affected by noise pollution? contractors,” said Simon. “Aft er speaking to John, I arranged for National Grid’s project team are process, we consulted with Natural Riot of spring colour gates and fencing to be installed being careful to avoid disturbing England and the Hampshire & to block three access roads and the delicate ecosystem of a Site of Wildlife Trust to The 55,000 acres of daffodils grown by Ken Barclay at his secure the site.” Special Scientifi c Interest (SSSI) minimise the environmental Townhead Farm in Aberdeenshire are a vivid sight in spring As luck would have it, John’s during the Marchwood overhead impact of the work.” 20-year-old son, Alexander line refurbishment project, which Project manager Ian Timms ational Grid grantor Ken and his Scottish plants in fl ower about 10 days later,” – out with friends – later spotted is taking place near . added: “We were given a three- brother Brian together farm a total said Ken. men in a white transit van Th e project involves the month window to complete the of 2,000 acres in Laurencekirk, near Th e farm produces nine diff erent varieties of behaving suspiciously in a local refurbishment of a 2km stretch work in the SSSI and during the NMontrose in Scotland. daff odil, with such colourful names as Golden lay-by. Th e police were alerted of overhead transmission line foundation pile-driving activities, Although Scotland may not immediately Ducat and Holland Sensation.Varieties are and the men were later caught and its connection to a new 936- decibel levels in the suggest itself as a daff odil-growing stronghold, selected to provide a good mix of bulbs that red-handed stealing scaff olding megawatt gas fi red power station. were monitored to ensure that the region actually has a lot going for it. provide a long fl owering season. at another site. National Grid is refurbishing salmon moving upstream to “Th e colder climate means the bulbs are Daff odil growing follows a three-year cycle, seven existing pylons, re-routing spawning grounds were not not so susceptible to disease, while the red with stems only picked in the second and the line and replacing two existing adversely aff ected.” sandstone soil holds the moisture well and is third years. During the harvesting years, the pylons in the SSSI. ideal for growing daff odils,” explained Ken. stems will be picked on three occasions – it’s “Th e route crosses Th e brothers have produced daff odils on crucial that the fl owers are cut before any environmentally sensitive areas their land for 26 years. Th eir crop is marketed colour is showing. of salt marsh near the River Test, through Montrose-based Grampian Growers A proportion of the bulbs are dug up between which act as an over-wintering IT’S A FACT co-operative, which exports bulbs to the United July and September, and undergo a drying ground for birds, and support a States and Europe, and supplies cut fl owers to process and grading before being dispatched to variety of fl ora and fauna,” said Marchwood Power Station will be connected to the supermarket chains and wholesalers in the UK. Grampian Growers. Th e brothers plant around Richard Biggs, lands offi cer south main gas hub at Lockerley, Salisbury, by a 14-mile “Th e cut fl ower season starts in Cornwall and 10 tonnes of bulbs per acre in August each year TEAM EFFORT: (left to right) west. “During the consenting pipeline being constructed by ESB International then moves northwards to Lincolnshire, with to replenish the crop. Alexander, John and Simon

18 | Gridline Gridline | 19 To contact Gridline either: ✆ 01926 654948 : [email protected] LAST WORD +122 Warwick Street, Leamington, Warwickshire, CV32 4QY.

Investing in bricks and mortar Gridline talks to farmer Arthur Watson about his success in property development

Heddon Banks Farm has been the family home since Arthur’s grandfather bought it in 1923. It is situated in the historic village of Heddon-on-the-Wall, near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland. Q Why property development? A We got into it gradually, starting with the refurbishment of a derelict outbuilding close to the farmhouse. From those early days, we now have a total of 14 houses locally that we rent out as short-term lets. Q Do you do much of the work yourself? A I do a lot of the heavy work myself but employ local tradesmen to complete the specialist jobs. We utilise traditional materials as INVEST: (r-l) Arthur and wife Karen, much as possible – we’re using some beautiful pictured outside his latest project reclaimed stone from the old Newcastle General Hospital in our current project. but a local contractor now takes care of all Grid is very good about giving us advance Q What kind of people rent? the ploughing, sowing, spraying and combine notice when it needs access. A We’re only seven miles from Newcastle and harvesting. Our involvement is limited to Q How do you see the future? the local airport, which is very convenient for loading the crop on the lorries. A More people have got into renting property business people. Th ey are also attracted by the Q What’s been your experience as a and the yields are not what they were. But as far beautiful views of the Tyne Valley. National Grid grantor? as farming is concerned, the outlook for arable Q Do you still farm the land? A We have two electricity transmission lines on crops looks rosy as there is higher demand and, A We grow wheat, barley and oilseed rape crops, our land and a total of eight pylons. National therefore higher prices.

WIN A FABULOUS GET AWAY FROM IT ALL WITH BRITANNIA HOTELS WEEKEND Britannia Hotels is offering one lucky Gridline reader the gas and electricity transmission BREAK the chance to win a fantastic weekend break for two networks by 2012? (including breakfast) at one of its 33 UK hotels*. Britannia Hotels is offering some fantastic January To be in with a chance of winning, all you have sales rates. Available during January 2008, the to do is answer the question below and send your offer is two nights, dinner, bed and breakfast answer to: Gridline Britannia competition, 122 accommodation from only £25 per person per night Warwick Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire (based on two sharing). CV32 4QY. Or email; [email protected]. These two-night breaks offer great-value stays Competition deadline is: 1 February 2008. across all Britannia hotels. For a full list of hotels and Q How much will National Grid have to book, visit www.britanniahotels.com. spent on renewing and refurbishing *Strictly subject to availability

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