THE

Vol. CXXXIV. No, 3497, Friday, June 8, 1945. Sixpence IMsgitisrsd at th* Q*mra! Past Office Bnsertd as Second Class at the N ea York U.S.A. Post Gjfiee.}

W e have designed, manufactured, laid and jointed the World’s first three-core 132,000 volt underground electric cable. Three-core cable provides the most economical and reliable means for the underground transmission of electricity at this voltage. Full particulars in our new PUBLICATION No. 143.

3 - c o r e 1 3 2 k v IMPREGNATED PRESSURE CABLE THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

at a high standard of quality...

The term “ standardisation ” may stand for mere uniformity. At the M.E.M. Factory, however, it means that all production is brought up to a high level of quality, design and finish. The architect who specifies M.E.M. switch and fusegear and the electrician who selects M.E.M. know that a reliable installation is certain and at a reasonable cost. For although M.E.M. gear is good it is not expensive. Good design and modem factory practice have cut out all waste of both materials and man-hours. The M.E.M. Factory is self-contained and self-sufficient. It pro­ duces good electrical gear from start to finish—good all through.

SWITCHCEAR • MOTOR STARTERS

FUSEGEAR • ELECTRIC FIRES M.E.M. “ M em roy M Stcitcbifuse.

MIDLAND ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO. LTD., TYSELEY, BIRMINGHAM, 1' London Showrooms & Stores r 21-22 Rathbone Place, W.l r hlanchester Showrooms & Stores : 48-50 Chapel St.. Salford, 3 June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN iii

Sensitive Instruments

are easily damaged by vibration. Sometimes the damage is not instantly destructive, but is in the form of accelerated wear which sets up extra friction, impairs accuracy, and reduces the value and reliability of the readings obtained. The danger of vibration to aircraft instruments is well known— thousands of them are carried on Metalastik mountings. But in the factory and the power-station, the effects of vibration are not so obvious— but often cause serious harm. We maintain a full research staff with complete equipment, and can anolyse vibration from any source and of any character, and design mountings to reduce or eliminate their harmful effects. The small illustrations show three Metalastik instrument mountings, jhe low-frequency type, left, the cross-type, centre, and the stud-type, right.

Metalastik Ltd. Leicester

METALASTlk: THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

Hullo, Red Section, tanks at nine o’clock — follow m e— and as one well-knit unit the flight goes hurtling down to its target, tied together with an invisible electronic link. Close command in the air depends on radio communications, and at the heart lies the electronic valve. OSRAM VALVES have been in the forefront

M any O S R A M valves of electronic development during the war, and now on the secret list will be available, will bring to the pursuits of peace many well when priority pro­ duction ceases, to meet the needs of tried electronic devices to speed, smooth and electronic designers In every sphere. make safer our way of life.

g . & . e . OR CATHODE RAY TUBES

Advt. of The General Electric Co. Ltd., Kingsway, London, W .C.2. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN v

CO**POUND *<*• 3&

for easier, quickerand moreefficient jointing—

JOINT BOX COMPOUNOS CABLE CONNECTORS JOINTING TAPES LEAD SLEEVES JOINTING FERRULES LEAD STRIP CLAW CONNECTORS SOLDERS AND VERNIER BRAIDS PLUMBERS* METAL CABLE SOCKETS SOLDERING PASTES

BRITISH INSULATED CABLES LTD., Iltadoir.cc: PRESCOT. LANCS. Ttl.No. PRESCOT6J7J vi THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

The reliability of the generating plant is the same as that of its dis­ tributive cable. And the reliability of the cable is that of its insulation! That is why leading cable manufacturers use Tullis Russell Rothmill Cable Insulating Papers. Rothmill is renowned for its uniformly high quality, and is guaranteed free from metals and grit. R o t h im l l A complete range is manu­ CABLE INSULATING PAPERfactured. Write for details. 7ultitfywiell rCo.&d. The Pioneers of Twin-wire Papers for Printers & AUCHMUTY & ROTHES PAPER MILLS, MARKINCH, SCOTLAND U i LONDON MANCHESTER BIRMINGHAM I Tudor Street, E.C.4 372 Corn Exchange Bldgs., 116 Colmore Row ______Corporation Street June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

THE DEFEAT OF THE M A G N E T IC MINE

Assembling buoyant centres and electrode tails for Buoyant Cables in the HENLEY factories.

Hitler's first "secret" weapon, the Magnetic Mine, was conquered by the gallant minesweepers of the Royal Navy using Buoyant Cables. A completely successful design was produced by Henley's in record time, and we have supplied many hundreds of complete sets, involving over 1,000,000 yards of cable. This is yet another major victory of the war in which a leading part was played by Henley’s.

W , T . HENLEY'S TELEGRAPH WORKS C O . L T B . MILTON COURT ■ WeSTCOTT B0RKING * SURREY- mM'OatxmoStvtioimis) . Tct£GMMs~- a(miTtt* so/mma THE ELECTRICIAN

c is t e r e d

,s b o a ^°

P/^RA1 , w h wef# June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

TE1C0N PRODUCTS H/m> enjoyed uttdts/t/tfed WoM lende/vh/p />>/• ewr ¿0years

RADIO F^QUENCY ^ ^

t e l c o n

D'S C p»«f Conöoctors. - « 5 S s -

; . f ; «— -jaw lElCOTHtHt orT^ "t'°‘ insulaied; ^

* & S r - i £ Ä ; - Ä °fbr,iiei6BS\ . . s « ! « s i « « !

(Thcrmop'asUc) TEtfOTHlHt

HIM • TAPE • SHEET •■ K°°

GUTTA PERCHA

tis S U E • G.p. BACKED (Oil, P A « "' FTC • HYDRAULIC PACK-

tt0TH . • ACID aATTLES BOTTLES ■ tu b in g

CHATTERTOH’S c o m p o u n d

THE TELEGRAPH CONSTRUCTION & MAINTENANCE

Head Office: 22 OLD BROAD STREET, LONDON E C 2 Telephone- W ^ e - LONdon10, Y/o'l 3141 Telegrams:• digrams: Telcon,1c Stock. London THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

..THAT'S POT THE

LID ON IT!**

Apart from their other famous insulating materials M. & I. are supplying more and more P.V.C. extruded sleevings and, so far as Messrs. Volt and Am p and Mr. and Mrs. Watt are concerned, they’ve properly put the lid on it with P.V.C. injection mouldings which can be made for such a wide range of electrical applications. A typical injection moulding and examples of extruded sleevings are shown above and we’re always ready to supply full information to people who must keep electricity in its proper place.

MICOFLEX-DURAtUBE EXTRUDED SLEEVINGS (P.V.C.) (Manufactured by Duratube & Wire Ltd.) KENUTUF INJECTION MOULDINGS (P.Y.C.) (Manufactured by J. F. Kenure Ltd.) Distributors: THE MICANITE & INSULATORS CO. LTD ., EMPIRE WORKS, BLACKHORSE LANE, LONDON,‘ E .I7

Makers of MICANITE (Builc-up Mica insulation). Fabricated and Processed MICA, PAXOLIN (Synthetic- resin laminated sheets, rods, tubes and cylinders). High-voltage Bushings and Terminals for indoor and outdoor use. Empire varnished Insulating Cloths and Tapes and all other forms of Electrical Insulation. Suppliers of Vulcanised Fibre, Leatheroid, Presspahn, etc. Distributors of Micoflex-Duratube Sleevings, Micoflex-Durasleeve (plastic covered flexible metal conduit) and Kenutuf Injection Mouldings (P.V.C.). June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xi

Photograph by courtesy ,, _ Engineering Co., Ltd. 10,500 A M P E R E S for AUTOMATIC PLANT FOR BRASS PLATING STEEL COMPONENTS Oil immersion, giving complete protection Standard units are built in various sizes, ranging against acid fumes and moisture, is now a from 6-volts lOOamps. up to 7-volts 4,000 amps, standard feature of “ Westalite” Rectifier or 16-volts 2,000 amps., with control equip­ Equipments for electro-plating, such as are ment to suit the needs of the work to be done. used in the above large modern installation. Automatic control apparatus and emergency N o fan, pump or other cooling plant is needed. power supply equipment are also available WESTINCHOUSE

METAL RECTIFIERS Full details are given in Data Sheet No. 29, obtainable from WESTING HOUSE BRAKE & SIGNAL CO. LTD., PEW HILL HOUSE • CHIPPENHAM • WILTS THE ELECTRICIAN

^ SELENIUM Nj S t t t T t r & l V RECTIFIERS >

HEN we were the only manufacturers of'Selenium Rectifiers in this W country there was no need to give a special name to our product. The many advantages of the “ Standard” Selenium Rectifier over other types has inevitably introduced competition, and we have therefore adopted the name of “ SenTerCel” as our trade mark, so that our customers may know that rectifiers bearing this name will have the high standard of performance to which [they have become accustomed: The name “ SenTerCel” combines the idea of centre-contact construc­ tion. which is an exclusive feature of our rectifiers, with the S.T.C. registered trade mark which is known all over the world as the symbol of the highest quality in tele-communication equipment

Standard Telephones and Cables Lim ited NEW SOUTHGATE, LON DON.N.II______

THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

It is well worth your while to spend a minutes with our representative working out how much extra profit you make by selling Atlas Lamps. Allas dealers get extra good discounts, generous rehates, attractive sales aids and perfect freedom to stock whatever make of other good lamps they like. Our advertising— appearing in every main thoroughfare and regu­ larly in the National and Provincial daily. and evening papers and magazines—is creating higger sales for you. Write for terms to-day. ATLAS LAMPS Nothing better has come to light

THORN ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES LTD., 105-109, JUDD ST., LONDON, W-.C.l. 'Phone: Euslon 1183 Northern Branch: 5 5 , Blossom Street, Manchester. 'Phone: Central 7461 N.E. Depot: 46, Sandhill, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1. 'Phone: Newcastle 24068

T/17 June 8 , 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN XV

y , PORTABLE

m e s ELECTRIC TOOLS

Power, Economy, Long Life T/ior PORTABLE ELECTRIC DRILLS — Proved on the Job! light end Heavy-duty Drill* in o com­ plet« ronge of capacities from up to l V i" for continuous or intermittent service. Continuous trouble-free performance plus the right tool for e very jo b ! Remember this when you need new tools in your shop, they are factors you can depend on when you choose Thor Portable Electric Tools. There is a Thor Portable Electric Tool for nearly every operation from product fabrication to final installation. Each is powered for the job, designed for lighter weight and handling ease.

The broad line of Thor job-designed, work-proved tools Thor ELECTRIC HAMMERS includes Thor Portable Electric drills, screwdrivers, nut setters, A wide range of hommeri in both slow tappers, grinders, senders, polishers, hammers, nibblers, saws ond fa it hitting type». Faster and more powerful, for work in ttone. wood, m«tol. and bench grinders. If yours is a problem of saving time, A L S O — A Com plete line of ffcor (fee- money, and man hours we suggest you write for complete trie Tools— Grlnderi, Polishers, Sand- on, Nibblers, Screwdrivers, Hammers, details. Ask for Catalog 38-A. and accessories.

INDEPENDENT PNEUMATIC TOOL CO. LTD.,

40, BROADWAY, LONDON, S.W.I, ENGLAND xvi THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

INDUSTRIAL P O R T A B L E V A C U U M C L E A N ERS

Plant in operation in factory, showing two operators at work. This is the T.O.6, the latest addition B.V.C. installations help materially to to the famous B.V.C. range of Portable promote better output by producing Plant. Like all B.V.C. apparatus it healthier working conditions. Let us combines efficiency with reliability. It help you with your dust problem, solves the dust problem in factories, The advice of our Technical Staff is workshops and warehouses. at your disposal. THE BRITISH VACUUM CLEANER & ENGINEERING CO. LTD. Dept. 16/F, GOBLIN WORKS, LEATHERHEAD, SURREY. 'phone: Ashtead 866. Makers of the famous GOBLIN ELECTRIC CLEANERS

If you cannot ■ get all the Tenby Acces- sories you want, at least be assured that we are allocating supplies as generously and fairly s possible. S 0 BOWKER June 8, 1945 TH E ELECTRICIAN xvii

Here we show just a tiny imagine we know quite a lot selection of what we make about springs, presswork and in springs, presswork and wirework. We should welcome wirework, day in, day out, all the opportunity to show you the year round. some examples, and our We’ve been doing this for Research Department is at

ov er 8 9 years . . . so you can your service. Catalogue on request

Sole Makers: HERBERT TERRY & SONS LTD., REDDITCH THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

FT Makers of Synthetic

< 1

EPuUiwoithy For the S f o U n d i. , - MANUFACTURE of LAMINATED SHEETS and t u b e s

SAMUEL JONES 8c CO.,LTD 16-17 NEW BRIDGE STREET. E M . PHONE: CENtral 6500

COMPLETE ACCESSIBILITY

5 Step D.C. Automatic Motor Starter for use with variable speed motor. Note the accessi­ bility of the resistor mounted at the top away from other parts, and how the complete panel is hinged at the bottom to allow it to be tipped forward for inspection. W rile us for fuller details. DONOVAN S-_ THE DONOVAN ELECTRICAL C? LT.° BIRMINGHAM, 9 H ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS AND STOCKHOLDERS. H i P h o n e -STEchforo 2277 (P.B.X.) Gr a m s -DONOVAN.Birmingham' June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xix

MISCELLANEOUS ADVERTISEMENTS

SITUATIONS VACANT VISIT THE LEYTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. CHIEF DEMONSTRATOR. A IMPLICATIONS are invited for the position -rxof Chief Demonstrator (female) in the Council’s Electricity Undertaking. ALUMINIUM Candidates must have a good general edu­ cation, hold a Diploma in Cooking and/or Electrical Housecraft mid have a thorough EXHIBITION knowledge of electrical domestic appliances. They must be competent to conduct lecture- to be held at demonstrations and advise consumers on the selection and use of electrical apparatus. The salary is £250 per annum, rising by SELFRIDGES annual increments of £15 to a maximum of £300 per annum plus war bonus, at present £40 5s. Od. per annum. OXFORD ST., W.l The successful candidate will be required to pass a medical examination, by the Council’s Medical Officer of Health, and the May 30 — June 30 appointment will be subject to the provisions of the Local Government Superannuation The fascinating story of Aluminium Act. 1937. — its war-time achievements and its Applications, in the candidates’ own hand­ writing, stating age, qualifications, experi­ post-war applications for Industry and ence, position with regard to National in the home. Service, and when able to take up dutie . accompanied by copies of two recent testi­ ALUM.NIUM DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION monials to be sent to the Borough Electrical Union Chambers, 63 Temple Row, Birminjham, 2 Engineer and Manager, Elect ricity Offices, Cat hall Road, Leytonstone, E.ll, not later than first post Monday, 2nd July, 1945. j Canvassing in any form will be a disqualifi­ cation. I). J. OSBORNE. Town Clerk. Town Hall. Leyton, E.10.______VULCANIZED FIBRE. EFRIGERATOR Manufacturers require R twelve Distributing Agents for England. EBONITE, BAKELITE Scotland and Wales. Enquiries invited from well-established Electrical and Hardware 8heet8, Rada, Tubea and Machined Shapes houses. The Distributors appointed will have sole distribution rights in the areas allocated. Reply in first instance to Box L.P.K., THE LEATHEROID Sheets, Rolls, etc. E lectrician,” 154, Fleet Street. Ixmdon, K.l.4. “ CLIFTEX” Insulating Tapes. F O R SALE Insulating Staples, Jointing, Presspahn. EARCHLIGHTS (sale or hire). Carbon Rods. S Ebonite, Fibre Hightensite, Porcelain House-wiring and other Cleats, Reels and MOSSES & MITCHELL LTD. Knobs, Mirrors, Lenses, Lamp Lowering and Suspension Gear, T.R.S., lead and other 60-68, Iro n m o n ge r Row, London, E.C.1. Cables, Winches (hand), hundreds of thousands in use, etc.—London Electric Firm, Croydon. T EATHER FINGER STALLS.—Made of Chrome Hide. Very strong and hard wearing. Length 3 in. Price 4s. per doz. Prompt delivery. Sample on application. -L0N DEX- Willson Brothers, Industrial Clothing Manu­ REM0TE FLOW INDICATOR facturers, Epsom. Surrey.______If Flow ceases: PPROX. h acre Freehold Building Plots for A Sale situated in beautiful woodland sur­ (1) Motor tripped roundings near Dorking. Ockley Station automatically about miles. Price £100 per plot. Travel to Ockley Station, where car meets all trains (2) Visual arriving between 11.13 a.m. and 5.¿3 Pm* signal every Saturday and Sunday. particulars apply Box L.P.J.. THE ELEC­ Ask fo r leaflet TRICIAN,” 154. Fleet Street. London, h.C.4. 1 0 2 / E L PATENT AGENTS TTINGS PATENT AGENCY. LTD., B T- ^A.I.Mech.E. (Patent Agent) 146A Queen L 0 N D E X • L T D V- ictoriaIV- PG L id Street,Owl vv t London,_ , . E.C.4. • ADVICE, Handbook, and Consultations free. ’ P h on e: MANUFACTURERS OF RELAYS 20r&NEHlIY ROAD-IONDOH S'E-ZO ' City 616L XX THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

BABCOCK & WILCOX LTD.

MANUFACTURE

COMPLETE STEAM RAISING PLANTS

OF EVERY DESCRIPTION

FOR LAND AND MARINE SERVICE

Water Tube Boilers. Soot Blowers for Manual or Superheaters. Automatic Operation. Economisers. Pipework. A ir Heaters. Valves. W ater W all Furnaces. Attemperators. Travelling Grate Stokers. Coal and Ash Handling Plant. Spreader Stokers. Hydrojet Ashing System. Complete Equipment for Fuller-Kinyon Transport System. Pulverised Fuel Plants. Cranes and Transporters. O il and Gas Burning. Charging Machines. Waste Heat Utilisation. Wagon Tipplers. Bagasse, Black Liquor and Steel Buildings. other Special Fuels. Fusion Welded Drums.

PRESSURE VESSELS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION.

WORKS : RENFREW & DUMBARTON, SCOTLAND & REGENTS PARK, N.S.W., AUSTRALIA ^ Head 0ffice. _

BABCOCK & WILCOX, LTD. BABCOCK HOUSE, FARRINGDON STREET, LONDON, E.C.4.

TELEPHONE: CENTRAL 3282.

Branch Offices, Agents or Representatives in all principal cities at home and abroad. '4 y fouTEt t h e electrician ;: '*4 SS Established. 1861. The Oldest Weekly Illustrated Journal of Electrical Engineering, Industry, Science and Finance Bouverie House. ¡ ¡ 4 , Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. Telegrams :

v r Oim r N o . 23 1 T u n p 8 1945 Annual Subscription35s. No. 3497. Lvol. cxxxrvj J u n e o, Overseas 30».

CHIEF CONTENTS OF THIS . ISSUE public as at those official bodies and Exhibitions ...... 501 ministries which are delaying production Views on Current Affairs ...... 502 by withholding skilled labour and Now It Can Be Told— III ...... 504 materials. Aluminium and Electrical Appliances 509 It is realised that the war against District- Heating ...... 511 Japan has prior claim upon the resources News in Brief ...... 512 of the country, but even those persons Electricity Looks Forward ...... 513 Tynemouth Exhibition ...... 514 with the most elementary knowledge of Electrical Personalities ...... 515 military affairs will appreciate that by Progress of Electricity Supply ...... 510 the defeat of Germany, the necessity for Localisation of Faults ...... 517 maintaining our high output of war Industrial Information ...... 519 munitions is reduced in volume. That I.E .E l Radio Section Luncheon ...... 520 being so, the electrical industry is en­ Company News ..... 521 titled to at least some of the labour and materials which are no longer re­ quired for war purposes. Exhibitions Rightly or wrongly, the impression HE touring exhibition of electrical gained from official circles is that the T appliances which was opened at Man­ electrical industry is not yet ready to chester last week, the recent exhibition enter upon peace-time production, and at Tynemouth, the exhibition sponsored the necessity for a quicker release of by the Aluminium Development Asso­ labour and materials does not therefore ciation, which is to be seen in London arise. The fact is—and we have en­ this month, and the official discussions deavoured at every opportunity to force with respect to the staging of a British it'home— that the industry is not only Industries Fair in 1947, all indicate that capable of allocating a portion of its the ground is being prepared for a trade manufacturing capacity to peace-time offensive. needs while still maintaining its war pro­ Confining ourselves to electrical in­ duction, but it sees in the present posi­ terests, it will be appreciated that the tion possible harm being done to the electrical industry has for some time been good name of electricity by the inability ready with its plan of attack, but due to to offer little more than lip service to the restrictions imposed by the various the public. We have our exhibitions, Government departments involved, little our prototype applianoes, our kitchen can be done at present save to tantalise designs— but- nowhere can be seen a the public by showing them what they kettle, a hair dryer, a vacuum cleaner or cannot have. The exhibition of all­ an electric cooker for sale. electric kitchens, combined service units Though we have been told that Our and prototype appliances is good and generating capacity is being added to useful propaganda which will bring re­ only very slowly and that the next two ward, and should be continued with all winters may still produce peaks requir­ the enthusiasm of which the industry is ing the shedding of load, we suggest that capable—but the direction of the sales it would be unreasonable to make use of drive behind the displays should at this this possibility in support of denying time be aimed, not so much at the general the manufacturers of electrical domestic 502 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 appliances the opportunity of stocking up that led to its development. In the first in readiness for the demand which the instance, Mr. G e o f f r e y L l o y d , the public will soon expect to be satisfied. Minister in Charge of Petroleum Warfare, There is much to be done before the called in among others, Sir H a r r y public are likely to see the results of R a i l i n g , and with those of other indus­ peace-time production, even if labour and trial concerns, the technical resources materials were now available, and so that and research establishment of the G.E.C. the industry may be ready to meet what were applied to the solution of the prob­ is expected of it, both with respect to lem of fog dispersal. Babcock and Wil­ output and absorption of labour released cox, Ltd., Geo. Kent, Ltd., and Sulzer from the Armed Forces when it comes Bros (London) Ltd., also undertook along— it is time that a more substantial valuable experimental work. Among percentage of our manufacturing capacity possible fog clearance methods considered was switched to meeting peace-time were the use of super-sonic waves, elec­ needs. In the circumstances, the message trical discharges, drying by refrigeration which our exhibitions should convey, and outdoor air-conditioning apparatus, must be in the first instance directed to but from the outset the use of heat those Government departments whose promised the best chpnce of success. mental outlook is still influenced by the National Grid Control in Lift S.haft conditions of 1941 and before, and in the second to the public in the hope that HOUGH nerhaps not so spectacular their opinions may be brought to bear T as those war-time operations which upon those officials who have it in their have been given names, the engineering power to free the industry from at least achievement of the Central Electricity some of the red tape in which it is now Board in transferring their control sys­ enm eshed. tem in 1940/41 from Bankside to accom­ Another British Achievement modation provided by a disused Under­ ground lift shaft, is as noteworthy as any. ITH the Government release last Already familiar with the arrangements W week of the story of “ Fido ”— the at Bankside, the enemy soon made it system developed by British science for clear from his aerial attacks that he the dispersal of fog over R. A.F. airfields— hoped to render the grid control inopera­ was made known yet another achieve­ tive ; had he been successful, the achieve­ ment "With which the electrical industry ments of Pluto, Fido, Mulberry, and D- is associated. Many times in this war Day might have been different, with the British ingenuity and British resource­ coming of VE-Day delayed. As we now fulness have found solutions to problems know, however, the Central Board engi­ that began by being insoluble, and com­ neers anticipated the danger and though pared with the contributions made by the the City of London rocked above, other Allied Nations, it is a record of the national control of power- to the which we may well be proud. The self- war production plants, hospitals and the buoyant cable for defeating the magnetic like, stood up to all the forces of destruc­ mine, radio-location, the Pluto cable, the tion that the enemy was able to bring to .Mulberry harbour are but a few of the bear. We are this week by courtesy of expressions of the ingenuity of our engi­ the Board, able to give a brief descrip­ neers—and, it is pleasing to note, elec­ tion of the arrangements made, and trical engineering and electrical manu­ though space prohibits a more complete facturers played a very appreciable part explanation of the details, sufficient is in their success. The direct result of given to make it clear that the work in­ these developments was to hasten the volved called for engineering skill of the conclusion of the war in Europe with highest degree. Tliat it was done with­ the complete and unconditional surrender out interruption during the time that of the enemy, and we are entitled to do London was suffering its worst aerial a little boasting of the support which attacks, speaks volumes. British enterprise has contributed to­ wards that achievement. District Heating “ Operation Fido ” ITHIN the la^t year or two the LTHOUGH “ Operation Fido,” is W development of district heating has A not an electrical product the elec­ been advocated in different parts of the trical industry played a worthy part in country, and the reasoned lunch-hour the early investigations and experiments discourse on the subject by Prof. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 503

R e g i n a l d O. K a p p at University Col­ The revenue from the sale of electricity lege, London, last week, was particularly rose from £90 132 000 in 1938-39 to opportune, in that he pointed out the £134 405 0 0 0 in 1943-44. It is of interest limitations as well as the advantages of to note that the total number .of gas con­ this form of heating. Of the latter, con­ sumers in 1938 was 11 215 000, and in venience of heat on tap, smoke abate­ 1943 11 199 000. The figure for 1944 is ment and preservation of coal are con­ not yet available. Sales amounted to siderable, but the cost of installation in 1 530 million therms in 1938 and 1 690 existing towns and cities, where the millions in 1943. The provisional figure houses are not fitted with hot water radi­ for 1944 is 1 767 million therms. ators, would outweigh any saving. The Electrical Equipment in Mines expense, which Prof. K a p p estimated at £ 1 2 per head of the population, would, LTHOUGH the number of coal he suggested, be justified only in areas A mines in which electrical equipment where house? would be built to take had beon installed was reduced from advantage of such a service. It was 1 412 in 1938 to 1 394 in 1944, the num­ suggested that we ought to go ahead ber of electric motors in operation above with district heating wherever circum­ and below ground increased from 55 555, stances are favourable, and wherever representing 2 229 335 H .P ., in 1938, to possible, to attempt the combined 65 326 o f 2 485 101 H.p. a t Ju n e 30, generation of electricity and heat in the 1944. These figures are exclusive of form of water or steam. Any such mines under the Coal Mines Act in Cleve­ schemes, however, should be regarded land, Lincolnshire and Northants. The only as experimental so that by the electric motive power used below and experience gained in operating them we above ground was almost equal, the may have at some future date the best figures for 1944 being 1 333 937 h . p . b e ­ instead of the “ just good enough,” born low ground, an d 1 151 164 h .p . a b ove of going ahead to quickly. ground.

Growth of Supply Industry Two Interesting Appointments N spite of war-time restrictions and WO interesting personal notes re­ I enemy action, the electricity supply T corded in this issue are the appoint­ industry continued to expand steadily ment of Sir G e o r g e B a i l e y to the office during the years between 1938 to the end of managing director of Associated Elec­ of 1944. Thi? is shown by the figures trical Industries Ltd., and Mr. H. given in a statistical digest for 1944 W a r r e n to a like position with the British Thomson - Houston Co., Ltd. issued by the Ministry of Fuel and Readers will join with us in extending Power. The number of units generated very best wishes. Sir G e o r g e is already by authorised undertakings and railway well-known by virtue of the many presi­ and transport authorities increased by dential and other offices he has held in 13 901 millions, in the six years from addition to the chair of the Metropolitan- 1938, to 39 649 million units in 1944, Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd., while Mr. H. representing an advance of over two W a r r e n is generally associated with the million units a year. The greatest in­ institution of the B.T-H. research labora­ crease in the sale of units was to power tory at Rugby. consumers, the figures being 10 841 mil­ lions in 1938-39 and 20 951 millions in The Aluminium House 1943-44. The sales for lighting, heating HE prototype aluminium house and cooking rose from 8 340 million units T which was opened to public view in in 1938-39 to 9 721 millions* in 1943-44. London on Wednesday, contains little of It i? obvious that expansion in this field outstanding electrical interest, in that was restricted by the need for fuel with the exception of light and power, economy and the almost complete stop­ an immersion heater, electric cooker, page of the sale of domestic appliances. washer and refrigerator, electricity ap­ The black-out reduced the consumption pears to plav only a minor part. This of electricity for street lighting from is disappointing for with such a new idea 376 million units in 1938-39 to 16 million as aluminium for building, it seems rea­ units in 1940-41. In 1944 the units sold sonable that the essential services of such for this service numbered 2 0 m illions. a dwelling should be equally up-to-date. 504 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 Now It Can Be Told—III London Underground War-time Control Centre of the C.E.B,

H E R E A S until the autum n of 1938, areas, which together form one operational W the grid was operated in sections district. The S.E.E. control room was in covering the nine separate scheme areas, Park Street, Southwark, nearly opposite with control rooms at Glasgow, Newcastle, the Bankside power station, and some time Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, London before the war, steps were taken to pro­ tect the staff and equipment from the effects of enemy action. In addition, an emergency control room was provided on the northern side of the river, while a second emergency control was established at. the Board’s Islington grid sub-station where standby telephone facilities were available over C.E.B. multi-cores to most of the generating and sub-stations. The first emergency control was rendered uninhabitable in one of the earliest raids

Exterior view of the national and area control centre during construction and Bristol, it has since 1941 been operated as a single unit, with the sections retain­ ing regional control over the operation of the stations and the system in their areas under the overriding directions of a national control organisation, so that transfers of energy between one area and another are effected with due regard to economic generation and the electricity needs of the country as a whole. When fully inter-connected operation of the grid began, the duties of national control were carried out at the control centre for the S.E. EnglandandE. England

The apparatus gallery on London and thereafter regular use was made of the control room at Islington, the practice being to split the control staff be­ tween there and Bankside during heavy raids. It had early become clear, however, that safer accommodation would have to be found, and inquiries for an alternative site resulted in* the discovery’ of two disused lift shafts at a London Underground station, and with the co-operation of the L.P.T.B. arrangements were made for taking over these shafts, together with certain ground floor and basement accom­ modation, with access from the emergency staircase. In equipping the new premises the opportunity was taken to establish a Temporary control 1 separate national control room. areas during The arrangement is of special interest June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 505

in that it shows the adaptability o£ our civil In addition, the original exit passage from and electrical engineers. The actual loca­ the lifts to the station platforms was con­ tion is withheld from publication for verted for use as an apparatus gallery security reasons, but it may be said that housing the power and communications the two shafts have been joined together at equipment. various levels, and floored so as to form Three watertight doors were fitted; one a number of rooms. The two main shafts in the stairway bomb stopper, to protect were 23 ft. dia. and about 120 ft. deep, against flooding from surface water; and and were built up of cast-iron segments in two in the lower portions of the main the usual manner. To provide adequate shafts to protect against flooding from tho strength for resisting side blast from deep- Underground. A ventilation system sup­ penetration bombs, and at the same time plies the whole of tho building below the bomb stoppers with tempera­ ture and humidity-controlled air, while in addition to tho normal cotton - w’ool dust filters, special poison gas filters can be put into circuit by remote control from the apparatus gallery. The venti­ lation plant is at the base of one of the main shafts. National control has no concern with the operation of individual generating sta­ tions ; its function is the general co-ordination of inter­ connected operation through the Board’s regional control centres. Within the limits of security and tie-line capacity, inter-area operation is, as pre­ viously mentioned, on an Area loading control room economic basis and one of tho main functions of national to support the various floors, each main shaft was lined with 18 in. of reinforced con­ crete. The floors were also of the same thickness. Bomb stoppers were built into the upper portions of the main shafts and these consisted of 1 2 ft. of reinforced concrete in three slabs separated by a 9 ft. air space and a 14 ft. blast-absorbing layer of bal­ last. Thus, the base of each bomb stopper, which is the ceiling of the first inhabited room, is approximately 35 ft. below ground level. In order to protect the main shafts against side blast it was also necessary to con­ struct a speaially designed bomb stopper in the nearby access stairway and this was arranged so that there was a minimum control is to maintain transfers between thickness of 9 ft. of reinforced concrete. areas on a pre-arranged programme. This A fourth shaft carrying ventilating air programme is revised each week in the to the Underground was also protected by light of the latest information on plant a bomb stopper, designed to pass 60 0 0 0 cu. availability and relative generating costs ft of air per min. in each of the areas. One of the respon­ In all, thirteen rooms were provided, six sibilities of national control is the co­ in one main shaft and seven in the other. ordination of main transmission line and 506 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 generating plant maintenance programmes ; tion facilities provided by the teleprinters, another )s that of frequency and time continuous load indicators for inter-area control. feeders are transmitted to national control The equipment in the national control over separate private-rented telegraph cir­ room consists of a line diagram showing the cuits. main grid circuits; frequency and time Taking as an example the indications error indicators and recorders ; and indi­ for the inter-area feeders connecting Scot­ cating and recording meters for most of the land to N.E. England and N.W. England, main inter-area tie-lines in the country. readings initiated at the inter-area sub­ station at Galashiels for the connection between Scotland and N.E. England are transmitted 60 miles over a private line to the Glasgow control room. At tnis point they are amalgamated with similar read­ ings for the interchange on the two con­ nections between Scotland and N.W. England, originated 00 miles away at Carlisle. After display in the Glasgow control room the amalgamated signals are transmitted over a relay distributor 400 miles to national control where they are received on a decoding distributor and displayed on the individual indicators and recorders for the three primary 132 kV lines concerned. Similar indications origi­ nating in a like manner are transmitted from the Central England control room in Birmingham. Of the 15 inter-area feeders on the whole grid system, 1 2 are at present The national control room indicated in national control, and equip­ ment in manufacture for installation at Associated with the room is a teleprinter Leeds will enable the indications to be room containing instruments connected obtained for the remaining three-132 kV with the area control rooms. Practically primary inter-connectors to complete the all communications with the areas, includ­ picture. ing operating instructions and routine meter readings, are carried out over tele­ S.E, England Control printer channels. Until the end of raids Owing to the fact that each room is only by piloted aircraft, there was also a tele­ 2 0 It. dia. it was necessary to divide the printer connected with Fighter Command S.E. England control into two. It was H.Q., over which air-raid warning messages also convenient to do so, because the were transmitted. These messages came functions of an area control can be divided in sufficiently far in advance of the sound­ broadly into switching of grid circuits and ing of the public sirens to give time for loading of generating stations. Two anticipating rapid fluctuations in load, rooms, one in each shaft and connected and also to enable certain precautionary by a passage about 8 ft. long, have accord­ steps to be taken where appropriate. ingly been selected for the purpose. The national control system is associated The main switching control diagram, with the S.E. England and E. England which was transferred from Bankside, oc­ control , to the extent that the continuous cupies almost the whole of the available load indications for the feeders connecting wall space. It consists of over 41 000 one- the S.E. and E. England district to the inch squares of plastic material mounted associated Mid-East, Central England and on vertical steel strips 6 in. wide. With S.W. England districts are repeated on a choice of different symbols engraved on indicating instruments and recorders in the the squares the diagram has been built- up national control room. The national control to show the arrangement of all circuits engineer also employs the S.E. England and associated switchgear within the area. manual telephone exchange for communi­ Red alarm lamps are fitted into the diagram cation with the engineers controlling the for indicating switch operations at each S.E. England and E. England districts and sub-station. Provision is also made for for communication over the P.O. public fixing suitable labels to indicate presence telephone system. Separate telegraph cir­ of earths on apparatus under maintenance; cuits are, however, used between national labels are also used to show apparatus control and the six control rooms for all covered by permit-to-work cards and to areas other than- S.E. England and E. signify special requirements. No direct England. In addition to the communica­ switching is carried out by the Board’s June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 507 4 con.trol engineers, however, telephoned in­ power stations and sub-stations. Other uses structions being used exclusively. are for transmitting routine loading The loading control room contains a dia­ instruction signals to 25 major power gram of the S.E.E. system showing stations, and receiving remote indications only that amount o£ detail required for of the frequency on the east and west loading purposes. For simplicity in opera­ sections of the London area primary grid tion, instruments showing feeder loadings system, and on the northern and southern have been incorporated in the diagram. sections of the outlying 132 kV grid system. Additional instruments giving generator Multi-Core Cable System loads, frequency and time error are in­ corporated in panels at the side of the dia­ The private rented lines are supple­ gram. mented by a separate communication sys­ In the centre of a two-position loading tem over spare circuits in multi-core cables desk is a routine instructor by means of provided inside the London area originally which instructions can be sent to the more for protective gear purposes. important stations. These instructions Signalling on the Post Office private lines cover the picking up or dropping off of is by means of polarised d.c. where the varying amounts of generation or the shed­ circuits are suitable for end to end d.c. ding of load in. emergency. working, but in 17 instances it is necessary One of the disadvantages of a control to employ voice frequency signalling due room so far below ground is that it is diffi- to the circuit characteristics. sult to keep a constant watch on weather The signalling apparatus used for setting conditions. To overcome the problem as up telephone calls is also employed for far as possible, light intensity indicating transmission of the routine instructions for and recording instruments are provided on generation from the loading control desk the loading desk. These are actuated by to the associated power stations and for two light cells; one on the roof of the the receipt of acknowledgment that the building above the control room and one at signals have been received. For 17 of the a London grid sub-station. 25 stations the routine instruction origina­ tors were removed from the original control A War-time Necessity equipment, mounted on a new telephone The control room is the centre of 1 450 type rack and driven from the loading desk miles of private lines rented from the P.O. by telephone type rotary line switches radiating to 57 major sub-stations and under the remote control 'of keys on the power stations. The lines terminate on desk. In the remaining eight instances, a telephone type apparatus. In the Bank- more recent design of transmitter was em­ side control room this telephone type ap­ ployed utilising telephone relays and com­ paratus was. associated with control equip­ ponents throughout. ment which displayed the high voltage The continuous feeder load indications switch positions, gave indications of the and indications of generated load utilise loads through the main transformers con­ the same lines as those employed for sig­ necting the undertakings’ systems with the nalling and communication nurposes, the primary grid, and showed the tapping posi­ modulated signals for the load indications tions of the on-load tap-change gear on being separated by means of filters to en­ these transformers. The equipment, which able speech and load signalling to proceed was ranged round the perimeter of the simultaneously. In the majority of in­ main control room, occupied so much space stances a band from 1 900 cycles upwards is that it was impossible to transfer it to the employed for load indications, but in some underground control room and the indi­ instances the load indicating signals en­ vidual switch position indications, “ on croach on the speech band where inter­ demand ” transformer load readings and ruption of the load indications during tele­ tap-change indications had to be aban­ phone conversations can be tolerated. doned as a war-time measure and the essen­ The two systems in use employ ei ther voice tial features of the transmission of routine frequency signals generated 'by a photo­ load instructions to major power stations electric transmitter associated with a watt­ were telescoped into /acks of telephone meter transmitter, these signals being am­ type equipment, specially designed and plified and de-modulated after receipt built to contain the essential circuits for at the control room, or the counting of these functions. pulses initiated by watt-hour transmitters The S.E. England control room therefore over a given time period measured by the now includes telephone type equipment control room master clock, the integrated for establishing communication from the reading over the time period being shown control centre over the private lines to 27 on the associated indicators. automatic exchanges installed in the out­ In what has been referred to as lying sub-stations, together with 28 cord­ the apparatus gallery, the equipment is less telephone switchboards and individual arranged so that all power units are on extension telephones at the remaining one side wall, whilst the communications 508 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 equipment racks are arranged in a line short-circuit calculator are made on a cen­ along the other. Front and back access tral instrument desk, the instruments be­ is provided, so facilitating maintenance ing connected into the network by means work. In the event of interruption to the of plugs and cords mounted on a shelf services of the building due to a mains running below the calculating board and failure, all vital load is switched automatic­ permanently wired back to the desk. ally by a contactor to a standby supply: In addition to the calculators already should this supply also be dead, a limited mentioned there is a universal calculating supply can be obtained by manual board, consisting of 6 6 variable resistances switching from the Underground 33J cycle with arrangements for interconnecting them system. All vital communications equip­ by links and cords. This can be used by ment is run from floating batteries, itself or in conjunction with one of the which are duplicated. Sufficient capacity other calculators. Interconnection of the is available to run the control centre and different calculators is effected by a num­ provide lighting on an emergency basis for ber of bus-wires running round the room, at least a day. with outlets adjacent to each calculation Incorporated in one of the main bomb- board. Power for all the calculating stoppers is a circular room housing a boards is obtained via a metal rectifier series of calculating boards used for neb unit, from the 230 V a.c. mains. work calculation. These comprise a short- The short-circuit calculators are used to circuit calculator and a load-flow calcula­ check the duty imposed on the Board’s tor, both being d.c. operated, and con­ switchgear with various switching arrange­ sisting of networks of resistances repre­ ments and to estimate the duty that will senting circuit reactances, loads, etc. The be imposed on new switchgear in connec­ short-circuit calculator is in two portions ; tion with extensions to the system. They one covering the London area and the are also used for special investigations, other the remainder of the S.E.E. system. mainly in connection with protective gear The load-flow calculator is a single unit settings. Provision is made for investigat­ covering the whole of the S.E.E. system. ing both three-phase faults and single earth Each of these three units consists of a faults on the system. black Sindanyo panel mounted on a steel The load-flow calculator is used for fore­ framework enclosed with sheet steel ends casting the distribution of load on the and back to form cubicles. The resistances various parts of the system with different are mounted on the back of the panel and switching and generating arrangements and interconnection of the resistances is also in connection with extensions to the effected by means of jacks, plugs and system. cords from the front of the. panel. The All the equipment, with the exception system diagram is shown on the front of of the universal calculator, was designed the panel. All measurements on the bv the Board’s staff. Sir George Bailey S briefly announced in our last issue, the Manchester District Engineering Em­ A Sir George Edwin Bailev, C.B.E., ployers’ Association in 1926 and 1927, and _ -M. Sc., M. I. E. E., a member of the Beveridge Committee on M.Mech.E., M.I.P.E., Skilled Men in the Services in 1941. who was made chair­ He is president of the Manchester En­ man of the Metropoli­ gineering Council, hon. treasurer of tan-Vickers Electrical the Manchester District Engineering Em­ Co., Ltd., in March, ployers’ Association, and a member of the 1944, has now been North Western Regional Board (Ministry appointed managing of Production). director of Associated During the period of the war in Europe Electrical Industries, Sir George Bailey was chairman of the Ltd. Local Reconstruction Panel (Manchester Among the many Area) Emergency Sendees Organisation, public offices held by and a member of the industrial panels of Sir George, was that the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of of president of the Production. The degree of M.Sc. (Honoris Engineering and Causa) was conferred upon him by the Sir George Bailey Allied Employers’ Manchester University in July, 1942. Hational Federation, The honour of C.B.E. was conferred on from 1940 to 1943. He became trustee to Sir George Bailey in 1941, and in 1944 his the federation in 1943. He was also presi­ services to the country were further recog­ dent of the Institution of Production En­ nised by his being created a knight gineers from 1939 to 1942, president of bachelor. June 8, 1945 TH E ELECTRICIAN 509 Aluminium and Electrical Appliances Exhibition of All-Electric Kitchen and Fittings

HERE is being shown at Selfridges, of tliis ducting system extends into the top T London, until June 30, a display spon­ of the drying cupboard to remove the hot sored by the Aluminium Development Asso­ moist air and facilitate tho drying of the ciation, intended to show something of the clothes. Also within this ducting runs the scope of the metal, and this includes repre­ wiring system which provides additional sentative examples of lighting fittings, 'lighting points above the sink, the cooker and the food preparation bench; in this way, evenly-distributed illumination is, it is claimed, provided with tho elimination of all dark corners. A comprehensive system of wall- cupboards (fitted with sliding doors)— the . top tier for reserve stores and the lower for non-perishable package foodstuffs, china, glass-ware, etc.— ensures that every­ thing can be stored out of sight, yet ready for instant use when required. All cup­ boards are of aluminium, all shelves are quickly adjustable for height, and remov­ able for easy cleaning. Power points are located, one at the back of the food preparation bench and the other close to the boiler unit, and the portable appliances include a toaster, mincing machine, mixer and kettle. When not in use, these are stored in the cup­ board below the boiler unit. W ithin the cavity at (the left of the window are mounted the fuse boards and main switches for the lighting and power Plan of the aluminium kitchen arrangements circuits, together with the electricity meters. The meters themselves are domestic appliances and portable tools, in mounted on a small hinged door which the construction of which aluminium has can be opened from the outside of the been used. These examples, which are in house by the supply authority’s reader for themselves of standard design, are finished the purpose of checking current consump­ in some cases in Alumilite of most attractive tion. colours and are well worth the attention of A constant supply of hot water for tho the industry'. kitchen is obtained from an electrically- From an electrical point of view, the heated and thermostatically controlled show-piece may be said to be an all-electric kitchen, designed by Mr. Ernest R. Gilbert, in­ tended to demonstrate how aluminium alloys can be used in connection with future housing problems, I t is em- phasised at the exhibition that the kitchen is an “ ideal ” in that neither size nor price have been permitted to restrict its design or lay-out. The arrangement of the equipment will be appreciated from the plan reproduced above, and between the ceiling and the upper section of the storage cupboards is a conducting system through which foul air is withdrawn by an extractor fan mounted on the outside wall. One end General view of the aluminium kitchen 510 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

storage tank incorporated between the sink serious defect that they have not been unit and the clothes washing machine. permanently plumbed into the domestic The cooker design is such that the baking water and drainage systems. As a result, and boiling sections form two independent time and energy must be expended by the units at a convenient height above floor user in preparing the machine for service! level. The oven, with its door hinged below In the kitchen exhibited, this preliminary instead of at the side, to provide a working work has been obviated and the machine surface for basting and turning, is fitted is always ready for use. One unusual with interchangeable radiant elements feature is that the machine is fitted with mounted in a frame which can be inserted a separate rinsing tank. The wringer, into two positions. When plugged into the operated by its own independent mbtor, upper socket (about two-thirds down the swings out of use when not required, while oven) baking or roasting is carried out in the washer, when out of operation, is totally enclosed, and its upper portion can be employed as additional working surface. Associated with the electric dish-washer is a garbage disposal unit. This consists of a motor-operated shredder which re­ duces potato parings, small bones, scraps from the plates—in fact all forms of food waste—into a thin pulp which is auto­ matically flushed down the drain. The refrigerator has a capacity, of ap­ proximately 41 cu. ft., and its mechanism is mounted at the rear where it is ade­ quately ventiluted through grilles arranged at the sides. It is fitted below with two deep ventilated aluminium drawers for the storage of potatoes and green vegetables. The Aluminium Development Association has as its objects the development of new markets, and to guide potential users in the type of alloy best suited to a par­ ticular need.

Aluminium House HE first temporary aluminium house T to be on exhibition is being shown at The electric cooker oven and automatic time Somerset Street, London, IV, by arrange­ control ment with Selfridges Ltd., and'the Light Alloy Exhibition Committee of the Alu­ the upper portion, whilst below the heating minium Development Association, and was elements there is ample room for grilling. officially opened on Tuesday by the Rt. The oven is thermostatically controlled, Hon. Duncan Sandys, M.P. 'the house with a travelling pointer to show working is shown as part of the exhibition, “ Alu­ temperature, and it is also time-controlled minium—from War to Peace,” referred to by means of an electric clock mounted above. It is made and delivered to site in above it. A feature of the oven is that the four sections and that exhibited was as­ heating elements, side members and racks sembled in eight hours complete to the last can be removed in a few seconds for the detail. Of the electrical equipment there interior to be wiped over with a rag after are the normal lighting and power points. use. The boiler unit is noticeable for its Hot water for the house is supplied by- large working surface. Behind its three- means of a tank at the back of the fire in heat element is room for saucepans and the living room, with an immersion heater cooking utensils, also plates, to be kept in the storage tank. An electric cooker warm during the preparation of the meal. and refrigerator are installed in the Its 3-position switches are fitted with auto­ kitchen. matic signal lights to show when each is switched on; beneath is a drip tray, instantly removable for cleaning. B O O K RECEIVED With respect to the clothes washer, it is “ Electro-plating: A Survey of Modern Mr. Gilbert’s view that hitherto, owing to Practice.” By S. Field and' A. Dudley the smallness of the average kitchen, most Weill. 5th Ed. (London: Pitman). Pp. washing machines have suffered from the viii + 4S3. 15s. net. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 511 District Heating Prof. Kapp on Its Advantages and Limitations N the course of a lecture entitled “ 'The one-third, if heat and electricity were IFuture of Domestic Heating,” delivered produced from a combined station. at University College, London, on May 29, In 1937, according to Sir Alfred Egerton, Prof. Reginald O. Kapp dealt with the domestic heating accounted for 37 million subject of district heating. tons of coal, and electricity supply for 15 The first district heating scheme he knew million. Domestic heating had at that of, he said, was installed in Manchester time an efficiency of about 25 per cent., early in the century, and though the idea but had this been entirely by central heat­ was not pursued it was developed ing fed from a boiler in each house, instead abroad and made substantial progress. of ulmost entirely by open fires, the efficiency The reason why we had not gone would have been about 55 per cent, and further with the idea was not that about 2 0 million tons of coal would have we would not have been better off with been saved in that year. Had the whole district heating, nor that we were less en­ of the domestic heating load been taken terprising, but engineering and economic by largo central boilers feeding district factors made it unattractive at the time. heating networks, the efficiency would The advantages accruing from district have been about 70 per cent, and a further heating were convenience of heat on tap, four million tons of coal would have been smoke abatement and coal preservation. saved. Had electricity stations taken over the supply of district heat to their full Boiler Efficiencies capacity, one-third of their 15 million tons To make district heating effective, the coal consumption, would have been saved necessary boilers would have to be com­ and, instead of requiring a total of 52 parable in size to those used in our latest million tons for domestic heating and elec­ power stations. Such boilers had an effi­ tricity supply we would have required only ciency of about 80 per cent-., but since 23 million tons. their use would involve the transmission of Another advantage of combined, as hot water or steam over long distances, opposed to separate generation, was a sav­ heat losses in the pipes would lower the ing in cost of installed plant. If a generat­ overall efficiency to about 70 per cent.; ing station was designed to provide heat still well above the 55 per cent, for indi­ as well as electricity, the boiler plant vidual central heating boilers, however. It would cost a little more, and the conden­ was possible, to attain even higher effi­ sing plant a little less; the cost of the ciency figures if the generation of heat and turbines would be much the same and that electricity was combined in the samo of the generators exactly the same. The station; paradoxical though it might net result might, or might not be a more sound, however, this was only possible if expensive station, but against any extra the efficiency of electricity generation was cost was the saving of an independent reduced. boiler installation for supplying heat from The amount of heat given up to the a separate heat station. cooling water in a modern generating station was now about the minimum, as A Building Question might be calculated from the second law Dealing with the limitations of district of thermo-dynamics. No one had a use heating, Prof. Kapp said the chief diffi­ for vast quantities of iuke-warm water, culty was that almost all houses in this so the heat discarded from a generating country had been built with open grates station in the cooling water must be and were not fitted with hot-water radi­ counted a loss. ators. The cost of making the necessary If, however, less steam was used and it change would outweigh any saving, and was allowed to leave the station at a district heating could thus only be seriously hfgher temperature, it, oould serve for considered for new houses; but even these district heating. In doing so, less heat in offered few attractive prospects. To pro­ the steam would be converted into elec­ vide district heating, pipes would have to trical energy, and to some extent one be laid in the streets from the central boiler would be robbing Peter to pay Paul. installation to the consumers, and where Nevertheless, there would be a substantial distances were not great this might cost, net gain, in that it could be shown that say, £12 per head of the population. Such the reduction in output of electrical energy expense clearly was not justified for a per lb. of coal would be only about one- supply to a few isolated new houses in a tenth or one-ninth of the energy gain district; but it might be if all the houses available for district heating. There was, were new and could be built to take ad­ in consequence, a saving in coal of roughly vantage of the offered service. 512 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8 , 1945 Another difficulty was to know what to expenditure, this solution did not, how­ design for. There would have to be in­ ever, lead to the lowest cost of electricity stalled in each house a so-called heat only, for it demanded that the require­ exchanger in which the heat in the water ments for district heat should determine distributed from the central boiler house where electricity ' should be generated, was transferred to the householder’s hot whereas at present the Central Board's pro­ water system. Again, people would be gramme was governed by the relative ther­ less careful of heat when it was on tap mal efficiency of the sta cions. A last than when they had to produce it them­ objection to combined generation was tnat selves, and this difficulty was increased it would greatly complicate the accoun­ by the problem of metering. tancy of the supply7 industry. Further, the ratio of heat to electricity In conclusion, Prof. Kapp said that the demand was unknown and fluctuating, and difficulties and limitations called for it would be greater in the winter than the caution, but not for inactivity. Wherever summer. Supposing, for instance, that a possible we ought to attempt combined combined station was designed for a given generation and to regard any7 such scheme ratio and at any time the actual ratio was a 5 experimental. The advantages of com­ less, if the station generated all its elec­ bined generation outweighed the disad­ trical requirements it would be generating vantages, but it should be noted that the too much heat. The most obvious remedy advantages were all national and the dis­ would be for combined statiuns to run at advantages all fell on the supply industry. all times as much plant as might bo needed To be fair, therefore, the relative costs of for the heat load and to import from the heat and electricity ought to be so adjusted grid any electricity needed in' excess of that some reduction in the cost of elec­ that- generated. Though the m ost eco­ tricity compensated the industry for its nomical from the point of view of national sacrifices in the national interest. News In Brief Street Lighting Scheme.— I t is proposed Leeds Telephone Exchange.— A new to spend an extra £5 080 at Burnley on re­ automatic telephone exchange has been storing full street officially opened by7 lighting from Septem­ „■ ==—-■: = . the Lord Mayor of ber i. Leeds, Aid. C. V. Hospital Lighting. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO W alker.

— The Hastings '¡'ROM T h e E l e c t r i c i a n of School Installa­ H ealth Committee is June 4, 1920 : The Home Office tions.— The N orth­ to renew the electric has sanctioned the use of small umberland . Education lighting installation electric locomotives in coal mines. Committee is to pro­ at the municipal hos­ These locomotives, which have vide additional elec­ pital at an estimated hitherto been employed in iron trical services at cost o f £ 1 300. mines as feeders from the faces to North Seaton School Sanatorium X-ray the main roads, are designed to at a cost of £150. Equipment.— T h e haul a load of 10 to 15 tons on the Middlesex Education Birmingham Health level, or about 3 tons up a gradient Committee is to pro­ Committee is to pro­ o f 1 in 30. Each carries a battery vide electrical and vide X-ray facilities o f 24 cells of the iron-clad Exide mechanical engineer­ at West Heath sana­ type, with a caixicity of 193 A h. ing equipment at'En­ torium at a cost of These are charged from a station field Technical £2 491 ; at Romsley7 in the mine, the current being College at a cost of Hill sanatorium at derived through a converter. £1 360. £4-644 and at Salter- Eire Electrification ley7 Grange sana- Contract.— I t is an- torium at £1 296. nouneed that the Kitchen Planning Exhibitions.—-At a contract for a £70 000 electrification scheme meeting of the Ilford Housing Committee has been given to the Stal Turbine Works, the question of a kitchen planning exhibi­ Sweden. This is the first contract in a tion was considered and the Borough En­ £30 000 000 electrification scheme which gineer suggested the arrangement of an the Eire Government proposes to carry7 out exhibition of two kitchens, one to be during the next few years. . equipped by7 the Gas Light and Coke Co. Housing and Town Planning.—The York- and the other by the electricity depart­ town (Camberley) Gas and Electricity Co. ment, the work of organising and of build­ and the Wessex Electricity Co. co-operated ing the actual kitchens to be undertaken in a housing and town planning exhibition by the Borough Engineer’s department. organised by men of the R.E.M.E. School The Committee agreed. at Arborfieid. Berks. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 513 Electricity Looks Forward Exhibition to Tour N.W. Area— Electric Kitchen Display WENTY-TWO electricity supply exhibition is the range of four full- T authorities in the North Western re­ scale electric kitchens. Two were con­ gion of the British Electrical Development structed by the St. Helens Electricity Association have co-operated in staging an Department; an all-steel kitchen pro­ exhibition, “ Electricity Books Forward,” duced by Moffats Ltd.. in conjunction with the Blackburn Electricity Department; and the fourth, designated the North-West Kitchen, based on the prefer­ ences expressed by the 4 0 0 0 housewives who answered a questionnaire on post-war kitchen needs. Designed m collaboration with the Man- • Chester housing departm ent, it represents a kitchen, which the Corporation consider capable of realisation in post-war housing I policy. In the kitchen there is ; a 4 cu. ft. refrigerator, a vertical type cooker (with oven ; thermostat), electric kettle, ■ over-sink water heater, hot- : water supply from a back- ; boiler behind the open fire in : the living room, circulator type immersion heater in a hot water cylinder. In the utility room a power washing machine 5 and electrically heated clothes drying cabinet have been

Kitchen designed by Manchester Housing Department

now being held in the Kendal Milne store, Manchester. This exhibition will tour the north­ west and at each centre it will be open for two or three weeks, proriding ample opportunity for inspection by building authorities throughout Lanca­ shire, Cheshire and North Wales. Provision has been made to expand the industrial portion of the exhibition and limit the agricultural, or vice versa, according to the charac­ ter o f the town where it is staged. Next on the list is Chester where it will be seen from July 12. About 60 manufacturers of various classes of goods have provided exhibits and assisted in various ways. Photographs, maps and diagrams also pro­ ride a colourful background to the attractive range of display' pieces. All-steel kitchen designed and constructed by The chief feature of the Moffats Ltd. 514 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

installed. Both kitchen and utility room velopments in domestic electrical equip­ have an adequute number of power sockets ment had not been stopped by the war. and there is ample and correctly placed Lord Brabazon, who performed the electric lighting. opening ceremony, said that during the war The all-steel kitchen by Moffats Ltd., is many women for the first time in their built up on the unit principle and can bo lives acquired a knowledge of workshop adapted to any shape or size of room. In planning, organisation and practice and addition to the usual main electric appli­ had been struck by the fact that homes, ances, there is provided an electric clock looked upon as workshops of comfort, were and on either side of tho cooker, an enclosed out of date and badly organisod. tray-rack and a withdrawable towel-dry­ Mr. R . A. S. Thwaites, chief electrical ing rack fitted with a small electric heater. engineer and manager, Manchester, said One section of the exhibition is de­ electricity which had been a luxury for a voted to electric baking and canteen equip­ few had become the necessity for the many. ment, including a 4 ft. x 4ft. oven, a Brief speeches were also made by Mr. cake mixer, pie-press with electrically- H. Taite and Mr. W. H. Metcalfe heated platen and a 20 gal. water heater. (chairman, North West E.D.A.). For canteens there is a range of appliances Contributors to the success of the exhibition rated from 3.5 kW to 18 kW. Farming included : Aidas K!ect,r:c Ltd. ; Artie Fuse and Lectnoal Mfg. Co., Ltd.; Bastian and Allen exhibits are a group on their own. They Ltd.; Baxendalc and Co., Ltd.; Belling and comprise electrode boilers, sterilising chests, Co., Ltd. ; J. Beresford and Sons Ltd. ; Berry’s bottle-washing plant, milk coolers, etc. Electric Ltd.; Best Products Ltd.; Geo. Bray and Co., Ltd.; B.E.A.H.A. ; British Samuel Gratrix Ltd., show a kitchen- National Electrics Ltd.; British Thomsou- bathroom unit, providing on the kitchen Houston Co., Ltd. ; British Vacuum Cleaner side an electric cooker, wash-boiler sink, and Engineering Co., Ltd.; Butpitt and Sons; Bureo Ltd. ; Christy and Norris Ltd. ; Con­ cupboard and refrigerator and on the bath­ solidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd.; Cooper- room side a lavatory basin, water lieater, Stewart Engineering Co., Ltd.; Dorman and bath, etc. The E.L.M.A. provide a com­ Smith Ltd.; B.A.W.; Electrolux Ltd.; English prehensive exhibit illustrating the prin­ hlectno Co., Ltd.; Ferranti Ltd.; Gardiner and Gulland Ltd.: Gascoigne (Beading) Ltd.; ciples of good lighting; the C.E.B. display General Electric Co.. Ltd.; Gratrix, Samuel, models of transmission towers and samples Ltd.; Hague and McKenzie Ltd.: Harwell, of overhead line conductors, etc. T.M.C. (Sales), Ltd.; lleatrae Ltd.; Hobart llanufacturing Co., Ltd.; Hoover Ltd.; Hot- High frequency heating is illustrated by point Electric Appliance Co., Ltd.; Jackson a 74 kW 10-15 mc/s heating unit with Electric Stove Co., Ltd.; Archibald Low Elec­ hand-operated moulding press. These are trics Ltd.; Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.; Moffatts Ltd.; Morphy-Richards Ltd.: only a few of the more outstanding ex­ M.K. Elect-rio Ltd.; Premier Electric Heaters hibits. Ltd.; Pressed Steel Co., Ltd.: Pyrotenax Ltd.; Aid. Sir William Walker, who presided Revo Electric Co., Ltd.; A. R eyrolle and Co., Ltd.; Santon Ltd.: Simplex Electric Co.. Ltd.; at the opening ceremony, said that the de­ Stroma Engineering Co.. Ltd.; Yer.LAxia Ltd. Tynemouth Exhibition PECIAL interest was displayed by visi­ The industrial exhibits included local tors to the Industrial and Electrical engineering products, scale models showing ExhibitionS at North Shields, in the Tyne­ the application of metal cladding for mouth electricity department’s exhibit buildings, and plastics. comprising an ali-electric kitchen planned by Moffats, Ltd., in steel, with a utility room attached, and a stand showing elec­ tric cookers and other apparatus. Notwithstanding the fact that the de­ partment was not in a position to sell, many enquiries were received for cookers, wash-boilers, refrigerators, kettles and various other appliances, which will en­ gage attention as soon as goods are avail­ able and on sale free from restrictions. Enquiries were also made for complete kitchen units as shown in the exhibition. A further attraction was the Housing and Town Planning section. Models of in­ dustrial and residential developments at West Chirton were shown as well as per­ spective views of post-war permanent and temporary housing, and plans and per­ spective drawings of the central develop­ ment of North Shields. Tynemouth electricity department’s stand June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 515 Electrical Personalities We are always glad to receive from readers news of their social and business activities for publication in this page. Paragraphs should be as brief as possible After nearly 40 years’ service with the tions, and in 1923 he collaborated with the General Electric Co., Ltd., and nine years late Mr. R. C. Clinker in instituting the as manager in London B.T-H. research laboratory. In 1929 Mr. of the G.E.C. switch- Warren became chief of the research gear and instrument laboratory, and in 1938 he was elected to department, Mr. A. the board of the company as director of E. Jepson retired on research. May 31. He joined the In presenting certificates and awards G.E.C. in 1900 as gained by students, apprentices and tester of electrical trainees under the Philips’ industrial train- heating apparatus at mg scheme at their Mitcham works, re- Peel Works, Salford. cently, Mr. Chuter Ede, Parliamentary Shortly afterwards he Secretary to the Ministry of Education, became assistant de- praised the scheme and said that the monstrator in the Ministry of Education were watching the electrical department experiment with very great interest. He at the Manchester noticed that sotne had taken their degree School of Technology, and, having obtained further experience with the Manchester Corporation electricity department as chief assistant in the test­ ing department, he returned to the G.E.C. in Manchester in 1910 to develop meter sales. In 1919 Mr. Jepson was appointed manager of the G.E.C. Sheffield branch, a position he held until 1929, when he was made assistant district manager of Lanca- ; shire and Yorkshire. This post he held : until December, 1936, when he took up his appointment at the G.E.C. head office. Recently, Mr. Jepson was entertained by his colleagues at a dinner at Birming­ ham , where the chairman, Dr. C. C. Mr. Chuter Ede presenting awards a: Philips* Garrard, a director of the G.E.C., pro- Mitcham works. Mr. S. S. Eriks, managing sented him with a bookplate and a number director of the Philips group of .companies, of books on behalf of those present. ¡s seated on his left Colonel J. C. Chaytor has been ap­ pointed a director of the North Somerset while still working in the factory. Mr. Edo Electric Supply Co., Ltd. was introduced by Mr. S. S. Eriks, manag- Followirig the resignation of Mr. R. H. ing director of the Philips group of com- Kent from the Council, the Hammersmith panies, who was supported by Mr. T. E. Electricity Committee have appointed Goldup, director, and Mr. F. A. Kloppert, Councillor G. Mason chairman, and Coun- works director, of the Mullard Radio Valve cillor N. Bartlett vice-chairman. Co. : Mr. van der Zee, works manager, Mr. Mr. R. H. Stein has relinquished his posi- G. A. Taylor, training supervisor, Mitcham tion with Braithwaite and Co. (Engineers), works; and Mr. H. A. Warren, principal of Ltd., and given up all his other business Croydon Polytechnic, interests to take charge at the Ministry' of Works of the production of prefabricated Obituary permanent houses. Mr. Arthur H. Pott, consulting engineer, Mr. H. Warren, who, recently, was on June 2, aged 80 years, appointed director of research and engin- Mr. W. A. Pearman, general manager eering of the British Thomson-H o u r ton and secretary of London Power Co., Ltd., Co., Ltd., now becomes managing director on May 30, aged 72 years. He served the on the retirement of Mr. H. N. Sporborg. electricity supply industry in London for Mr. Warren is 53 years of age, and went 54 years, having joined the Westminster from Bristol University to the testing de- Electric Supply Corporation in April, 1891. partment of the B.T-H. Co. in 1911. He On the formation of the London Power was appointed to the engineering staff in Co., Ltd., in 1927, he was appointed 1913, in 1921 he became engineer of insula- general manager and secretary. 516 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 Progress of Electricity Supply Comparative Statistical Tables for W ar Years HE second statistical digest issued by and the aggregate value of the individual T the Ministry of Fuel and Power con- • maximum loads on generating stations dur­ tains tables relating to electricity supply ing 1944 was 10 435 000. The num ber of during the war years to the end of 1944. persons employed by authorised under­ These show that the total number of units takings at January 1, 1944, was 80 944 generated in 1944 was 39 649 000 000, (75 762 males and 14 182 females), com­ compared with 25 70S 000 000 in 1938. pared ■with 120 731 (¡113 620 males and The total generating plant capacity in­ 7 111 females) on March 31, 1939. Below stalled by authorised undertakings at the are given the principal tables with com­ end of the year 1943-44 was 11 974 000 kW, parative figures:—

C o n s u m e r s , S a l e s , R e v e n u e . 1938-39 1939-40 1940-41 1941-42 1942-43 1943-44 Number of consumers (thousand)-— Public Authorities ...... 6 768 7 017 6 923 6 962 7 012 7 077 Companies ...... 3 333 3 547 3 595 3 672 3 669 3 703

T otal 10101 10 564 10 518 10 634 10 681 10 780

Electricity sold to consumers (million units)— Lighting, heating and cooking ...... 8 340 8 690 8 810 9 875 * 9 353 9 721 P o w e r...... -...... 10 841 12 476 14 342 16 754 19 517 20 951 Public Lighting ...... 376 142 16 20 21 20 T raction ...... 1 236 1 230 1 139 1 166 1 170 1 140

Total ...... 20 793 22 538 24 307 27 815 30 061 31832

Revenue from sale of electricity to consumers (£ thousand)— Public Authorities (including Central Board for traction purposes only) ...... 55 664 58 056 63 490 72 059 73 764 78 402 Com panies ...... 34 468 36 677 41 097 47 931 52 751 56 003

T otal ...... 90 132 94 733 104 587 119 990 126 515 134 405 N o t e . —Consumption b y domestic consumers is estimated to have been 5 360 million units in 1938. The corresponding provisional figure for 1944 is 7 000 million units. The companies’ year ended December 31 and the public authorities’ year die following March 31 or May 15.

Classification of Generating Stations according to Units Generated, Year 1944. G roup. N um ber o f each group stations. (thousand units). U p to 50 000 units 38 630 50 001 I > 100 000 „ 16 1 061 100 001 250 000 „ 27 4 741 250 001 500 000 „ 17 6 185 500 001 1 000 000 „ 16 . 12 077 1 000 001 2 500 000 „ 35 56 865 2 500 001 5 000 000 „ 21 79 514 5 000 001 10 000 000 „ 20 138 626 10 000 001 25 000 000 „ 30 495 601 25 000 001 50 000 000 „ 22 692 396 50 000 001 100 000 000 „ 23 1 690 964 100 000 001 200 000 000 „ 24 3 654 151 200 000 001 500 000 000 „ 33 10 480 608 500 000 001 1 000 000 000 „ 16 11 042 359 Over 1000 000 000 „ . 7 10 007 368

T otal 345 38 363 146

1938. 1939. 1940. 1941. 1942. 1943. 1944. Number of Public Authorities ...... 378 373 373 374 374 374 375 Companies ...... 213 208 205 202 201 ' 200 198

T otal ...... 591 581 578 576 575 574 573

E lectricity Generated (million units). By steam plant— Public Authorities ...... 13 093 14 289 15 921 17 935 19 569 20 191 21 442 Com panies ...... 10 118 10 966 11 880 13 465 14 882 15 344 15 651 Railway and Transport ...... 1 335 1 323 1 202 1 216 1 248 1 265 1285

T otal ...... 24 546 26 578 29 003 32 616 35 699 36 800 38 378

By oil engines— PubLic Authorities ...... 27 25 26 25 23 21 25 Com panies ...... 30 26 31 32 23 17 20

T otal 57 51 57 57 46 38 45 June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 517

Electricity Generated (continued) 1938. 1939. 1940. 1941. 1942. 1943. 1944. By gas engines— Public Authorities ...... 3 3 3 3 2 2 3 Com panies

T otal ...... 3 3 3 3 2 2 3

By water power— Public Authorities ...... 7 7 6 6 7 6 6 Companies ...... 981 975 794 825 1 090 1 323 1 170

T otal ...... 988 982 800 831 1 097 1 329 1 176

By destructor plant, waste heat, etc.— Public Authorities ...... 13 16 15 8 6 5 4 Companies ...... 100 102 97 61 52 42 42 Railway and Transport ...... 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

T otal ...... 114 119 113 70 59 48 47

O verall T otal— Public Authorities ...... 13 143 14 340 15 971 17 977 19 607 20 225 21 480 Com panies ...... 11 229 12 069 12 802 14 383 16 047 16 726 16 883 Railway and Transport ...... 1 336 1 324 1 203 1 217 1 249 1 266 1 286

T otal ...... 25 708 27 733 29 976 33 577 36 903 38 217 39 649 Materials used for Generating Elec tr ic it y (thous. tons)— Coal ... 14 927 15 925 18 112 20 435 22 283 22 599 24 074 Coke and Coke Breeze ...... 183 235 258 275 320 318 337 Oil 20 26 18 Number of stations (owned by authorised undertakers) generating electricity during 1944 was 345. In addition there were 14 generating stations belonging to and operated by railway and transport authorities. Localisation of Faults I.E.E. Discussion on Some N ew Tests for Low Voltage Cables PAPER on “ Localisation of Faults in tage in cable manufacturing works because A Low-Voltago Cables,” by Mr. J. H. it economised in technical personnel and Savage, was read at the meeting of the reduced the amount of scrap cable. I.E.E. Transmission Section on May 30. Another point of fundamental importance Practical limitations of well-known fault- was the manner in which the author had locating tosts were considered, and some used tl\e inversion of the Wheatstone new tests capable of high accuracy were bridge— he had turned it inside out— to described. They included a d.c. valve- meet his requirements. There might pos­ voltmeter circuit for core-to-sheath insu­ sibly be other applications of that, apart lation faults, audio-frequency search from cable testing. The author had also methods for open-circuits, and radio­ used audio-frequency' and radio-frequency frequency tests for conductor defects. and had shown the great advantage, even Mention was also made of fault localisation to cable makers, of knowing something based on wave-reflection effects. The about radio work. paper dealt mainly with factory' technique Major L. G. Dumford (Ministry of for rubber- and plastic-insulated cables, Supply') said that whilst the spark test was but some of the methods could be applied becoming very' much more popular in cable to other types and to field work. factories, it -was only an empirical test. All Dr. P. Dunsheath (W. T. Henley’s Tele­ the details were arbitrary. B.S.7 only graph Works Co., Ltd.) remarked that the catered for certain types of rubber-insu­ methods described in the paper displayed lated cables, but there was a strong tend­ a considerable amount of ingenuity' and ency to extend the spark test to other novelty. At one time cable fault testing sizes. His own view was that there should had to be carried out from the end of the be a comprehensive investigation into cable, and the loop test was the one which spark testing before it was extended to other the text books recommended. The re­ sizes and types of cable, especially with markable thing was that by adopting more regard to spark testing time, voltage, etc. obvious methods, as the author had so in­ As to the electrodes used in spark testing, geniously done, he had increased the order it had always seem to him that the German of accuracy' out of all recognition. At one idea of using ball bearing was likely to be time, with the loop test, we were satisfied more satisfactory' than the device common with an accuracy' of hundreds of yards on in this country. Another point in connec­ long lengths of cable, but the author got tion with the spark test was ionisation, and within an inch. This was a great advan­ rubber cables did not like ozone. Finally, 518 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 there had been a great extension recently ployed, but using rectifiers instead of bat­ — and more was looked to in the future— of teries, with more satisfactory results. A the use of synthetic rubber and alternatives troublesome type of fault was the high to rubber, but the spark test was devised resistance fault on 33 kV cables, and he for rubber cables, and he did not think asked if the author had used the Goodings it would be correct to adapt the test, as flashmeter test, with which he had had it had been used for rubber cables, and good results on several occasions. apply it, without any modification to these Mr. F. S. Smith (Callender’s Cable and new type' of cable. Therefore, again Construction Co.) emphasised the need for some investigation was necessary before standardising the names of the various applying the spark test to synthetic rubber fault localising methods. There had been cables. little co-ordination in this respect in the Mr. J. G. Park (Xorthrnet Power Co.) past, and similar methods had been in­ said that although the paper dealt with dependently developed and given different fault localisation from the manufacturing names. The author did not make a proper point of view, the methods described had distinction between “ fall of potential ” possibilities when applied to power mains. tests and “ drop in sheath ” tests. The He had in mind the type of fault— which former term should be restricted to those fortunately was rare— where there was no tests where voltage drops along the con­ external evidence. He had had cases in ductor of a cable were measured or com­ which he would have been much more com­ pared, whilst “ drop in sheath ” tests fortable if he had had apparatus of the should cover all tests depending upon drops type described in the paper, especially the along the lead sheath or armour. The valve voltmeter arrangement. He asked author might have made reference to the the author for an explanation of what was inverted form of Murray-loop test as this meant by “ very exact localisation,” men­ was suited to factory' work and the same tioned in the introduction to the paper. type of valve voltmeter as that described Rapid localisation must be accompanied by in the paper could be used as a detector. maximum accuracy; it was a combination A fairly accurate location coultl be of both factors which provided early re­ obtained on a high resistance fault, thus storation of the service. In his own case, limiting the length of cable which had to as the result of 72 fault locations on 11 kV be explored by probing the sheath. and 33 kV cables, the degree of accuracy Mr. T. R. Scott (Standard Telephones of localisation was .12 per cent, of the and Cables, Ltd.) said that wave reflection fault position, expressed as a percentage methods were proving extremely interest­ of the length. In connection with fault ing for investigating faults of the dead locating by wave reflection, the author short or high resistance types, and it was had touched on some interesting possibili­ possible that these methods with skilled ties and further details of the application operators and skilled interpretation would of this method to transmission lines would save a great deal of inconvenience and be of very great interest. Mr. A. jT Good (Johnson and Phillips, trouble. The same comment applied to the plastic type cables, and perhaps the time Ltd.) showed some slides relating to twin cables, and said that the balanced capacity was coming when the so-called electronic method was only suitable for such cables. methods could be applied to give a sort of Mr. D, P. Sayers (Birmingham electricity view of the future of the cable for supply department) said that he was X-number of years ahead. But we were a very glad the author referred to a strong long way from that yet. sense of smell because he had, on occa­ Dr. A. Rosen (Siemens Bros, and Co., sions. found that a good nose was very Ltd.) said it would be very' nice to be able much better than any other method of to supplement th.e more usual methods locating faults. The main point, however, adonted bn low tension cables by some was the prospect which the paper opened method which was independent of the up of the application of electronics to the measurement of length, because at present, practical location of faults on cables in when one gave instructions for the cable to situ ; that, was the principal value of the be sawn through, there were always doubts paper from the supply engineer’s point of as to whether the right place had been view. His experience of search coil located. With regard to spark testing methods had never been very satisfactory' methods, the author said that when a fault on a city distribution system owing to the was located the usual method was to stop number of pipes, etc., in the neighbour­ the winding gear and indicate the fault. hood. The fall of potential method was hut there were occasions when this could fairly well known to mains engineers not he done and some automatic method mainly for the location of faults on low of indicating the fault had to bo resorted tension cables which might be particularly to. He had carried out experiments upon difficult to detect owing to the service indicating the fault by spraying paint on to cables which were connected at intervals. the conductor and other experiments were In Birmingham that method had been em­ in hand. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 519 Industrial Information Change of Name.—The Enfield Cable Import of Machinery and Plant.— The Works, Ltd., Brimsdown, Middlesex, in­ Board of Trade are now prepared to con­ form us that, for simplicity’s sake, the sider applications to import machinery company’s name has 'been changed and that and plant needed for the production it will be known henceforward as Enfield of civilian type goods for the export Cables Limited. trade, or required for important home con­ Energy Regulator.—A technical publica­ sumption, where such machinery and tion—R. 12(a)—dealing with the Sunvic plant cannot be obtained from home energy' regulator, has been issued by' Sun­ sources. Application should be made to vic Controls, Ltd. It gives details of the Import Licensing Department, 1-6, circuits for a wide range of applications, Tavistock Square, London, W.C. 1. and prices. New Domestic Appliances Factory.— The B.T-H. Activities.—In the current issue Board of Trade has allocated one of the of this magazine, Mr. A. A. Pollock de­ standard national factories at Broxburn, scribes a new method of cooling large near Edinburgh, to Hotric, Ltd., a sub­ com m utators by' air circulation, there is sidiary of H. Webb and Co. (Engineers), an article on dynamometers by Mr. G. F. Ltd. This factory- is being equipped for Lowe, and further details are given of the manufacture of electric water heaters B.T-H. progress in 1941. and other domestic appliances for housing High Speed Steel.—Instructions for the schemes throughout the country, and also hardening and tempering of high speed for export. The head office and sales de­ steel are given on a card issued by the partment of Hotric, Ltd., is remaining at Controller of Jigs, Tools and Gauges, 198, Fore Street, E dm onton, X . 18, and, in Machine Tool Control, 35, Old Queen addition to the new factory’ in Scotland, Street, London, S.W.l. It is available the existing factories at Tottenham and for all operators concerned with the heat Bishop’s Stortford are being retained. treatment of high speed steel. An Anglo-Indian Agreement.— An agree­ Birmingham Training Scheme.— A bro­ ment has been completed between chure has been issued by the City of Kirloskar Brothers and the Brush Elec­ Birmingham electricity supply department trical Engineering Co., Ltd., for the manu­ describing the engineering training scheme facture in India of electrical products con­ adopted by the department with the object sisting of rotating electrical machines, of providing for selected young men the transformers, switchgear, etc. Provision means and opportunity' to obtain organised has been made for the exchange of tech­ training in all branches of electricity nical information between the parties and simply’ work. for the training of Indian personnel at Mass Radiography.—An admirably pro­ Loughborough. Kirloskar Brothers have duced brochure, profusely illustrated, has also entered into a similar agreement with been published by Watson and Sons British Oil Engines (Export) Ltd., repre­ (Electro-Medical), Ltd. It describes in senting Mirrlees. Bickerton and Day’, Ltd., detail tfie Watson apparatus for mass Petters, Ltd., J. and H. McLaren, Ltd., miniature radiography, the method of Oil Engines (Coventry) L td ., and the en ­ operation, and its varied applications. gines manufactured by Fielding and Platt, Except for the American X-ray tube, the Ltd., and sold under the name of Petter- apparatus is British made. Fielding. Repair of Trailing Cables.—To those new Institute of Physics.—The report of the to repair work, and others desiring a Institute o f Phy’sics for 1944 shows that handy and comprehensive reference man­ its membership increased by- some 15 per ual, the handbook M. 117—“ How to cent.—a new record. A new venture was Repair Type “ A ” Individually Screened the publication of a series of lectures given Trailing Cables,” published by British In­ before the Industrial Radiology Group as a sulated Cables, Ltd., will be of consider­ handbook of industrial radiology. The able service. The various repairs described Report on the Teaching of Mathematics to are illustrated by photographs. Physicists, prepared jointly with the Swedish Recipes.—Recipes sent by Mathematical Association, was published Madame Silverjelm, of the Swedish House­ during the year. Arrangements with the wives’ Association, Stockholm, are in­ Ministry of Education for the establish­ cluded on this month’s “ Cheerful Ration­ ment of national certificates in applied ing ” card published by the E.A.W. There physics were completed by the setting tip are two meat dishes and two sweets which of a joint committee to administer the should give interesting variety to the early’ scheme. Other matters which the board summer menu. The English recipes also of the institute considered included patent contain some new ideas for salads. law reform, higher technical education, the 520 THE ELECTRICIAN Tune 8, 1945 limitation of radio interference and pro­ Amble U.D.C., June 14.—Supply, laying fessional matters. Fifteen candidates were and jointing of l.t. mains and distributors, examined for the Institute’s Laboratory supply, erecting and connecting of feeder Arts Certificate. pillars and laying, jointing and connecting “ Operation Pluto.”—The Telegraph of services. Specification from Mr. W. C. Construction and Maintenance Co., Ltd., Roy, Electricity Department, Dilston Ter­ contributed 54 miles of 2 in. Hais cable', race, Amble, Northumberland. involving 68 drums, each having a gross Torquay Electricity Department, June weight of 14J tons, and followed this with 18.—Supply of 11 kV indoor switchgear. 95 miles of 3 in. cable pipe-line, requiring Particulars from the Engineer and 238 drums. The company also produced Manager, Electric House, Union Street, a special type of buoy to prevent damage Torquay, during landing operations. This was used Littleborough U.D.C., June 19.— Supply with great success, and the company re­ and delivery of e.h.t. feeder cables ceived a letter of congratulation from the (11 000 V). Specifications from the Elec­ Admiralty. W . T. Glover and Co., Ltd., have trical Engineer and Manager, Council supplied 20 miles of 3 in. Hais cable over Offices, Littleborough. a period of five months. The alloy pipe Gellygaer U.D.C., June 30.— Supply and was extruded in 700/800 yd. lengths on delivery of house service units for one Glover’s special type of vertical lead press. meter per consumer. Specifications from The armouring of the pipe was carried out the Electrical Engineer and Manager, Elec­ on cable armouring machines with certain tricity Offices, Hanbury Road, Bargoed, modifications. Glam. A number of multi-stage, high-pressure centrifugal pumps used for pumping the oil through the pipe-line were designed and I.E.E. Radio Section manufactured by Mather and Platt, Ltd. HE I.E.E. Radio Section held an in­ They are capable of delivering 1 000 tons T formal luncheon in London, on Tues­ per day and are designed to work to a day when the chairman, Air. H. L. Kirke, pressure of 1 500 lb. per sq. in. Each presided, supported by Sir Edward Apple­ pump is driven by a Mather and Platt ton, F.R.S., Mr. P. Good, deputising for 550 h .p . m otor. the president, Sir Harry Railing, and the The County of London Electric Supply chairmen of the other three sections—Mr. Co.. Ltd., and the Folkestone Electricity G. O. Watson (Installations), Dr. W. G- Supply Co., Ltd., designed the complicated Radlev (Measurements) and Mr. H. W. l.t. networks at the coastal pumping Grimmitt (Transmission). stations and designed and installed the h.t. Mr. P. Good, in submitting the toast of work. In addition, the electrical instal­ the section, mentioned his early experiments lation at the special factory established in with a dot-dash transmitter as a school­ connection with the scheme was done by boy in the last century- and said he envied the companies. They and their staffs have members their adventurous experience. been thanked by Major-General Sir Donald They had done marvellous work during Banks, Director-General of the Petroleum the war, and he was sure the Section would Warfare Department. continue to be a medium for the general exchange of knowledge on the subject. The Chairman, in reply, said that al­ Contracts Open though they in the Radio Section were a specialised branch of the industry, it was E give below the latest information important to remember that radio could W regarding contracts for which tendeiB not go ahead without power, and the day are invited. In the case of overseas con­ was rapidly approaching when the power tracts, particulars are to be had from the engineer could not get on without the Department of Overseas Trade, Millbank, radio engineer. London, S.W.l (comer Horseferry Road), Mr. G. O. Watson, replying for the unless otherwise stated. guests, said that although modern elec­ □ unbar, B.C., June 9.— Supply, delivery trical engineering necessitated that there and installation of street lighting equip­ should be specialists, over specialisation ment, including poles, lanterns, wiring, was to be avoided. and control gear. Specifications and forms Sir Edward Appleton also replied, and of tender from the Burgh Surveyor, Town said he' could claim to have guided their House, Dunbar. Chairman’s early steps in radio. By Leeds Waterworks Department, June 11. adopting specialised sections in their insti­ — Supply of two electrically-driven centri­ tution many difficulties had been overcome. fugal pumps, 700 g.p.m., with motors and He was personallv opposed to separate float-operated svitchgear. Particulars from organisations for all physical and engineer­ the Manager and Engineer, Waterworks De­ ing subjects and regarded radio as both partment, Civic Hall, Leeds, 1. physics and engineering. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN 521 Company News

P l e s s e y C o ., L t d .—F st. intm. 10% on C a b l e M e r g e r . — Full details of the British o r d . Insulated and Callender’s Cable merger, R . A . Lister Ltd. —Intm. on ord. 5% referred to in “ T h e E l e c t r i c i a n ” of (same). Apr. 27, are now available. Circulars have A . C. W i c k m a n , L t d . —No div. on ord. bn. sent out to the shareholders of both cap. (8 % ). cos. showg. the full details of the pro­ N a t i o n a l E l e c t r i c C onstruction .—F s t . posals, and givg. the necessary' notices of and fin. 10%. the extraord. gen. mtgs. and class mtors. A l b i o n D r o p F o r g i n g s C o ., L t d .— required and of the resolutions to be sub­ Intm. on ord. 5% (same). mitted thereat. The mtgs. for both cos. R . H o o d H a g g i e a n d S o n , L t d .—I n t m . are called for June 29. Sir Alexander div. 5% (same). Roger will be chairman of the new co. W ailes Dove Bitumastic Co., Ltd.— and Mr. T. H. Martin-Harvey and Mr. Intm. div. 5% (same), payable June 14. Charles Pipkin deputy-chairmen. The Crompton Parkinson, Ltd. —Intm. div. other dirs. aro Mr. D. W. Aldridge, Mr. on ord. and “ A ” ord. 7j% less tax W. G. Hendrey, Mr. P. V. Hunter, Mr. (same). W. H. McFadzean, Sir Eugene Ramsden W a l s a l l C o n d u i t s L t d .—F in. div. on and Mr. F. Waine. ord. 35% (same), mkg. 55%, less tax Company Meetings ( s a m e ) . S o u t h e r n A r e a s E l e c t r i c C o r p o r a t i o n , A lley and M aclellan, Ltd.— Fin. div. 7J%, mkg. 15% (same). Fwd. £8 488 L t d .—In the course of his address at the (£6 191). annual meeting held in London on May 16, B. E. T. Electricity Supply, Ltd.— the Rt. Hon. Viscount Elibank, the chair­ Fst and fin. 5% (same). ¿Net pft. to Mar. man, said that development of the 31, £32 415 (£31 379). Electricity Supply' Undertakings was indica­ ted by comparison. In 1939 units bought A l b i o n M o t o r s L t d .—D iv. for 1944, were 10 089 222 and in 1944 18 613 765, 124%. less tax (same). Net pft. announced omitting figures for the Brentwood under­ as £121 654 (£126 S99). taking sold during 1944. Units sold had W hessoe Foundry and Engineering increased from 8 764 824 to 16 884 717. C o . , L t d . —Fin. div. for yr. ended Mar. 31, 30%, mkg. 40% (same). (Continued on page 522) S c o t t i s i i S t a m p i n g a n d E n g i n e e r i n g Co., Ltd.—Fst. and fin. on ord. 10% (same). Net pft. 1944 £17 101. Metal Prices N. Greening and Sons, Did. — F i n . 5 % Monday, June 4. (same) and bonus 24% ( n i l ) , mkg. 10% Capper— Price. Inc. Dec. (74% ). N et pft. to' A pr. 30, £22 663 Best Selected (nom.) per ton £60 10 0 — — — (£22 418). Electro Wire bars ... „ £62 0 0 — H.C. Wires, basis ... per lb. 9ftd. —— W . T . H enley’s Telegraph W orks Co . Sheet ...... n Ilia d . —— L t d . —Fin. div. on ord., 10%, and cash Phosphor Bronte— Wire(Telephone)basis „ Is. O&d. — bonus 5%, mkg. 20%, less tax, for yr. (all Brass (60/40)— same). Net pits, for 1944, £347 852 Rod, basis...... „ ——— (£354 566). To war conting. £75 000 Sheet ,, ...... »1 —— Wire ...... l id . — • — (£50 000). Carry-fwd. £399 326 (£398 974). Iron and Steel— C o n t r o l o f N e w C a p i t a l .— A new Pig Iron (E. Coast policy for the control of capital issue has Hematite No. 1)... per ton £7 13 6 GalvanisedSteelWlre been announced by the Chancellor in the (Cable Armouring) House of Commons. The policy is basis 0.104 in. ... „ £28 5 0 described in detail in a new memorandum Mild Steel Tape (Cable Armouring) _ of guidance from the Treasury to the basis 0.04 in. ... „ £20 0 0 Capital Issues Committee, which is pub­ Galvanised SteelWire lished as a White Paper (Cmd. 6645). No. 8 S.W .G. ... £26 0 0 __ — Lead Pig— This lays down various industries for which English ...... y> £26 10 0 __ — new issues of capital will usually be Foreign or Colonial „ £25 0 0 —— allowed. These include export trades, in­ Tin— Ingot (minimum of dustries in development areas, public 99.9% purity) ... „ £303 10 0 utilities, agriculture, housing associations, Wire, basis...... per lb. 3s. lOd. —— Aluminium Ingots ... per ton £85 0 0 — — home-produced raw materials, and trans­ — port; they also include, subject to Speller...... „ £25 15 0 — Mercury (spot) Ware­ Treasury decision from time to time, house ...... per bott. £69 15 0 — — domestic equipment an d oroduction Prices of galvanised steel wire and steel tape supplied by machinery. the C-M-A Other metal prices by B.I. Cables Ltd 522 THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

Average cost per unit bought had increased Marconi International Marine C o m ­ during this period irom ,652d. per unit to m unication Co. L t d . —The annual meet­ .836d. per unit. On the other hand, ing was held in London on May 2S. Ad­ average selling prices showed reduction per miral H. W. Grant, chairman and manag­ unit from 1.946d. in 1939 to 1.91d. in 1944. ing director, presided, and in the course An improvement in the average annual con­ of his statement, said the accounts showed sumption per consumer from 1 Oil units in that the profit for the year, after making 1939 to 1 614 units in 1944 was largety due provision for taxation and contingencies, to supplies for war production purposes. amounted to £90 138 and was slightly less John Thompson Engineep.ing C o .. L t d . than the previous year. The amount —The annual meeting was held at Etting- available for distribution to the ¡share- shall, Wolverhampton, on Way 18. Maj. holders remained approximately the same (Hon. Col.) St. John Thompson, the by reason of the incidence of taxation, chairman, presided. In the statement particularly excess profits tax. The board circulated with the report and accounts, had decided, therefore, to recommend a the chairman said the marked financial stability of the group at December 31, final dividend of 5%, thus making a total 1943, had during the year again been very distribution of 71% for the year. The substantially strengthened, and the direc­ company’s financial position had been tors felt justified in recommending a simi­ maintained throughout the year, and their lar dividend and bonus to that of the pre­ contribution to the war effort had not vious year on the ordinary shares. lessened. Commercial Information Mortgages and Charges County Court Judgments N ote.— The Companies Act of 1908 provides tha N o te .— The publication of ’extracts from the every Mortgage or Charge shall be registered within Registry of County Court Judgments ” does not 21 days after its creation, and tkai every company imply inability to pay on the part of the persons named. shall, in its annual summary, specify the total amount M any of the judgments may have been settled between of debt due from it in respect of mortgages or charges. the parties or paid. Registered judgments are not The following mortgages and charges have been necessarily for debts. They may be actions. But the registered. _ The total debt prior to the present creation, Registry makes no distinction. Judgments are not as shown in the annual summary, is given— m arked returned to the Registry if satisfied in the Court books toilh an *—followed by the date of the summary, bu: within 21 days. such total may have been reduced. G a r l a n d , A . J . (male), Bloomfield A m Conditioning and Engineering House, Otley, electrical engineer. £12 11s. L t d . , Bred bury.— April 3 0 , deb., to Trade April 13. Distributors Ltd. securing all moneys now F r y , Andrew, 9, Stuart Road, Liver­ or at any time owing by the co. and/or pool, 4, electrician. £21 16s. 4d. Feb. 15. the Cheviot Trust Ltd. to the holders; Ross, Chas., 14, Sandon Street, Liver­ general charge (subject, etc.). *Nil. Dec. pool, electrician. £17 7s. 4d. April 9. 29, 1942. G o l d e n b e r g , J. (male), 23a, Adamson C. A. Besley, Bailey and Co . L t d . Road, N.W.3, electrical engineer. Cardiff, electrical engineers.— May 11, £150 £32 9s. 3d. Mar. 22. .mort., to H. J. Hancock, Cardiff; charged on four stables, carpenter’s shop, etc., at Notice of Dividend rear of 248 to 251, Bute Street, Cardiff. Mozer, Hyman, and M o z e r , Sam, trad­ *£140. Feb. 5, 1944. ing in partnership and described in the N orth British Aluminium Co. Ltd. Receiving Order as H. and S. Mozer (a London, E.C.—May 16, disposition by Mrs. linn), of and carrying on business at. I l l , C. N. Fry_ or Steedman, with consent High Street. Stoke Newington, London, granted in implement of a Trust Deed N.16, radio dealers. First and final divi­ dated Sept. 12, 1934; charged on land dend of Is. 2jfd. per £ payable June 12, with Hazelcroft and other buildings there­ 1945, Bankruptcy Buildings, Carev Street, on at Achintore, Fort William. *----- London, W.C.2. Mar. 28, 1944. York Shipley Ltd. London, N.W., en­ gineers.— May 22, assignment, securing to COMING EVENTS Barclays Bank Ltd. all moneys due or to Saturday, June 9. become due to the Bank; charged on con­ in stit u t e op Economic engineering — tract moneys. *£9 S56. Mar. 7, 1945. Waldorf Hotel, London, W.C.-. Discussion, " Co-ordination in Factory Administration,” Satisfaction opened by P. if, Garnier. t.S0 p.m. London Auto-Electric Ltd. London, E.C., electrical equipment dealers.— Sat’n Thursday, June 14. INCORPORATED MUNICIPAL ELECTRICAL ASSO­ May 12, of deb. reg. Dee. 9, 1933, to the CIATION.—Kiugsvray Hall, London, W. C .A extent of £250. Annual meeting. 10 a.m. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xxi

It is sound policy to invest in a machine which will produce the highest net profits over the longest period

BRITANNIA WORKS. GAINS30ROUGH. LINCS. XXÜ THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

p c c t e i t c - — - DALY ELECTROLYTICS

—fltey'A e, X eA otuy you ¿ o e lif

DALY (CONDENSERS) LTD Condenser Specialists for over 20 years West Lodge Works, The Green, Ealing, WS Telephone: Ealing 4841

If delivery is important

send your enquiries

for

COTTON & PAPER COVERED AND COTTON BRAIDED H.G. COPPER WIRES & STRIPS t o :

Thames Wire &CableCo.Ltd. BATH HALL WORKS, BELL LANE, HODDESDON, HERTS. Telephone : HO DDESDO N 2-185 A.I.D. APPROVED June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xxiii

USH TYPE SOCKET 5 AMP. FOR PRE*FAB RICATED HOUSES AS SUGGESTED BT M.O.W. W ith Patent Anti-flash Shutter; with Special Steel Springs around Socket Tubes ensuring good electrical contact * with Vitreous Porcelain Base ; with ample room for slack cable. Supplied with 3 ' Square or 3^ Square Covers. Socket integral part of Cover for ease of assem­ bly. Two 45A Captive Screws supplied for fixing to Base

VICTOR H. IDDON LTD HARPER ROAD. WYTHENSHAWE, MANCHESTER

f ê o i t - U / i l t ELECTRIC FIRES

ELEXCEL LTD- VICTOR WORKS - BROAD GREEN - LIVERPOOL • 14 XXIV THE ELECTRICIAN

NIPHAN

WATERTIGHT FOR EVERY POSSIBLE CABLE COUPLINGS ELECTRICAL NEED

N 659. 5 Amp. 250 Volt. 3-pole earthed Flange Angle Plug.

SIMMONDS & STOKES LTD. Victoria Hou«t,South*m pfoh Row. London, W.C.I. Holbom 8637 Ł 2163

SMITH

REGULATING RESISTANCES FOR

BACK-OF-PANEL MOUNTING

All mechanical part* en tire!/ insulated. Simple construction. Easy to fix. Durable and reliable In opera* don . Single and Double Tubular Types in various tiles. Ample rating.

INSIST O N ZE N IT H PRODUCTS That little more In 'perfection and —it will par you. quality that means so much in perform­ ance. Technical leaders since 1821. On Admiralty, War Office and Air CATALOGUE OP ALL Ministry Lists TY PES P O ST FREE

ROBERT RILEY LTD. The ZENITH ELECTRIC CO. Ltd. Sole Makers of the well-known *• Zenith ** Electrical Products MILKSTONE SPRING' WORKS. ROCHDALE. ZENITH WORKS, VILLIERS ROAD Telephone: Rochdale 2237.-8.’ Telegrams: "RILOSPRING." WILLESDEN GREEN, LONDON, N.W.2 'Phene : WILlesden <067-6-9 Cr»mt j “ Volcaohm, 'Phone. London'* June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN XXV

T h e Services and war-time industry are familiar with the high standard of dependable accuracy of “ A VO ” Electrical Testing Instruments. They will be an equally dominant factor in the post-war rebuilding of our great industries and the ad­ vancement of amenities worthy of a world at well-earned peace.

In the belligerent Interim, orders can only be occepted which bear a Government Contract Number and Priority Rating. X X vi THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945

In the near future, the housewife will demand hot water in any part of the house. The new SADIA Type UDB (Under Draining Board) is the reply to that demand. It combines two heaters into one.

(1) It provides hot water ready for use as required, whether it be a few gallons at the sink or a full bath. (2) Simple to install: it can work with an existing hot water system . (3) It can be placed »«Under the Draining Board” or in a cupboard out of siuhl, saving space where space is valuable. (4) It needs the minimum of maintenance: the SADIA once fitted can be forgotten. (5) It is economical of current and therefore cheap to run. It has the highest efficiency yet attained in electric water heaters.

The SADIA Type UDB will be available in two sizes, 15 gallons and 20 gallons capacity, for installation in post-war homes. Write for further particulars.

At Id. per unit it compares favourably with any other type of water heating. S / I D I/I T t PE U .D .B . AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Aidas Electric Limited, Sadia Works, Rowdell Rd., Northolt, Middx. Phone WAXlow 1607. Scottish Agents; W. Brown & Co. (Engineers) Ltd., 89 Douglas St., Glasgow, C.2

in mind

It’s a name to remember where internal telephonic communication is concerned, It stands for a service that com bines reliability with efficiency, economy with value. Ericsson is the name. Remember to consult us.

E R IC S S O N T E L E P H O N E S L T D . 56, Kingsway, London, W.C.2.

(Tel. HOLbom 6 9 3 6 J June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN xxvii

FOR BETTER JOINTS

The Solder Wire with 3 Cores of Non-corrosive Flux. 0 Avoids Dry Joints. ^Speedily makes Sound Joints on Dirty or Oxydised Surfaces O Always Correct Pro­ portions of Flux and S old er. 0 No additional Flux req u ired . £ Approved by Air Ministry and G.P.O. F R E E “ Technical Notes on Soldering“ and samples sent free on request to firms engaged on Government Contracts. M U L T I C O R E SOLDERS, LTD. Commonwealth House, London, W .C.l. Tel.: Chancery 5171/2.

A Monument to Efficiency In a single passage through the Metafiltcr, trans­ former and heavily carbonized switch oils can be completely freed from all suspended impurities ; and all traces o f sludge and moisture removed —a monumental tribute to the efficiency of the Metafilter.

The Metalfilter is economical and easy to operate; and can be used on switches and transformers while under load.

(Ifletajutm tiorjjp

THE METAFILTRATION COMPANY LTD. BE LG RAVE ROAD - HOUNSLOW, MIDDLESEX. Telephone: Telegrams: Hounslow 1121/2/3. Metafilter, Hounslow. x x v ii THE ELECTRICIAN June 8, 1945 I------PIltTOIl) « -»»«BOBBINS

Our extensive range covers all requirements for Bobbins used in the manufacture of Transformers, Chokes, Relays, Solenoids, No-Volt Colls, etc. The Bobbins are manufactured by us In both “ Pirtold,” which is a Laminated Bakellte Product, and Presspahn. They possess both high Electrical and Mechanical strength. Ask for " ATLAS " Bobbin Cord M .12391 which cover* all the require­ ments of the Small M ains• Transformer Industry.

H. CLARKE & GO. (MANCHESTER) LTD. ATLAS WORKS, PATRICROFT, MANCHESTER

ELECTRODE SOLDERING TOOLS MODEL No. H 1008. A W TOOLS are available for solder­ (BRITISH PATENT No. 544011) J ing cables into lugs, ferrules on to Suitable for light or medium work, and tubing, etc., up to 3 ' In diameter. soldering temperature Is attained in Production Is speeded up as the thirty seconds. soldering time is considerably reduced. Other models of hand tools are available. These tools operate from power units and are safe iIn use. Operate off A.C. supply. T.4. Light Duty Specify cored Solders, Solder wire, Jaws. Argent Solder and Solder Paste.

Proprietors : STANDARD TELEPHONES AND CABLES LIMITED. FERNDOWN NORTHWOOD HILLS, NORTHWOOD. MIDDLESEX. T.8. Medium Duty Jews. Telephone: PI.VNKR 4885. June 8, 1945 THE ELECTRICIAN

NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION COMPANY LIMITED RICHMOND • SURREY Telephone RICHMOND 2342-3-4

_ Sole Manufacturers of the & s METHYL BROMIDE FIRE EXTINGUISHING EQUIPMENT

IN S U L A T IO N , TEST— There is a wide margin of safety built into all W ylex electrical accessories. Every W ylex product before leaving our works must satisfy a high insulation test at 1,000 volts. Another reason why

W y l e rM u s t b e q w d

H. SCHOLES & CO. LTD. WYLEX WORKS, WYTHENSHAWE, MANCHESTER. Tel: Wythenshawe 2251ß . Grams: M Kilowatt,” Manchester. Left : A •' Hetrovick ” 110 kV. 3-phase outdoor transformer at a pow er station in Madras.

i, Left : A " Metrovick ” 11,000 k V A outdoor transformer installed in i Finland.

IMPROVE YOUR LIGHTING in consultation with Umetrovicn's illum inating e n g i n e e r s

Printed In Great Britain by Strakbr Brothers Ltd., 194-200, te, E.C.2, and published by S r s t c B bother*, Ltd., at Bouverie House. 154. Fle9t 8treet, London, C.4.— F riday, JuneS, 1945.