[Gllug] OT - NTL issues and ADSL providers

[John Hearns]

On Mon, 2002-01-21 at 09:19, Dylan wrote:
>
> 
> Yes, I know, but I'm really concerned on principal here, and why can't a new 
> fibre optic be thread down an old pipe?
> 
That is of course true.

As I recall, one of the big City telecomms firms - it might have
been Colt (Harry?) got its start that way.
Some shrewd person spotted that the City and Docklands streets
were already well served by high-pressure hydraulic mains from
the London Hydraulic Power Company, and bought up the wayleaves.
Before the Second Wolrd War, many lifts (elevators) on the City
were water powered. You can still inspect the water-powered hydraulic
ram machinery which powered the gates of Greenland Dock.
(take the tube to Canada Water and go for a stroll around the dock.
Lots of explanation boards marking historical structures).

These isntallations were all supplied by high pressure water from
central pumping houses.

Hence you see old wartime headlines saying that when a 'water main'
was hit by bomb damage then a huge crater was formed in the road.

By the 1990's the pipework was disused - but able to be threaded
by fibre optics.




http://www.shadwatch.fsnet.co.uk/pumping_station.htm
http://www.cairn.demon.co.uk/wapping/conduct3.htm

"The materials (water, electro luminescent cable) allude to the recent
history of the Wapping Hydraulic Power Station. In the 1970s the Power
Station was decommissioned as a hydraulic power point. The network of
pipes which once transferred water under pressure from the Power Station
to various locations (eg. theatres to drive lifts and curtain pulleys)
was purchased by a communication company and used as a vehicle for
another type of network - they fired fibre optic cables along the pipe
lines to carry telecommunication signals across London."




BTW, off topic for GLLUG, would anyone fancy doing a historic walk
around Canary Wharf or Greenland Dock some Saturday or Sunday?
Lots of interesting old and new buildings to see,
and we could revisit the City Pride for a pub lunch.





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