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James Watson CEng, FIET

@engineerlondon.bsky.social
2.6K followers 52 following 291 posts

Engineer. Historian. Beer-Drinker. Publican's Friend. Hi-Fi Anorak. Technocrat. Patriot. Improving Husband. Feminist. “The Attenborough of the Relay Room”

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Reposted by James Watson CEng, FIET
James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
We are not the BEST commissioning engineers on the British power system, but we are in the top two 💁🏻‍♂️ !⃝ 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 ⚡️👆🏻
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Michael Shanks MP @michaelshanksmp.co.uk · 10/06/2026
For too long, energy projects were stuck waiting years for grid connections. Thanks to our reforms more than 700 projects have now been offered connections - delivering clean power, unlocking investment and building the energy system Britain needs. Getting on with delivery. 👇
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David 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 @davidsheryn.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
Indeed, but I still have a soft spot for a retro L2 tower… Watched them being built across granny’s farm 🙂 (@engineerlondon.bsky.social)
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Paul Allen @marsflyerpaul.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Distribution infrastructure old and "new" - the Lee Valley Navigation
Electricity pylons alongside a wide canalised river, with a grey narrow boat.
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Noel Dolphin @noeldolphin.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
If you work at night - it is really hard to see overhead powerlines. You need to go to site in the daytime! www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY5l...
youtube.com
CCTV shows moment tree surgeon suffers life‑threatening electric shock from overhead power line
YouTube video by Health and Safety Executive
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Noel Dolphin @noeldolphin.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Short-circuit testing - in electrification, it is the 100% most exciting thing we ever see or do.
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 18/03/2026
Today’s views. Hard at it on bus zone maintenance ☀️
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
The great Robert Carradine has gone. Naturally I spun the Nerds soundtrack this evening ☺️
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
The GB system ran this way from 1881-1926 ish and it proved inefficient so we built a so-called national grid instead. It’s given me a good living! I find trends do come full circle in history. Let’s see how this one pans out eh
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
media.tenor.com
a man in a suit and tie is smiling with his eyes closed
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is smiling with his eyes closed
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
Fitted an annunciator today in Essex. A “spare” unit was donated from London, pending a new one from the OEM. Another transformer back in service and pumping amps to society 💪🏻
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
40 metres (248 steps) under our capital are arterial cable tunnels carrying the Supergrid MIS circuits around and through London. I’ve spent much of the last 15 years building them, commissioning them, maintaining them, and showing the odd party of politicians around 💁🏻‍♂️😘
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Simulated a mesh corner fault after some trip relay reset mods. Long day. One disconnector automatically isolates and the two mesh bus section disconnectors sequentially isolate as the mesh corner is locked out. More people need to grasp the difference between auto and sequential isolation 💪🏻☺️
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petersharding.bsky.social @petersharding.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
@engineerlondon.bsky.social I was in Lydd (near Dungeness) recently and there’s a section of 400kV line that dives under another. I can’t work it out, but I’m sure you know the reason.
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
Such hallowed ground on which we tread 🙏🏻
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 03/01/2026
Holiday in Britain folks. The beer is much better anyway 😆🍺🍺
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Amy Swift @aswiftceramics.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
Flexed my culinary fingers today. Homemade English muffins and hollandaise sauce for a stella Eggs Benedict. 😋🤤 #cooking #cook #food #baking #eggs #bacon
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 02/01/2026
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
AEI A Unit MCU removed from service 2009. On my office wall 💪🏻
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GMB Union @gmb.org.uk · 01/01/2026
From everyone at GMB - we wish you all the best for 2026!
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Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 30/12/2025
2025 has been a historic year for clean energy in UK, with renewable project approvals reaching a record-high 45 GW — nearly double of 2024. This surge was driven by an exceptional rise in battery storage capacity, which almost doubled to 28.6 GW, alongside strong growth in offshore wind & solar.
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 27/12/2025
Tidying up my man cave with a Fullers BR1 by @fullersjohn.bsky.social 👌🏻 Still drinking beautifully 😍 Sure it’s got darker and stronger but the single malt notes are coming through nicely. Only got half a case left now. But one cannot take good beer with one 🤷🏻‍♂️🍺🥰
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 12/12/2025
New fairy / Angel for our tree 🌲
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Reclaim time on a T4DA1 J Unit Always have a variety of lolly pop sticks in my line of work
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
The electrical widow and idol of my life in front of England’s only Grade II listed transmission substation 😍
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Lars @o1ars.bsky.social · 16/11/2025
@engineerlondon.bsky.social - saw this and thought of you... Since I first saw your feed I have become an engineer in corporate and now know exactly what you, and this book, mean 🤣
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
The perfect beer before a transient feeder simulation with reversion and hot standby auto close 👌🏻 As our saviour taught us- TPSO be damned!!!
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Transient feeder fault with FR. Double F3 flap to quench and then auto restoration. This is what it’s all about 💪🏻🙌🏻👌🏻😍
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 19/10/2025
Morning ☀️😘
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Mark Annand @markannand.eurosky.social · 16/10/2025
The other afternoon, a small-scale electricity supply failure to a domestic supply run at shallow depth beneath the pavement, just the sort of thing that, were it to happen on his patch, wouldn't be @engineerlondon.bsky.social's concern.
Electricity supply cable, no longer beneath the pavement..
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Neil Hardiman @neilhardiman.bsky.social · 12/10/2025
@engineerlondon.bsky.social Well-designed transformer with convenient mug shelf.
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Dan Grey @dangrey.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
How do you isolate a gas main? Pinch it! 😬
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Case of my 1967 ‘A Unit’ having a cheeky respray ready for the new installation in my study, under construction
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
Typically 11 kV (or 6.6 kV) to 400 volt. Capacity ranges from 300 kVA to 2 MVA. In London we call them TCs (transformer chambers) and there are 30,000 of them. Elsewhere they are known as distribution substations, mostly fed via cable, a few by woodpole OHL in rural areas
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Just examining the phasing on a tee off as I was trying to find an every day regular phase cross for my trainees. But this is a single phase tee off so it’s arbitrary. Still worth surveying tho. My wife loves our walks ⚡️
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Justin on eurostar @eurostarjustin.bsky.social · 05/09/2025
Ceci n'est pas une usine! The Brush factory in Loughborough has a distinguished history building locomotives. It also supplied electrical equipment for the original eurostar class 373 (TMST) trains. #Rail200
A neon sign on the Brush factory and the builder's plate mentioning Brush on a eurostar train.
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Op test on Reyrolle OBYR-14 132 kV, 5000 MVA, 2000 A ABCB 💥
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 20/08/2025
Building up the cooler bank on a new 120 MVA 275/33 kV YNd1 transformer. The radiators work just like yours at home. We put warm fluid through them and the surface area cools the fluid and extracts heat from the transformer core and windings, allowing it to function at a safe working temperature 👍🏻
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
Hard at it ☀️💪🏻
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 10/08/2025
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
The last of eight lovely DAR shots which me and Jade smashed out today in the West Midlands 👌🏻💪🏻👏🏻🥰
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Mr and Alex looking at an old bakelite back DC board. Alex is wearing a knife switch mask 😆
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Breezie @breeze420.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
"If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?" -T. S. Eliot
a couple of transmission towers with a tiny bit of a bridge showing.
taken in east bay california
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Justin on eurostar @eurostarjustin.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Two trains with a direct link across two centuries: Locomotion was built by Robert Stephenson & Co in 1825. The firm later became part of English Electric and then GEC.Through a merger in 1989, GEC-Alsthom was created. It went on to build our original class 373 (TMST) eurostar trains. #Railway200
Locomotion No 1 on display at the Greatest Gathering in Derby."Spare" eurostar power car 3999 on display at Derby.
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Peter Stefanovic @peterstefanovic.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
BREAKING: Rushanara Ali resigns as homelessness minister news.sky.com/story/politi...
news.sky.com
Politics latest: Rushanara Ali resigns as homelessness minister
Rushanara Ali has resigned as homelessness minister after reports claimed she hiked rent on a property she owns by hundreds of pounds just weeks after the previous tenants' contract ended.
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James Watson CEng, FIET @engineerlondon.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
Disaster averted 🫖
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Suffolk Detectorist @sdetectorist.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
#Alphabetchallenge #WeekEForEasyE Electrical energy enabled 😁
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Noel Dolphin @noeldolphin.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
Kids, yes your friends have gone on a package holiday to the beach. However, do they see stuff like this:
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𝕃.𝕁.𝔽𝕆𝕏 🇮🇸☕📚 @onefootiniceland.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
🎶Are friends Electric?🎶 This #pylonporn pic has certainly proved itself a friend in a number of #AlphabetChallenge categories! Well worth lying down in the wet grass for 😂 #WeekEforEasyE #MobilePhotography 📷
A view from underneath a pylon (or transmission tower, if you're that way inclined!) looking up to a clear blue sky. The picture is all squares and triangles, pretty symmetrical
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Michael Shanks MP @michaelshanksmp.co.uk · 31/07/2025
Renewables have powered over 50% of the UK’s electricity for the first time on record. Clean, secure, homegrown energy = lower bills, good jobs, climate action and freedom from fossil fuel markets we can’t control. www.gov.uk/government/s...
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