BBC Real Men Series - Overhead Linesmen

[Music] [Music] [Music] right now we're all connected to 100,000 miles of high-voltage cable Criss crossing the country without the National Grid we'll be plunged back into the dark ages and you know what that means no more tele but fear not there's a select group of death-defying men who keep us all in power [Music] meet the highwire linesman with one of the most terrifying jobs in britain no one works on the wires until they've been to pylon school these trainees are about to get their first lesson the best place to get up close to massive voltages is a substation Steve Barela and his classmates have to learn to handle 400,000 volts one full step here and you're toast right we're going to live HP compaq well this is where it gets serious yep probably notice a lot of noise today because it's damp in here nothing to worry about you see me running the unique their tour guide has one important message sure chef you might touch a pan to get a small bird such a problem get a big bird you get electrocuted there is no little electrocution they're all big you don't have to touch it for it to get here it jumps 400,000 volts will flash through the air ten feet that bigger shock kills out right I need to know that you understand this most definitely yeah they signal to keep their life there's some proper proper power there proper power you're always told from a kid don't go in their places and then you actually stand there within you know 510 meters of some great big prop electric shocks [Applause] [Music] the entire National Grid needs rewiring and the very first line to get a makeover crosses between England and North Wales [Music] right now one side of this seven mile stretch is switched off they've got six short weeks before the powers switched back on [Applause] work begins next to tower one where John McCallister marshals his gang John's been on the lines nearly 20 years and he's responsible for the lives of eight men with my job normally being as charged are now gonna be aware of everything that's going around you know there's all different things that I've got a watch you know what's on the ropes you know what I've always people for what they don't they're make sure they're doing the right things work can't start until the line is made safe one half is still live and it's power can jump to the side the men need to repair to stop a fatal shock the dead wires need to be earthed it's pretty dangerous job yeah you've got have a good head for Heights rewiring Britain is going to take ten years and will cost five billion pounds to do it the linesman need reinforcements John's will come from amongst the fresh faces now at pylon school it's break time and that instructor is making the most of a quiet moment to play a little game Steve and his fellow trainees don't know it yet but the name of the game is hide-and-seek the ditches and trains on to check them and nobody's touched on everything we use all that we inspect them know you'll see if it works because then the negation commander if you don't do it believe you me I've been talking they won't be claiming the trainees will spend most of their lives working in their harnesses they need to know their gear intimately suitably attired the big moment has arrived anyone faint at any point at anything we stop doing make it comfortable see formal talk to you and I'll object you don't already you don't this is their first climb the pylon stands 140 feet high to stay on the course the recruits have to make it to the end of the first arm anyone can dock the dock though he has walking the walk and this is elect codes because this is they spend the most of the majority of the leaf okay then I'll go call thank you the instructors are watching every move they can tell within seconds who's going to make the grade Devon seitan and a fish meat yeah I thought was gonna have to the talent was there yeah hey Diane it's make or break for Steve Barela he doesn't leave acclaim in there they climb the tower quite well he's got easy was well away from the steel was fluent when he went up there and then when he walked out from the arm give it with confidence he's lucky it could do it naturally steve has been here before he used to be a pylon painter who was doing the line in my village and you see the difference between what we do and what they do and I thought what soon to do that you know it looks harder but you don't feel like a monkey you know I mean you feel like you're doing something of some importance if Steve's good enough he'll join Jon's gang and he won't feel like a monkey anymore anybody on his way to earning a thousand pounds per week not too shabby but they earn every penny [Music] [Applause] this is your average electricians nightmare John has to replace thousands of tons of equipment hundreds of feet in the air [Music] yeah Peter that thing [Music] George come on judge sling I hear that Judge show now you look for someone okay everything has to be hauled up before the old cables can be taken down [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the trainees are going up in the world not many schools have a 12-story climbing frame with a classroom right at the top the whole point of this exercise is just to show you how the towers meant to give you feeling going lesson 2 is the instructors party piece safe okay I'm gonna do I'm gonna jump off right that's me with nothing what I'm on now confidence you know me well me bounce okay once upon a time there was no such thing as the National Grid until the 50s each local area generated its own electricity the grid was intended to put an end to power cuts but many built it did so in wellies even a generation ago accidents were common so I've actually fell off these things one of the teams and I fell off I'll and even if I die and my bones like a trampoline and it just ripped all my heart away saying to him I feel awful feel my peat bog and it's not Damon I don't know and even trees so it was actually someone I was looking out for me I've been these things happened I've been okay many people weren't so lucky I've been to a few funerals that's the ultimate price and somebody's on the floor coating bones not going on the lads used to have a whip-round for the wives because there was no assurance these things like that used to find it hard to get insurance for yourself disappear such a dangerous job today the trainees are practicing rope rescue anyone left hanging for more than 20 minutes will die from suspension trauma it's not just the dummy that gets them in a tangle right wrap it over the top you need fit on the steel first wait [Laughter] the next lesson is learning how to keep the wires apart they're only 15 foot off the ground but the instructors like to make the exercise as realistic as possible I wasn't born you know - some find it all too easy but for others the little initiative is called for unfortunately he's forgotten this tool [Music] finally blushes are saved by revealing the trade secret only easy if you know how and the trainees need to know all the tricks of the trade because tomorrow is exam day [Music] it's 7:30 and John's heading off to work safe to say he's not really a morning person that's all that's what difficulties when presenting it his gang have moved on to tower 23 [Music] it's greatly back [Music] John's worried rain makes the steel slippery and the top of the pylon is no place to lose your footing well it's be very tight you know but as you can see we're working in all conditions at the minute you know there's also a black cloud hanging over the pylon school the trainees must pass their exams to carry the card no card no job no academic in the slightest I've never even been more for academic summers I'll have to go straight out of the way probably get my people that you found in the others it's a lot to take it in there and then afternoon all right well I'll get what I need and get my car back on the line the gangs are still contending with the Welsh weather [Music] for the next job they need a temporary platform I didn't ever want one of these machines when I was working it limit and we're taking the platform of the outside I'm tailing up in 30 I you know as I was growing up and I'm watching her play all of a sudden the platform's then whoosh come flying down and nearly hit the pier the bottom pots don't be away yeah Boosh on with the hungry they get on the puffles deck going but that was a pretty hairy experience they're like it's too heavy the name it's too heavy brilliant job in the summer but in the winter that's the worst job in the world worst job in the world reason called steel freezin up there 150 200 foot up that's where it sorts the men from the boys you know the boys are going to get their results all the weeks of intensive training have led up to this steam wasn't first so far everyone's past but for Steve is a surprise you may be wondering what this is this is a thing called a welder just check it now the golden one is really a very special award it's very coveted this is the award for the best students on the course and I'm very very pleased and delighted to say that Steven Borella in the judge's opinion was the best student on the course that's hiccup I'll on school now it's the real thing [Applause] [Music] John and his gang have been working 17 days in a row once they've lowered this half-ton insulator they get a couple of days at home like nice at lights sports on I keep okay step you take Oh [Music] what'd it say what tape to cause your [Music] you are we're for three weeks and then we'll get a long weekend but it's not it's not long enough you know especially the family okay lads down our last cup of tea glass [Music] My dear mother seven hours the laws of meet up with tower nothing to eat just to get it finished now already save me friends and be family me little boy it was only seven and there's another thing that John's really looking forward to when I get home I kind of see that on camera the man with the golden poacher is also going home Steve and Cheryl were childhood sweethearts they know the new job will mean long periods apart but at least his careers on the up I'm just so proud of him yeah cuz I know it's done well and I know we would do because Steven is one of these or whatever he does it put 110 percent in it anyway so yeah I'm really proud of him the whole class graduation is a momentous achievement and a good excuse for a little party [Music] so as not to offend a family audience will kiss them goodbye the weekend may be over but the jobs far from done John's gang faced the biggest challenge of all the 1500 foot crossing over the river dee at 320 feet these pylons are twice as high as normal and guess what Steve doesn't know it yet but he's been volunteered to make the first crossing better cutlass let's race oh that's where you start from you know and I'll ensure a clean Kevin Keegan's boots you know they start from somewhere Steve's moment of truth has arrived [Music] we're just about to do space of the river crossing and this will be the first time I've ever done any deep space and so bear with me [Music] up in the sky his chariot awaits been experience other colors will go terribly wrong all in the head all eyes are on the new boy [Music] who from Lee gets stuck times our issue a she never smoked [Music] but the escape fingers here before the old cable can be replaced the spacers have to be knocked off now when it's deep at that hammer [Music] 300 feet below there's a boat on standby as a rescue boat I don't think this I don't think I'll be able to rescue anybody if they fell off those dollies I don't think they'd survive to be eligible I think it would just be much of picking up the body but unless they were Olympic standard the divers you know I suppose the best we could do is Malcolm on there their dive you know you know give them 9.9 innocent he's made it halfway trouble is from now on it's all uphill they want this job needs the oxford rowing team [Music] [Music] yeah it isn't once they enjoy stealing bread that's a so anyway yeah cut that baby [Music] I admire these guys up there hello hello [Music] I can climb up there no money would get me up there so yeah I think they deserve a medal for working up [Music] [Applause] pasty haha we made song I only make a respect your mom talk respect his odd want me but I'll tell you what that was quality that's daily in six weeks John's gang have replaced seven miles of the line so that's just another 22,000 palm's to rewire the country is this the most dangerous job in Britain you want to talk show with money yet hundred and fifty for over a road 154 nothing back at changing school go in it hundred and fifty cool on Wednesday meet the real men who paint the Forth Bridge and paint and paint and paint stay with us here on BBC one Scotland EastEnders is next [Music]

Channel: Tommy Edwards

Views: 20,446

Keywords: Overhead, Linesmen, Linesman, Lineman, Documentary, Real Men, Power, Electricity, Powerlines, High Voltage, pylon, pylons, Towers, National Grid, AMEC, Climbing, Golden Podger, Training, Substation, Energy, Pylon School, Network

Id: -p46diQ4LdA

Length: 28min 57sec (1737 seconds)

Published: Fri May 10 2019