Cable Gallery

Illustration of Ferranti testing 10, 000V cable V510/0013

19th Century power transmission. Illustration showing Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti (1864-1930) testing his 10, 000 Volt cable in 1890. His assistant (with a look of trepidation) is holding an uninsulated chisel as it is driven through the live cable, to demonstrate Ferranti's protective cut-out. Deptford Power station in south-east London, also designed by Ferranti and opened in 1889, was the first station to produce a high- voltage output (10, 000V) for transmission

© SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Map of British Empire showing international cable

Map of the British Empire (coloured red), showing the All-British international cable going round the world, enabling telegraphic communication. Date: circa 1902

© Mary Evans / Pharcide

1902, Africa, Australia, Britain, British, Cable, Canada, Commonwealth, Communication, Communications, Empire, Flag, Flags, Guiana, Historical, History, Honduras, India, International, Jack, Map, New, Patriotic, Patriotism, Red, Technology, Telegraph, Telegraphic, Uk, Union, World, Zealand

LCC-LFB Change from brass to cork fire helmets

A significant landmark when on 14 July 1934 the LFB started to replace its traditional brass helmet with a new compressed cork design. It would be four years before the changeover was completed. The death of a firefighter, when his brass helmet touched a live cable during firefighting operations, brought about the policy change. Here the brass helmet, introduced by Captain Eyre Massey Shaw (Metropolitan Fire Brigade), a symbol of London's firemen for over seventy years, meets a modern, safer replacement

© London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library