Sitting In The Dark

[SarahBell]

Go on who remembers sitting in the dark in the 70's?

There were electricity cuts and I remember sitting round a calor gas fire in the dark - even though we had oil central heating it wouldn't work unless the power was on.

How many years before we're at this state again (years or months?)

[OLDFTB]

Yep, i remember those days & us all gathering around a parrafin heater in the living room hoping the batteries in the transistor radio would not run out too quickly. But because we were kids it was just a big adventure to us. Great fun.Hopefully our children will not have to put up with all that crap though.

[SarahBell]

I guess if people can't find their own homes moving back with parents when the energy crisis really starts to take hold will be a good idea. One house to heat, shared journeys for food and work perhaps.

[DonnieDarker]

Yes, I remember sitting in the dark.

I don't think it was anything to do with power-cuts though. I was just locked in a cupboard for many hours at a a time.

[Converted Lurker]

Go on who remembers sitting in the dark in the 70's?

There were electricity cuts and I remember sitting round a calor gas fire in the dark - even though we had oil central heating it wouldn't work unless the power was on.

How many years before we're at this state again (years or months?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Loved it actually Sarah, playing monopoly by candlelight, that`s not meant to be strange metaphor for the BTL brigade BTW! I look back and wonder what our parents must have thought at the time.

[Rain'ard]

I remember it too Sarah.

At the time I lived with my mum who had a penthouse flat thirteen stories high. It was either walk up 26 flights of stairs or risk getting stuck in the lift for four hours.

On one occasion in that `winter of discontent.’ I came home from work, took the risk of using the lift. I stepped out made the short walk from the lift to the flat, switched on the light in the hall and there was nothing.

Phew!

[Catch22]

Three day working week, I was a sparky then, we had to keep electricity consumption records. If all machinery was started up at once and you went over your alotted permisable electricty demand on the National Grid the firm got a big fine.

Of course when the telly and the lights went off the birth rate went up

[Killer Bunny]

Of course when the telly and the lights went off the birth rate went up 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why?

[Smurf1976]

Just wondering what the actual cause of blackouts in the 1970's was?

Pardon my ignorance but I'm in Oz.

[Guest rigsby II]

Just wondering what the actual cause of blackouts in the 1970's was? 

Pardon my ignorance but I'm in Oz. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Coal miners went on strike

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/s...000/2515917.stm

[Rain'ard]

Interesting point Catch22.

Being a sparky myself I was once interested to see what the voltage at the socket outlet was at half time during the world cup, where we are told by the media that demand rises to a record level.

I connected my meter and was disappointed to find that it read 239Volts nowhere near the legal minimum. As you know when it is below someone has to have an outage to raise it. I wonder which areas they choose to for those unlucky enough to miss the match.

[clv101]

Go on who remembers sitting in the dark in the 70's?

There were electricity cuts and I remember sitting round a calor gas fire in the dark - even though we had oil central heating it wouldn't work unless the power was on.

How many years before we're at this state again (years or months?)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This winter! It's more likely to be this winter than any other in the near future. Our gas supplies are depleting and the import infrastructure is not there yet.

See this article for an assessment of why the lights could go out this winter:

UK Gas and Electricity Crisis Looming

http://www.vitaltrivia.co.uk/2005/08/27

[SarahBell]

http://www.whispergen.com/main/acwhispergen/

Shame about the das supply being in doubt... this home machine makes electric from gas...

[Rain'ard]

Rigs

And the power workers went on strike themselves.

Do you remember Mrs Thatcher’s government raised their pay to keep them from going on strike.

[right_freds_dead]

if the lights get low this winter that will be nice and 'christmassy'

sipping QC by candlight. pub lock ins and walking home with lanterns singing carols.

hot chestnuts. open fires.

im looking forward to it.......with my shotgun ready.

[SarahBell]

Oh aye... didn't they give 150 new licences for drilling in the north sea yesterday?http://news.ft.com/cms/s/f8d83936-1f3c-11da-94d5-00000e2511c8.html

Also boimass for power...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4220790.stm

The latest studies suggest one form of elephant grass would make a productive "energy crop" to be burnt in power stations to generate electricity.

Scientists told a Dublin conference the 4m-high Miscanthus needs little fertiliser to produce very high yields

[Andrew McP]

Loved it actually Sarah, playing monopoly by candlelight,

I too have fond memories of the family sat around listening to the radio, lit by the light from the coal fire in the one room in the house that still had a working fireplace. It all felt rather primitive, but very reassuring... perhaps because it was rare for us all to be together like that for so long. The coal fire was a lot warmer than the electric fire we normally used too!

I doubt my mother's memories are so warm & cosy though. :-)

Andrew McP

[Catch22]

Interesting point Catch22.

Being a sparky myself I was once interested to see what the voltage at the socket outlet was at half time during the world cup, where we are told by the media that demand rises to a record level. 

I connected my meter and was disappointed to find that it read 239Volts nowhere near the legal minimum.  As you know when it is below someone has to have an outage to raise it.  I wonder which areas they choose to for those unlucky enough to miss the match.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ya but ya but ya but the fact that they know demand spikes at half time, more electricity will be feed into the National Grid from electricity generators. It's only a problem if "on-line" generating capacity is below demand levels. We do buy a lot of French nuclear generated electricity, and I doubt they watch our footie

Financial Planner "Why"

I think it had something to do with the telly going off, blokes tended to get their tools out.

[ajh]

http://www.whispergen.com/main/acwhispergen/

Shame about the das supply being in doubt... this home machine makes electric from gas...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now, speaking hypothetically (because I'm also from Oz), if I was back in the UK I think I'd fit oil heating to the greenhouse, and make sure I kept the tank more or less full.

When I was there last year, my aunt's house (Victorian farm-labourer's semi too far out in the country for gas) had oil-fired central heating and I remember noting the whopping tank. I'm pretty sure a paraffin heater can be fiddled to work on heating oil, and it might be possible to adjust a diesel generator to run on it as well.

[OLDFTB]

Why?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps their wives looked sexier with the lights out?

[notanotherone]

I am just about old enough to remember the power cuts. Listening to Radio Luxembourg, not missing television at all because the candles and shadows made it an adventure.

This time round, I don't care for myself but I will have to light a fire under the fish tank to keep my tropicals warm

[xian]

Three day working week,  I was a sparky then,  we had to keep electricity consumption records. If all machinery was started up at once and you went over your alotted permisable electricty demand  on the National Grid the firm got a big fine.

Of course when the telly and the lights went off the birth rate went up 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yep... there were reports of a huge power outage across the UK one time (can't remember the year, possibly not the same period) followed by an unusually large number of babies born 9 months later.

For some, a testament to the brilliance of TV, over the mundanity of sex?

[xian]

I am just about old enough to remember the power cuts. Listening to Radio Luxembourg, not missing television at all because the candles and shadows made it an adventure.

This time round, I don't care for myself but I will have to light a fire under the fish tank to keep my tropicals warm 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ooooh careful!! You won't be wanting bouillabaise for supper!

[SarahBell]

No its because when the heating and lights don't work its a bit cold, so the idea is to keep warm go to bed...

Although coinciding a failiure in contraception with the lights out... I guess its too tricky to hold the torch and unroll ;-)

[Rain'ard]

:

For some, a testament to the brilliance of TV, over the mundanity of sex? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And the fecundity of Homo Sapiens

Edited September 8, 2005 by wheresmyfoxhole