Trig types & Info
Trig pillars were used as the basis for a method of measuring the shape of the
landscape so that maps could be created. The maps that were created with the
trig pillars in the UK are the ones many of us know and use, OS Landranger and
Explorer maps.
· It was on
April 18, 1936, that the first trig pillar was installed in a field in Cold
Ashby, Northamptonshire. This was the start of the "retriangulation of
Great Britain".
·
Triangulation is a mathematical process that makes accurate map-making
possible. It works by determining the location of a point by measuring angles
to it from known points at either end of a fixed baseline and, in this case,
the many thousands of trig pillars.
· Between
1936 and 1962, around 7,000 trig pillar being built across Britain, including
thousands in Scotland as OS surveyors took on the huge task of mapping the
entire country.
· There are
still thousands of trig pillars left in Britain although No one is sure of the
exact figure it’s thought to be around 6,190.
· The highest
trig pillar is obviously Ben Nevis, Scotland, at 1344m.. and the
lowest? It's at Little Ouse at -1m in Cambridgeshire,.
· it took a guy called Rob
Woodall 13-years to complete his mission to bag all of Britain’s trig pillars
recently
Hotlines
 |
| Muckle roe |
Most trig points on Shetland are of the iconic triangulation pillar, designed by Brigadier Martin Hotline and commonly referred to as a hotine pillar.Notable features on hotine pillars are the Flush Bracket, Spider, Plug, Upper centre mark and Sighting Tube, Mass production of these pillars commenced late in 1935.only minor modifications were ever made to Hotine's original design. Such as a small change to the centre cap's Allen screws was made to make it harder to remove or tamper with it
'Vanessas
 |
| big Tube |
At a late stage, around 1958, the secondary triangulation had progressed to the Highlands of Scotland, it was necessary to design a new and lighter pillar, cylindrical in shape, in order to avoid excessive transport costs. These round pillars, usually called 'Vanessas', were considered "less aesthetically satisfying" than the standard pillar, so they were only placed in inaccessible locations to "reduce the risk of criticism from the more sensitive element of the population
Stonebuilt pillars,
often found on more inaccessible locations, these were constructed using whatever materials were to hand, obviating the need to carry too much heavy concrete mixture to the top of the hill, or so constructed to fit in better aesthetically in certain locations. Pillars were occasionally built out of local stone at the landowner's request, "in order to avoid attracting pilgrimages of hiker
On the Thursday 22/10/20 I
borrowed transport, with a plan to get two trig points done on the east side of
the main road north, if I achieved this it would mean I would not have to
revisit that side of the road on my big main attempt to do them all come
January/ February
Ward of outrabister
As
usual getting away early nearly always comes with last minute issues and this
day was no different. an isolation on some boilers gave issues with HVAC pumps I
was a wee bit later getting away. BUT I was all prepared with my gear and could
drive straight to the first trig area, the weather was perfect no wind or rain
a bit cold but that’s a bonus if you wanna run bits, I drove the scenic route
towards voe missing out Brae, then headed toward Vidlin again now knowing where
the left turn was, then a long single track road with plenty passing places a beautiful
road, I would have liked to stop and look at the historic church outside vidlin
it was very picturesque, but no time I was on a mission to get two trigs done
before full darkness came, driving as far along this road as I possibly could I
passed a silver and a black pair of trucks, two blokes had stopped for a chat,
they moved to let me pass,
When I parked up at the end of the road, I started to take of my jacket put on my running jacket backpack waistcoat, and remove my external trousers for running when the silver truck that I had passed made a turn near, the driver got out, he was a typical older island male coveralls on talking slow and quietly, he lit a fag and asked politely waur I wis aff tae rah day? I knew he was just being nosy but polite with it, I told him he leaned back on his bonnet wanting a wee chat! I got stressed I was in a rush islander`s like him will never get a heart attack they are so laid back. I am hard of hearing I hardly heard a word he said, but hope I said Aye at the right bits and made the correct assumptions to his questions with my hurried answers, I rushed to get away from him stressing about how I never had time for idle chit chat if I was gonna manage two trigs before blackness came.
I dashed of jumping fences and boggy areas but it was a pleasant run I didn’t want to stop and fix some music or an audiobook(wish I had) I wanted up there get it done and get back to move on, once at the top I put my can of Brewdog on the trig for a photo( a new project to be developed) right phone out for a photo, I had the tripod selfie pole in hand with the remote switched on raking all pockets and bag twice I had left the bloody phone/camera due to stressing at the set off!
Light was
fading I dashed of back to the van thinking I had left the phone in my trousers,
when I got back to the van, I noticed it at the first fence- it had fell out my
pocket! Memo to self always zip pockets even when harassed and stressing! Now I
had a choice to make? By the amount of daylight I had left there was no chance
of two trig points if I went back for a photo, but potentially no chance of two
anyway darkness was coming and it was a fair drive between points, I had photos
of all the others it would be a shame not to photo this one, the actual route
was recorded on my watch and on strava but I opted to go take some pictures, I would
have to make it just the one trig that day. I ran back for a trig top photo for
my records
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