Area: Milford/Leighlinbridge
Started: July 1950
Finished: December 1950
Poles used: 559
Line used (km): 47
Premises connected: 150
he figures above were sourced from our REO News magazine, to learn more about what these figures mean, visit our interactive map. The map above shows the area boundary and is from a digitised version of the original map used during the scheme.
The REO News from January 1951 suggests backsliders may have caused a problem in Milford.
This digital scan from the REO News displays the following text:
"Milford Area: A pleasing feature of Mr. Coakley’s report on Milford was that almost all farmers, large and small, have installed outside lights. Of the original 236 economic acceptances; 36 were ‘backsliders’, thus making 4 others uneconomic. New consumers gained totalled 33, thus showing a final total of 229. Revenue correspondingly dropped from £1,299 to £1,240 p.a. Some of this was due to the fact that many of the new consumers were uneconomic acceptances and were supplied at the minimum return of 7.76%. This question of uneconomic acceptances was a particular bogey in Milford Area, where a large number of the houses are of the small cottage type. Indeed, the number of uneconomic acceptances appearing on the summary sheet was 97, or 21% of the total. One of the results which followed from this preponderance of small houses is that large numbers of people were unwilling to pay the £3. 5. 0. which was quoted for a plug point and trip switch. As a result, the sales of small appliances were almost nil in these cases. Total sales in the area amounted to something over £500, the main items being 7 Grain Grinders, 3 Cookers, 5 Irons, 2 Kettles, 2 Power Packets, 1 Oat Roller and 1 – 1 H.P. Motor. Contractors sold a fair number of Irons and Kettles in the houses where plug points had been installed."