Little things - for the layout outside the railway fence

[Rivercider]

On 11/06/2021 at 21:28, corneliuslundie said:

Why doers one need to climb it?

Jonathan

At least two of the tors on Dartmoor have metal steps and handrails, Blackingstone Rock and Haytor are two that I  have seen.

 

cheers

[Fat Controller]

Just now, Rivercider said:

At least two of the tors on Dartmoor have metal steps and handrails, Blackingstone Rock and Haytor are two that I  have seen.

 

cheers

Were these rocks perhaps used by the Ordnance Survey for datums for surveying?

 

[MrWolf]

Or by the writers of Father Ted as a dubious tourist attraction?

[MrWolf]

This type of stile is nowadays quite a rare sight.

 

 

Borrowed for illustrative purposes from Dominic Jones.

Edited June 14, 2021 by MrWolf

[Rivercider]

8 hours ago, Fat Controller said:

Were these rocks perhaps used by the Ordnance Survey for datums for surveying?

 

I don't think so. Haytor has no trig point, but nearby Rippon Tor does.

 

Here is Haytor, the hand rails and hand holds are the remains of more substantial steps that date from Victorian times I believe. We climbed part way up, but did not use the handrails to get to the top.

Haytor 19/5/2021

Haytor 19/5/2021

 

The handrails at the top of Haytor 19/5/2021

 

In contrast to the popular Haytor when I made a visit to Blackingstone Rock there was not a soul about

Blackingstone Rock 20/7/2016

 

The steps to the top of Blackingstone Rock 20/7/2016

 

The view from the top of Blackingstone Rock 20/7/2016

 

cheers

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

Possibly a bit big for my layout.

I wonder what would be said we anyone tried to do that now.

Jonathan

[steve1]

Talking of bridges, as we were, this is over a local stream.

 

steve

 

 

[Compound2632]

13 hours ago, figworthy said:

 

Dent Head on the Settle and Carlisle ?

 

Adrian

 

Point to you! I was sadly wrong:

but the set-up is virtually identical:

 

I ought to have twigged that the beck is flowing the opposite way!

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by Compound2632

[alphonsus]

On 14/06/2021 at 13:13, corneliuslundie said:

I like the porches. Rather plain terraced houses in our street often have rather nice porches but I am a bit nervous about photographing them.

Anyway, to this week's post.

A few not very useful little things today.

First a road drain

 

And I wouldn’t recommend you to use this stile which seems to lead straight into a thicket. Though this could be useful at the rear of a layout.

 

This bus stop has not seen a bus for a long time. When we moved here eight years ago I asked locals and no-one could tell me when the route stopped running.

 

I hope all the drivers spot the 30 mph sign as they pass. The photo was taken a couple of weeks ago and it is even less visible now.

 

Finally, not useless. A rather unusual manhole cover, which is just a few feet from that drain. Not sure why it is yellow.

 

Still thinking of a theme for next week. It may be a random selection.

Jonathan

It's yellow for identification: it's the cover for a Fire Hydrant (hence FH). There will be a concrete marker with metal plate in the vicinity with numbers on it. The numbers indicate the distance from the marker to the hydrant cover and the water pressure available (or something like that). Sometimes the plate is attached to a wall instead. Image from google so no idea who owns the copyright...

[alphonsus]

On 21/05/2021 at 21:56, Kris said:

 

Ground failures due to mining in Cornwall are still relatively common. Generally where shafts reopen rather than mining voids. These have been known to happen under major roads. About 4 years ago a road less than a mile from me was improved (by taking a duel carriage way and making it single with lots of traffic lights). When this work happened at least 9 unknown shafts were found under the road. They now want to build several hundred houses right next to this road on a mining site, I wonder how many more shafts will be found. Fun for the builders! 

You don't even need mines. Water + chalk rock + time = eventual big hole. 1988, Norwich, not many yards from the RC cathedral on Earlham Road...

 

Actually another source suggests it might have been a mine. Odd place though: top of a hill...

Edited June 20, 2021 by alphonsus
Further info

[Nick Holliday]

7 hours ago, alphonsus said:

It's yellow for identification: it's the cover for a Fire Hydrant (hence FH). There will be a concrete marker with metal plate in the vicinity with numbers on it. The numbers indicate the distance from the marker to the hydrant cover and the water pressure available (or something like that).

The second figure denotes the diameter of the connection - in this case 100mm. In steam days, of course, these would be in Imperial units i.e. 4".

[eastglosmog]

8 hours ago, alphonsus said:

You don't even need mines. Water + chalk rock + time = eventual big hole. 1988, Norwich, not many yards from the RC cathedral on Earlham Road...

 

Actually another source suggests it might have been a mine. Odd place though: top of a hill...

There are a number of flint mines around, some, like Grimes Graves dating from Neolithic times, others more recent (some were for supplying flints for flint lock muskets).  They have a habit of collapsing every now and then!

[steve1]

9 hours ago, alphonsus said:

You don't even need mines. Water + chalk rock + time = eventual big hole. 1988, Norwich, not many yards from the RC cathedral on Earlham Road...

 

Actually another source suggests it might have been a mine. Odd place though: top of a hill...

 

Now that would make an interesting alternative to he “bus on a bridge” cliche on a layout.

 

steve

[corneliuslundie]

The same kind of thing happens in the Chilterns, caused by underground water courses.

Re the yellow cover, there seems to be no sign around indicating its presence, which is the reason for my query. We had quite a discussion further up the threads about yellow and blue used to mark these things. But in the past I don't remember the actual covers being painted. Any ideas when it started?

Jonathan

[corneliuslundie]

And time for this week's post.

Just two photos today, the first taken outside my house.

First something old: the opening where coal was once poured into the cellar. We had ours sealed with a steel sheet when we bought the house, but next door’s is still usable and a delivery of timber arrived through it recently. Others have been concreted over, or had concrete slabs replace the original covers, sometimes then tarmaced over, though usually not very well - as can be seen beyond. Anyway, hardly any two identical in this road.

Also in the photo is something else modern: a water meter cover. Not by any means universal but spreading.

 

Also modern, a recent gas connection can be seen , put in about eight years ago. These are very common around here not because there was originally no gas – the houses precede electricity – but because the old gas supply had been disconnected some years ago. In fact the old gas pipe still runs across the wall of our coal cellar. Mostly they can be seen on houses with no front gardens, but sometimes where the garden is on a slope they can be found outside front garden walls. And don't forget the various cables which run up the walls of most houses these days.

 

And to complement an earlier post, two van bodies in a local farmyard (Noyadd Hendidley Farm). I think they are ex-GWR ventilated vans, but there is no identification.

 

I think next week it is time for the threatened tutorial on field gates, so brace yourself.

Jonathan

Edited October 1, 2022 by corneliuslundie

[MrWolf]

That's a wonderful old shed in the background, so few still standing.

 

Is that too large for this thread? 

[corneliuslundie]

I'm not pedantic. There is also an interesting old barn the other side of the yard with some outside steps. My daughter took a photo but I didn't. If we go that way again I'll make sure to take some. But the walk is a bit of a challenge, involving a stream crossing with no bridge and very steep slopes both sides. My wife and I will need to feel energetic and choose a day after some dry weather.

Jonathan

Edited June 21, 2021 by corneliuslundie
typos

[MrWolf]

I was being distracted by the shed and thought of some of those which I have photographed. I thought I was going OT by mentioning it!

[eastglosmog]

Sheep washes - little things that once were common in sheep rearing districts such as the Cotswolds, but are now subject to preservation.  Here are a few.

Near Yanworth, this one was rebuilt in 2014:

 

 

One near Aldsworth that was rebuilt in 2015:

 

 

 

This one by the road between Churchill and Sarsden was built using the channel of the road bridge:

 

 

 

And this one is near where Akeman St crosses the River Leach, near Eastleach Turville.  It is also incorporated into the bridge structure. Only has water in winter and spring, usually being totally dry in summer:

 

 

Note the slots for boards to hold back the water and act as a sluice gate built into the downstream arch of the bridge.

Edited April 9, 2022 by eastglosmog
Restore photos

[MrWolf]

That looks like a stack of old wrought iron sheep hurdles next to the arch which would have been used to funnel the animals into the sheepwash.

[Fat Controller]

On 21/06/2021 at 06:09, Nick Holliday said:

The second figure denotes the diameter of the connection - in this case 100mm. In steam days, of course, these would be in Imperial units i.e. 4".

It was quite common to see 'FH' also painted on the nearest wall to the hydrant. I believe this was a wartime idea, which stayed in use, as the Fire Brigade could find the hydrant, even if there was something parked over it.

[corneliuslundie]

I had a look today and often in the built up streets around here there seems just to be a short section of a kerb stone painted yellow opposite the hydrant.

Jonathan

[mike morley]

I came across this in the hills above Rhyd yr Onen.  At the time I thought it was the wheelcase of a long-gone waterwheel, but I was puzzled as to what purpose it could have served (there are two disused quarries close by, but they are so small that even their combined output could not have been enough to justify a mill).  I later learned from the extremely friendly local farmer that it was actually once the take-off point for Tywyn's water supply. 

It's modern successor is a few hundred yards further upstream.  The bridge in the background carries the pipe that connects it to a small reservoir further down the valley

 

[Kris]

 A few photos from yesterday. 

 

Starting with an older "finger post" style sign. Notice the broken top. 

 

 

A very old style of style. Look for the stones sticking out of the wall to allow you to walk up it. I guess this field never held sheep!

 

The next 4 are of an old engine house that was abandoned in the 1930's but restored about 20 years ago.

Look at how the ivy can climb the side of the building covering windows. 

 

You can put a gate across the door but even in real life it does not need to be straight.

 

A bit of ironwork sticking out of the side of the wall. I assume that this had something to do with the beam at one point. 

 

Look at the wood lintel. Just how much weight is that carrying?

 

Edited June 27, 2021 by Kris
Typo

[corneliuslundie]

Interesting that there seems to be another lintel in the other wall, presumably a blocked up window or door but not obvious from the stonework.

And if the fields round here had stone stiles like the one shown the lambs would have been down at the children's playground by now,

Jonathan