OK then, what's this Southport thing?

[Puddles]

Walking on the beach at Southport, we came across this thing.

View attachment 24917

About at tall as me (I was able to peer in at the top when on tiptoe), a hollow vertical pipe. An outlet at the bottom which had had a hatch at some stage, which would have opened outwards - whether it was a locked hatch, or held shut by gravity and water pressure we couldn't tell. That 'mesh' at the top would have formed a complete cover when new.

Letters moulded into the cast iron say "LIVERPOOL FLEETWOOD TIDAL STANDARD" and roman numerals are marked on it towards the base - on the side nearest the camera they read 20, 19, 18 going downwards, but on the other side they said 29, 28, 27, so not a straightforward scale. Inside was filled with sand to beach level, so we couldn't tell how far it went down.

If it were a depth gauge of some sort, I'd expect the numbers to be more logical, and there'd be no need for it to be a pipe, so it must be an outlet for something. Any ideas?

It is a ventilation shaft from the sewerage system according to this man

"From Dave McAleavy head of Sefton Coast

Hello Tim,

The cast iron structure is a ventilation shaft on the old sewer
discharge pipe. The pipe was disconnected when the Southport Waste Water
Elevation Scheme came on line in 1996. Two similar discharge pipes north
of the pier, I recall were removed a year or so later.

Regards,

Dave

Dave McAleavy
Head of Coast and Countryside
Leisure Services Department
Sefton Council
Ainsdale Discovery Centre
The Promenade
Shore Road
Ainsdale on Sea
Southport
Merseyside, PR8 2QB"​

Some asked about it here http://www.southport.gb.com/showthread.php?t=50365724&page=1​

 

[Arch]

trip to the beach! let me get my bucket and spade..ohhhh you've already been? I must have missed the doorbell, I like a trip to the beach.

So do I, it's real treat. Growing up in Leicester, as far from the sea as you can get in this country, seaside trips weren't common.

 

[green1]

So do I, it's real treat. Growing up in Leicester, as far from the sea as you can get in this country, seaside trips weren't common.

60 odd miles isn't exactly a trek to get to the seaside.

 

[Arch]

60 odd miles isn't exactly a trek to get to the seaside.

It must have seemed like enough to Mum and Dad, because we never went for seaside days out. Our days out were usually much closer to home. I suspect budget came into it, as we tended to do stuff that was economical, where we could take picnics etc. More than an hour of travel at each end of the day also eats into the enjoyment I guess.

Anyway, the nearest seaside was Skegness, which I don't think was their sort of place.

When we lived in Belfast we often went a little way up the Antrim coast for a picnic lunch and a caper on the beach. Once we moved over here, seaside visits were restricted to when we happened to be on holiday staying with friends living nearer to the coast.

Now, I still find a seaside trip is a treat, and that first view of the sea exciting.

 

[ianrauk]

Now, I still find a seaside trip is a treat, and that first view of the sea exciting.

I think a lot of people do. I certainly do. Perhaps it's the Brits human nature being an Island race.

 

[Arch]

I think a lot of people do. I certainly do. Perhaps it's the Brits human nature being an Island race.

Perhaps. I know I think if I lived by the sea, I'd never get anything done, just due to walking on the beach or watching the sea!

I'd also have no room due to constantly beachcombing bits of driftwood and shells!

 

[Shaun]

I've removed the completely off-topic side discussion and put it in it's own thread, here:
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/im-surprised-the-pikeys-havent-had-it-off.133516/

Please take that discussion over to the new thread.

Many thanks, Shaun

 

[Over The Hill]

I am guessing the doors are to let the tide in and then measure the amount of water then held to tell how high the tide is.
Tide tables must have come from somewhere. The fittings look like it stood much taller and was held in place with cables.

 

[Archie_tect]

I still think it's the plug-hole and someone's let all the water out.... boy are they in trouble.

 

[classic33]

Apparantly there's at least another two foot of it buried in the sand.

 

[Shaun]

Will there have been any electrics or electronics attached to it at any point, or is it an entirely mechanical beasty?

 

[classic33]

Will there have been any electrics or electronics attached to it at any point, or is it an entirely mechanical beasty?

Entirely mechanical. Water & electric don't mix, and it pre-dates the printed circuit board by about 100 years.

 

[Shaun]

Ah, that'll explain why it looks so old then ...

 

[classic33]

Ah, that'll explain why it looks so old then ...

Get nowt past you!

 

[Arch]

I am guessing the doors are to let the tide in and then measure the amount of water then held to tell how high the tide is.
Tide tables must have come from somewhere. The fittings look like it stood much taller and was held in place with cables.

Trouble is, the hatch being on the outside, the tide would tend to close it and hold it shut, and when the water goes back out again, the hatch would open outwards. Also, the figures are marked on the outside, so it would be hard to equate them with a water level inside...

But yes it is taller than what shows, and there is one remaining tie attached, with fittings for two more.