The full depth of the east or rear wall of the tower is now exposed to the air with the removal of accumulated topsoil and general debris. Also exposed, bottom left, is a large earthenwear drain - possibly the drain that served the tank's overflow pipe.
On the west side of the tower the foundations of a small building were exposed - possibly a coal merchant's hut or office. Whatever it was, there are no signs of it having been physically connected to the tower itself.
At the south west corner there is another massive drain (behind the iron plate) around which was a very fine cobbled area.
Digger men Ben (left) and Chris. They and their machines removed 200 tonnes of soil and loose material in order to get down to solid ground around the edges of the tower. Up to nine courses of stone had become buried over the years. It has also become evident that the floor inside the tower is about 750mm higher than the original floor. This probably happened in 1939 when stables with a need for drainage, (see an earlier posting) were built inside the tower. The Midland Railway plans dated 1874 show the lower floor.
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