Down the big pipe - spooky pictures

This is the view from the tank looking down the massive water outflow pipe - the pipe that once led to the water cranes on the platforms of Settle Station.

This pipe will carry the rain water from the roof of the tower and we need to connect it to the rainwater harvesting tank. We needed to know how deep the pipe is and its direction of exit from below the water tower's foundations.

Both questions have been answered today by the simple means of a) dropping a weighted line down and measuring its length - 8,960 mm and b) shining a stong light down and taking photographs.   The first rather surreal picture shows water at the bottom of the pipe reflecting the camera's flash.



This second rather indistinct image tells us which way the pipe turns at its base - southwards, towards the bottom of the picture is the answer.

The stronger reflection to the top of the picture is from water sitting on the slightly projecting gate valve, 6.3 meters below the camera. Fortunately the gate valve, which is rusted solid at present, is in the open position so the pipe will be able to take all the rainwater that is ever likely to drain from the tank.