Anybody know what this is?

Eichhörnchen · 10-26-18, 03:51 PM

Seen in a cow pasture up on the Lincolnshire Wolds yesterday

(Above) This poorer photo shows, from a different angle, two 'prongs' which extend from the machinery on top. Do they rotate this pivoted top in the wind? There's a rod extends down to the ground inside... almost like a drilling rig

And these close-up views.... is that maybe an air-raid siren up there? I've no idea what this rusty tower is or was, but it looks like some kind of wartime artefact to me... is it an early wind power generator?

u crank · 10-26-18, 04:00 PM

It looks like an old windmill for pumping water. Likely for cows. The blades were probably wood and have fallen off.

Or.....it could be an alien homing device. Don't touch it.

Catfish · 10-26-18, 04:11 PM

The Trump tower?

Does not look like it's one of the Chain home radar masts, or of the Stenigot early warning system. I guess it is civilian, maybe as ucrank said, a water pumping tower?

Eichhörnchen · 10-26-18, 04:12 PM

Well it's chalk upland here... so there would very likely be underground springs and streams just below the surface. Thanks, Marcel... I guessed it would turn out to be something mundane... unless...

vienna · 10-26-18, 04:33 PM

Something used to confound squirrels?...

<O>

ouPhrontis · 10-26-18, 04:58 PM

The two horizontal prongs were likely mounts for a rudder of sorts, for holding the upper pivoting assembly into wind. So if one was able to look into that box of tricks, it'd house a crude right-angle drive.

Catfish · 10-26-18, 05:00 PM

Seems to be this one(?)

Windpump:

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1951168

u crank · 10-26-18, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vienna

Something used to confound squirrels?...

And apparently it's not that hard.

Eichhörnchen · 10-26-18, 05:55 PM

(Ha ha, Marcel

)

@ Catfish. Yes that's where we were... Thoresby wood... and that is of course the very same structure as in my photographs. They were shooting ducks when we got there, so I didn't fancy getting any closer in case they decided to have a pop at me instead. I wonder whether there are many more of these things around? Well done, mate

Reece · 10-26-18, 11:44 PM

As u-crank said, an old windmill for pumping water up from the bore, the top part is the gearbox that pulls the center shaft up and down. These are widely used in Australia though getting replaced slowly by solar panels driving electric pumps.

Eichhörnchen · 10-27-18, 04:15 AM

They must be very unusual in the UK... I've lived all my life in the countryside on clay and silt and never seen one except in movies. Neither has Moira, and she grew up on the North Downs chalkland. Thanks, guys

10-27-18, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

... They were shooting ducks when we got there, so I didn't fancy getting any closer in case they decided to have a pop at me instead.

What - they shoot ducks and even squirrels?!?

I call my old gang and then we make these long pigs totally ready...

Eichhörnchen · 10-27-18, 02:23 PM

Yeah, and I don't think they should have been shooting so near a public footpath either. I hope those ducks got their revenge too, just like these

10-26-18, 03:51 PM	#1
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Anybody know what this is? Seen in a cow pasture up on the Lincolnshire Wolds yesterday (Above) This poorer photo shows, from a different angle, two 'prongs' which extend from the machinery on top. Do they rotate this pivoted top in the wind? There's a rod extends down to the ground inside... almost like a drilling rig And these close-up views.... is that maybe an air-raid siren up there? I've no idea what this rusty tower is or was, but it looks like some kind of wartime artefact to me... is it an early wind power generator? __________________

10-26-18, 04:00 PM	#2
u crank Old enough to know better Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Prince Edward Island Posts: 11,744 Downloads: 136 Uploads: 0	It looks like an old windmill for pumping water. Likely for cows. The blades were probably wood and have fallen off. Or.....it could be an alien homing device. Don't touch it. __________________ “Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.” ― Arthur C. Clarke

10-26-18, 04:11 PM	#3
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,765 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	The Trump tower? Does not look like it's one of the Chain home radar masts, or of the Stenigot early warning system. I guess it is civilian, maybe as ucrank said, a water pumping tower? __________________ >^..^<*)))>{ All generalizations are wrong.

10-26-18, 04:12 PM	#4
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Well it's chalk upland here... so there would very likely be underground springs and streams just below the surface. Thanks, Marcel... I guessed it would turn out to be something mundane... unless... __________________

10-26-18, 04:33 PM	#5
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Something used to confound squirrels?... <O> __________________ __________________________________________________ __

10-26-18, 04:58 PM	#6
ouPhrontis Bosun Join Date: Sep 2018 Posts: 63 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	The two horizontal prongs were likely mounts for a rudder of sorts, for holding the upper pivoting assembly into wind. So if one was able to look into that box of tricks, it'd house a crude right-angle drive.

10-26-18, 05:00 PM	#7
Catfish Dipped Squirrel Operative Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: ..where the ocean meets the sky Posts: 17,765 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Seems to be this one(?) Windpump: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1951168 __________________ >^..^<*)))>{ All generalizations are wrong.

10-26-18, 05:55 PM	#9
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	(Ha ha, Marcel ) @ Catfish. Yes that's where we were... Thoresby wood... and that is of course the very same structure as in my photographs. They were shooting ducks when we got there, so I didn't fancy getting any closer in case they decided to have a pop at me instead. I wonder whether there are many more of these things around? Well done, mate __________________

10-26-18, 11:44 PM	#10
Reece CINC Pacific Fleet Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Down Under Posts: 34,688 Downloads: 171 Uploads: 0	As u-crank said, an old windmill for pumping water up from the bore, the top part is the gearbox that pulls the center shaft up and down. These are widely used in Australia though getting replaced slowly by solar panels driving electric pumps. __________________ *Sub captains go down with their ship!*

10-27-18, 04:15 AM	#11
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	They must be very unusual in the UK... I've lived all my life in the countryside on clay and silt and never seen one except in movies. Neither has Moira, and she grew up on the North Downs chalkland. Thanks, guys __________________

10-27-18, 02:23 PM	#13
Eichhörnchen Starte das Auto Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: The Fens Posts: 17,372 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Yeah, and I don't think they should have been shooting so near a public footpath either. I hope those ducks got their revenge too, just like these __________________