Bit Of Fun On A Tuesday.

[Archev]

Oil? That's one we didn't think of. Do the helicopters have some special instrument that sees the posts, because on the evidence of the aerial views they're not easy to see by eye from the air.

Is there somewhere that has more information about this?

Aye they sprouted up when the North Sea supplies began so there’s lots of the markers around from there to Grangemouth, Mossmorran etc and beyond.
I believe the choppers are fitted with various gizmos for monitoring.
I’ll ask my son, he’s a land surveyor and may have been involved. He certainly measures roads, rivers lochs, dams, tunnels etc etc. he now lives in San Diego in California but he works all over. He’s been there for around 15 years or more but carried out surveys around Scotland before heading over there.
I’m not sure what gear the choppers will use but Gavin’s toy just now is a Ford F150 truck on loan from a survey equipment manufacturer with about half a million dollars worth of gear that measures everything about a road as you drive along - a million survey points per second and a 360 degree image every five feet as you drive. Sure beats a set of ranging poles, a tape measure and an optical level like I used to use. - oh and he gets a fantastic colour printout that’s better than many photographs.
Sorry to go on but I’m awestruck- I used to take most of a day to survey a farm yard for a barn or a silage pit job.
I’ll ask him if he can give us info about the helicopters and what they might carry - he uses them over there for electric power line surveys etc.

 

[Rolfe]

I didn't realise they'd been there so long.

Now I know what they are, bit of googling has turned up more pictures, including one just outside Grangemouth. I'm surprised the OS doesn't mark them on its maps.

 

[Archev]

OK I’ve sent my son a message so I’ll see what he might come back with.
Last few times I’ve enquired he’s been busy surveying a reservoir from a canoe , trying to survey a runway on a live USAF air base , running like hell down a mountain ‘cos he disturbed a killer bee nest while setting up his survey gear , and one time stepping back to log some data when he heard that familiar warning all rattlesnakes give - if you’re lucky. ( he wears Kevlar boots and gaiters often when out in the wilderness somewhere )
It’s an exciting life with the modern tape measure you know ?

 

[mg4mc]

They also mark gas pipelines, and here in Cheshire there is an aviation fuel pipeline that runs from Stanlow to Manchester airport also marked with them.

 

[Archev]

Ok

They also mark gas pipelines, and here in Cheshire there is an aviation fuel pipeline that runs from Stanlow to Manchester airport also marked with them.

interesting - yeah I suppose some up here are gas too.

 

[Rolfe]

I don't think the one I was following is gas, because there's no mains gas around here.

 

[Archev]

I don't think the one I was following is gas, because there's no mains gas around here.

Yeah but having said that reminds me of a concrete building I was involved with just off the M74. If you take the A701 for Dumfries for a mile or so then bear left on the B7020 towards Lochmaben, there’s a big gas pipeline junction / metering Facility there.

 

[Archev]

Yeah but having said that reminds me of a concrete building I was involved with just off the M74. If you take the A701 for Dumfries for a mile or so then bear left on the B7020 towards Lochmaben, there’s a big gas pipeline junction / metering Facility there.

So there could be a gas line fairly close to you but at a couple of hundred millimetres in diameter they won’t carry a suitable reduction fitting to bleed you off a wee drop for a boiler ?

 

[m4rmite]

Network route maps

The UK plays a central role in the European gas system. Today, National Gas operates one of the largest natural gas transmission networks in Europe delivering energy to British consumers every day. In addition, the National Transmission System (NTS) is connected to the European Union’s internal...

www.nationalgas.com

Gas pipeline map for any doubts

 

[mg4mc]

So there could be a gas line fairly close to you but at a couple of hundred millimetres in diameter they won’t carry a suitable reduction fitting to bleed you off a wee drop for a boiler ?

A drill, a dollop of arladite, and a length of hosepipe should do it.

 

[Archev]

Network route maps

The UK plays a central role in the European gas system. Today, National Gas operates one of the largest natural gas transmission networks in Europe delivering energy to British consumers every day. In addition, the National Transmission System (NTS) is connected to the European Union’s internal...

www.nationalgas.com

Gas pipeline map for any doubts

Excellent well done.
I’m half way down a jar of V3gmite but I’ll get the m4 brand next.

 

[Archev]

A drill, a dollop of arladite, and a length of hosepipe should do it.

Oh don’t I was in a loft once where someone had “repaired “ a nail hole in a gas pipe with a matchstick and used silicone instead of your recommended Araldite.

 

[Rolfe]

Network route maps

The UK plays a central role in the European gas system. Today, National Gas operates one of the largest natural gas transmission networks in Europe delivering energy to British consumers every day. In addition, the National Transmission System (NTS) is connected to the European Union’s internal...

www.nationalgas.com

Gas pipeline map for any doubts

There is a gas pipeline marked which could be what I was looking at, but the scale isn't good enough to be sure. Also they don't mark other features like towns that could help orientate you.

 

[Archev]

There is a gas pipeline marked which could be what I was looking at, but the scale isn't good enough to be sure. Also they don't mark other features like towns that could help orientate you.

Apologies to Mr Cribbins but this is what I’m seeing here :-

There was I, fillin this pipe
I was fillin it with oil
When perhaps they wanted gas

While at the other end
Well Fred had a sniff
And he said this isn’t right

I’m sniffin for gas
And some pain in the ass
Is pourin in oil an it makes me blood boil

So we plugged in the kettle
And we had a cup of tea
And then we went home

 

[Ian Key]

Oh don’t I was in a loft once where someone had “repaired “ a nail hole in a gas pipe with a matchstick and used silicone instead of your recommended Araldite.

So the matchstick was OK but not the silicone?

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Well, you need to see what you are doing!

 

[Archev]

I didn't realise they'd been there so long.

Now I know what they are, bit of googling has turned up more pictures, including one just outside Grangemouth. I'm surprised the OS doesn't mark them on its maps.

My Son just answered:-

“Just aerial markers showing the route of gas/oil pipelines. They inspect the lines by helicopter every so often to make sure there are no unauthorized encroachments or construction work on top of the lines & the pilot uses them to navigate along the line. Sometimes they have mileage markings on them for reference”

So I was overestimating the tech on the helicopter - it’s only a visual survey of the pipeline route

 

[Rolfe]

I wonder how low they fly? I was surprised by how difficult it was to pick out the markers on the aerial views, although they're very obvious from the ground.

 

[Archev]

I wonder how low they fly? I was surprised by how difficult it was to pick out the markers on the aerial views, although they're very obvious from the ground.

The markers are hi-viz usually and the helicopter can hover / linger to allow the observer to check with binoculars etc.

 

[m4rmite]

Any gas pipelines that's can't be seen by the helicopter, or has building work appearing nearby, is inspected by "line walkers" .
They do a check to see if all is Ok and no encroachment near the pipes.

I've been told it's a great job when in the countryside as long as the bull doesn't spot you.