MYSTERY OBJECTS

[David Whipp]

[Pluggy]

Cattle drinking trough. No idea where.

[PanBiker]

I reckon it's one of the local drains.

[Tizer]

A spring where the local druids met to get high drinking Barlickwater?

[David Whipp]

Thank you; all inventive... and (mostly) inaccurate...

[chinatyke]

It's the disguised lower entrance to the treacle mine.

[Stanley]

Old silt/trash trap at the entrance to a culvert? I've never seen it before......

[plaques]

The feeder system for topping up the canal at the locks? (with the lid off).

[David Whipp]

More inventive ideas, but nowhere near yet!

Ian is closest with drains...

Here's another view.

[Tripps]

Roman jacuzzi?

[David Whipp]

Better get John checking that out!

[Tizer]

Is it the remains of a pit used for tanning leather or some similar soaking process, e.g. retting flax?

[David Whipp]

Sorry, no...

[plaques]

Getting down to the nitty gritty. The old Bank House septic tank?

[Wendyf]

I was thinking septic tank too Plaques.

[Tizer]

Now what's the difference between a septic tank and a cess pit?

[Wendyf]

My understanding is that a cesspit is sealed and needs emptying whilst a septic tank allows liquids to flow through and the solids settle and get broken down.

[David Whipp]

By heck!

Not only has it been identified as a septic tank, Plaques has got the exact location.

It is indeed the septic tank for the former Bank House. This is in some land that our family used to rent for hen pens. When Bank House was demolished, the tank was just left.

The owner of the land has recently taken the top off it, presumably with a view to filling it in.

[Stanley]

I don't expect anyone to believe me but I had exactly the same answer as Plaques. I think it was the rubble strewn about and the trees that triggered me.
Wendy has the definitions exactly right.... A septic tank builder once told me that the best trigger for starting a septic tank off or re-starting the anaerobic process in one that was poorly was to use a dead cat as the catalyst. I learned about the difference between anaerobic and aerobic reactions when I was running the plant at West Marton Dairies. An interesting if frustrating job at times and definitely a learning curve!

[PanBiker]

The one up at Clarion House that Stan Iveson and apprentices built is still going strong. It works well as long as you don't use too much washing up liquid and strong cleaners when washing up at the house.

[plaques]

I have cleaned our septic tank out several times over the years. The last time one of the local farmers did a completed clean out of all the base sludge and stuff. Since that time Mrs P lost her gold filling after a severe bout of sickness. The gold is probably still in there some where. Any volunteers to retrieve it can have it.

[Gloria]

""Wendy has the definitions exactly right.... A septic tank builder once told me that the best trigger for starting a septic tank off or re-starting the anaerobic process in one that was poorly was to use a dead cat as the catalyst.""

Dead chickens used to be thrown in on a regular basis. A local farmer comes and empties ours every couple of years. It's supposed to not need it but it does.

[Wendyf]

Ours hasn't been emptied in the last 16 years, but then for most of the time there are just 2 of us living here and we are careful with our cleaning products.

[David Whipp]

There must be a disproportionate number of OGFB members with septic tanks than the general population (tempted to type a poopulation there...).

Despite us being in an increasingly built up area, the levels don't allow us to get into the public sewer and we're still on a septic tank. No doubt the copious quantity of semi-consumed mice that we flush down the loo helps keep the process going... as does the prohibition on biological washing powder and restrained use of bleach.

[Stanley]

The liberal use of chemical cleaners at West Marton was the reason we had to have a modern aerobic plant where we forced air through 24/7 to keep the reaction going but every now and again the process broke down. I was glad when I got back on the road!
Next object anyone?