Any idea what this is?

[KJT]

I have noticed quite a few of these bollards whilst travelling the system.

They are located at the side of the towpath opposite from the canal edge, but don't seem to be in any particular type of location.

 

They are made of steel, about 1 metre in height, and about 6 inches square. There is what looks like a keyhole near the top on the front side, which could possibly release the top, which might be a lid of some sort.

 

Does anyone know what they are for?

 

Thanks

Ken

Edited August 26, 2015 by NB Ellisiana

[Pie Eater]

Counting millions of pedestrians.

 

Steve

[junior]

Looks like a periscope for some sort of secret CRT underground installation.

[Guest]

I have noticed quite a few of these bollards whilst travelling the system.

They are located at the side of the towpath opposite from the canal edge, but don't seem to be in any particular type of location.

They are made of steel, about 1 metre in height, and about 6 inches square. There is what looks like a keyhole near the top on the front side, which could possibly release the top, which might be a lid of some sort.

Does anyone know what they are for?

Thanks

Ken

Haven't some of the towpaths been used for the laying of broadband cables between towns and cities.

 

Something to do with that perhaps?

[Alan Saunders]

I believe they house a remote water level monitor - but I could be wrong.

 

Alan

[Nightwatch]

slightly off topic. But I have seen (no photo though) of metal signs the say 'living milestone' upon them.

 

They don't look alive to me. Any ideas.

[KJT]

Haven't some of the towpaths been used for the laying of broadband cables between towns and cities.

Something to do with that perhaps?

 

I did think it might be, but some of the bollards look quite ancient. They don't look fibre optic era.

 

I believe they house a remote water level monitor - but I could be wrong.

 

Alan

Again I thought it might be, but usually with those water level monitors there is some other linked equipment visible at the waters edge. These appear to have nothing. Also I have seen them on the Coventry, where the photo was taken, which has long lock free levels. Would water levels vary by much on a long lock free section?

 

Ken

[FadeToScarlet]

slightly off topic. But I have seen (no photo though) of metal signs the say 'living milestone' upon them.

 

They don't look alive to me. Any ideas.

It's the tree next to the plaque that's the milestone, not the plaque itself.

[Emerald Fox]

Posts for dogs to wee against? Bottom looks rusty.

[David Mack]

Since nobody apart from the OP seems to have noticed these things I assume they must be CRT's new stealth water points, designed to be as inconspicuous as possible.

[system 4-50]

They are CRT spy points looking out for purple boats...

[magnetman]

They are pedestrian counters as previously mentioned.

Used to inform planners about things like towpath surface upgrades etc

[b0atman]

Do they not go into the ground when a bus comes along the new super sustrans highway.

[NB Lola]

You have heard the term "wooden tops"? These are remote boat enforcement navigation totems

[Chewbacka]

First half of an "average speed camera" pair?

[Heffalump]

To count ped movement wouldn't there need to be a corresponding post on the other side?

[GreyLady]

They could possibly be Cycle Monitors ?

 

 

http://www.oldham.gov.uk/press/article/1018/cyclists_and_walkers_boosted_by_canal_towpath_improvements

 

 

OUT TAKE ; from the above link.

 

The funding for this route has also enabled the council to draw in additional money through a European cycling project MOBISEC (Mobility Initiatives for Sustainable European Communities).

 

Some of this funding has been used to install a cycle counter along the Rochdale Canal to monitor its usage and help with our future cycle strategy.

Edited August 27, 2015 by grumpy146

[Rob-M]

Is it a Person Observation Sensing Tower (POST)...?

[BGA]

Anti cycle mooring bollard?

[magnetman]

To count ped movement wouldn't there need to be a corresponding post on the other side?

Not necessarily depending on technology used in the sensor

[Mike J.E.W]

That looks like a AC power cut out cabinet to isolate equipment , not sure why it would be on a canal bank though

[Peter X]

As they're on the offside I very much doubt they're for counting towpath traffic, whether of pedestrians or cycles.

[Guest]

As they're on the offside I very much doubt they're for counting towpath traffic, whether of pedestrians or cycles.

They aren't on the offside.

 

They are located at the side of the towpath opposite from the canal edge, but don't seem to be in any particular type of location.

[Heffalump]

Not necessarily depending on technology used in the sensor

Ah right I didn't think of that. Thanks.

[magnetman]

The reason I think it is a pedestrian counter is because there is an identical bollard fitted beside a public right of way which is also the access to a lock (Cookham Lock on the Thames). There is no through route because the lock is on an island so all pedestrians should be returning via the same access path (a bridge over a weir) unless they get on a boat.

The lock keeper told me it is for counting pedestrian numbers (I suppose that would include cycles).

It is absolutely identical to the pictured item also without a second bollard opposite. I guess it is using a beam which reflects off a passing object at a certain height to trigger the counter.

 

It doesn't appear to have any telemetry system so it must be a logger which is downloaded to a pc at certain intervals.