Weird construction thingy

[ffutures]

Anyone know what this is? It's been on site across the railway for ages and I can't figure it out. You can't see what's under the white tube thingy in this picture, and most of the time it's concealed by the wall, but the glimpses I've had are a rectangular object about six or eight feet high.

Unfortunately they've now closed off the observation grilles on the other side of the railway, not sure why but my guess is health and safety issues, so I can't get a better picture.

Comments

[autopope.livejournal.com]

Isn't that a pile driver? For drilling deep foundation piles?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Don't think so, it generally seems to just stay immobile for long periods, then move somewhere else. It's possible they're not using it when I'm watching, of course.

[elementalv.livejournal.com]

The word above the Skanska logo looks like "cementation," so perhaps it's being used to create foundation pillars -- something going deep in the ground to provide extra support.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

The tube thingy wobbles in the wind, so I don't think it's making circular pillars - I think there's a big spiral cable running down the outside to whatever the thing is that this lifts, but I have no idea what it does.

The whole project at the moment is cementation etc, so the word really doesn't tell us much.

[pengshui-master.livejournal.com]

I found one reference for using a shrouds on cranes to help stop their wires moving around, but it was not quite what you've got there and also for use at see. But it could just be a crane with a shroud to stop the cables interfering with any nearby workman .

Another use I found for shrouds a with cranes was for the recovery of Unexploded ordinance.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Now there's a cheery thought. Wouldn't surprise me though, a LOT of bombs were dropped around this area in WW2.

[idylll.livejournal.com]

Looks like soil testing to me. Prep before they do construction/ground stuff.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Plausible, but they've already laid a lot of concrete.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

Probably a dredger:

http://www.mecworld.co.za/cmrp/cmrp/models_files/model20/model20.htm

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Don't think so but I love the model.

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

Looks like a prototype of a Victorian moon cannon to me. Is it possible all this construction work is just a cover for the British Empires next moon shot?

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

I wish...

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

I vote Boris for first go.

Pop him in some sort of assisted SABOT round, forget to give him a space suit...

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

works for me.

[robertprior.livejournal.com]

Looks like it might be laying cable.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Don't think so, but I could be wrong.

[sirernest.livejournal.com]

That looks like a flexible air duct.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Interesting idea but it doesn't seem to be doing anything very duct-like - I think it's mainly carrying the electrical cables well clear of the main crane cables.