Buried armoured cable in garden. What could it be?

[UrbanGreen]

It could - but, as has been asked/suggested, are you certain that it is an electrical cable at all (rather than a 'pipe')? You described it as an 'armoured cable' -does that mean that you saw some exposed

 

[UrbanGreen]

It could - but, as has been asked/suggested, are you certain that it is an electrical cable at all (rather than a 'pipe')? You described it as an 'armoured cable' -does that mean that you saw some exposed armour?

It looks like a cable to me. I can see the armoured wrapping beneath the plastic. It appears to come from under the road that runs alongside my garden. It’s an access road into the primary school next door.

 

[Wayners]

Yellow is gas.
Buy a none contact wand and test for power.
See if it is a power line.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-pen01-non-contact-voltage-tester-pen-1000v-ac/535YM?tc=MA7&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21550393591

 

[UrbanGreen]

Yellow is gas.
Buy a none contact wand and test for power.
See if it is a power line.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-pen01-non-contact-voltage-tester-pen-1000v-ac/535YM?tc=MA7&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21550393591

My non contact wand doesn’t show anything. It might look yellow in the photograph but I would call it dirty white/clear.

 

[JohnW2]

It looks like a cable to me. I can see the armoured wrapping beneath the plastic. It appears to come from under the road that runs alongside my garden. It’s an access road into the primary school next door.

Thanks. On the basis of what I can see in the photo, I don't think I'd be putting money on any of the possibilities - electricity, gas, water or whatever! I think you may have to work your way around the suppliers and get their opinions - probably starting with the electricity DNO, given what you think it probably is.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It looks like a cable to me. I can see the armoured wrapping beneath the plastic. It appears to come from under the road that runs alongside my garden. It’s an access road into the primary school next door.

Yellow is gas!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Buy a none contact wand and test for power.
See if it is a power line.

If a power cable, it will be armoured, and the armouring earthed. A none contact wand will not work through earthed metal armour.

Does the OP have gas in the house? Check the colour of the pipe, at the meter.

 

[UrbanGreen]

If a power cable, it will be armoured, and the armouring earthed. A none contact wand will not work through earthed metal armour.

Does the OP have gas in the house? Check the colour of the pipe, at the meter.

I figured that the armour would prevent any current being detected. The gas pipe in the house appears to be cast iron. The electrical cable inside the house is thicker than the mysterious cable too.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I figured that the armour would prevent any current being detected.

Volt sticks detect the 'field' around a live cable. If the cable is screened, or armoured, they cannot detect anything.

The gas pipe in the house appears to be cast iron.

They are not allowed to use plastic pipe indoors, for gas pipes. Plastic can melt, if there is a fire.

 

[SUNRAY]

Looks like a telephone cable to me.

The translucent sheath tends to stain 'brownish' by the soil.

 

[UrbanGreen]

Looks like a telephone cable to me.

The translucent sheath tends to stain 'brownish' by the soil.

That might well be what is because it is heading towards the telegraph pole.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That might well be what is because it is heading towards the telegraph pole.

If that is not your phone cable, then who ever put it there, would need a way leave, to put it there, and be paying you for the privilege.

 

[SUNRAY]

If that is not your phone cable, then who ever put it there, would need a way leave, to put it there, and be paying you for the privilege.

which was probably set at 1 shilling imperpetuity - if demanded - if there was any financial agreement made AT THE TIME of installation.

However the first step is to establish whose it is and what it provides.
Do you have a junction box on the outside of your house or an internal main socket on a front wall - does this in any way line up?

 

[UrbanGreen]

It could be argued that it is not actually in my garden. It is on the fence line. I think it’s going between two telegraph poles. The fence is at the rear of my property.

 

[SUNRAY]

It could be argued that it is not actually in my garden. It is on the fence line. I think it’s going between two telegraph poles. The fence is at the rear of my property.

If your property is to the right of that fence then I don't see there is a problem.