Mystery pipe

[leew2]

Ok, so I am digging a hole in my driveway as part of a project to add a new gully. I have discovered a mystery pipe and was wondering if anyone here had any idea what it is.
It looks like steel and is 18mm in diameter and 150mm deep from the drive surface. At first I thougth it may be the water but it's way too shallow to be the water. I have opened up the meter, is it possible to tell how deep the water pipe would be from inside the meter?
There was no warning tape of any kind.
I doubt it is electric as the meter is at the front of the house and this hole is near the rear.

Untitled

• leew2
• 9 May 2012
• 1

Untitled

• leew2
• 9 May 2012
• 1

Untitled

• leew2
• 9 May 2012
• 1

Untitled

• leew2
• 9 May 2012
• 1

 

[doitall]

Water or gas.

If it's inline with the meter it's a good bet water, run the taps and put a listening stick on the pipe.

 

[leew2]

Aint water pipes either plastic or lead, not steel?

 

[Agile]

Listening should identify water.

But on a warmer day the pipe would be cooled below the ambient if running water so measuring temperature might help to identify if its water?

But at that depth it would usually be gas but its too thin to expect its gas.

Interesting!

 

[doitall]

Aint water pipes either plastic or lead, not steel?

I wasn't asking

I'm saying it's water or gas.

And galv tube was used for both.

 

[Boilerman2]

JUST A THOUGHT!

In the 1970's it was common for oil companies like SHELL Mex & BP to install a central pumped oil main around private housing estates each house had a BM oil meter (usually recessed into the wall) are you aware that your property once had a centralised oil supply, these were mostly de-commissioned in the 1980's but obviously the underground pipe work was left in place. - as I said just a thought!

 

[ljrgas]

go on cut it

 

[leew2]

It was buried under a concrete driveway which I belive is c1934 with no evidence of having been dug up.

 

[Agile]

That makes it even odder then!

 

[HERTS P&D]

It was buried under a concrete driveway which I belive is c1934 with no evidence of having been dug up.

It must be an internet cable from the future.

Andy

 

[namsag]

Be very careful it could even have an electricity supply inside it have seen them like that before.
It was just before one of our road diggers started cutting with a hacksaw an said yep thats steel must be the gas service , as he was blown out of a 3 foot deep hole with his overalls on fire

 

[dcawkwell]

Water pipe.
Just the same in my drive. I dug it up and replaced with plastic.
My house is circa 1925.
May be a dead pipe and no longer used.

 

[doitall]

Just stick a long screwdriver on it with the other end in you ear, you'll hear the water running if you open a tap.

Where is the pipe in relation to the services in the house and that water meter.

Where is the gas meter.

 

[dannyboi2003]

Is that your water meter to the left of the hole you've dug? If it is my money's on it being the water pipe, as the other guys have said try turning on a tap and listen for water rushing through it.

 

[Nige F]

or the pipes calling