Manholes

[bambi275]

Took the dog for a walk today up on Ainsdale & Birkdale Dunes and came across a couple of manhole that were obviously sunk in concrete at some point but are now several feet high above ground level.
Does anyone know what was there previously and so why they appear so randomly place in area behind Chiltern Drive, Ainsdale, thanks.

[grassroots]

Took the dog for a walk today up on Ainsdale & Birkdale Dunes and came across a couple of manhole that were obviously sunk in concrete at some point but are now several feet high above ground level.
Does anyone know what was there previously and so why they appear so randomly place in area behind Chiltern Drive, Ainsdale, thanks.

These structures could be left overs from the war .

[bambi275]

I thought they may have been pillboxes but there are no viewing slits.

[Alikado]

Drains ?

[Sandpies]

Took the dog for a walk today up on Ainsdale & Birkdale Dunes and came across a couple of manhole that were obviously sunk in concrete at some point but are now several feet high above ground level.
Does anyone know what was there previously and so why they appear so randomly place in area behind Chiltern Drive, Ainsdale, thanks.

These manholes were constructed in the late 1960's at the time of the development of the estate which includes Chiltern Drive by the then Southport County Borough Council.

They are surface water drains and the water from these drains discharges into Ainsdale Lake and onto the beach at Ainsdale.

The council were selling off plots of land for development and as such had to install the drains to conduct surface water from the house drains as well as surface water from the road gullies.

The original intention was to continue the develoment and to sell off more of the sandhills, hence the reason why Chiltern Drive was constructed, (but never finished).

That was until the environmentalists put their two penneth in, the rest as they say is history.

Incidentlly the estate opposite Chiltern Drive built by Brosely in the 1960's/70's was sold by Southport Council for around £650.000; a steal then, a crime today!

[Knot wright]

Incidentlly the estate opposite Chiltern Drive built by Brosely in the 1960's/70's was sold by Southport Council for around £650.000; a steal then, a crime today!

interesting that reminds me of a talk with an old chippie a few years back about the building of the estates in Formby in the 60's , bank managers had houses built , wooden lintel's , water table issues , etc ...

[bambi275]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply Sandpies, I did think that Chiltern Drive was rather short, quite like the idea of living on such an exclusive road, lol! I presume at one point the manhole covers were level with the ground and that the sand has shifted over time leaving so much of the construction uncovered. It's quite overgrown around that area, obviously not looked after and managed in the same way as the area around Royal Birkdale is. Legs are full of nettle stings but the dog didn't seem to mind.

[grassroots]

These manholes were constructed in the late 1960's at the time of the development of the estate which includes Chiltern Drive by the then Southport County Borough Council.

They are surface water drains and the water from these drains discharges into Ainsdale Lake and onto the beach at Ainsdale.

The council were selling off plots of land for development and as such had to install the drains to conduct surface water from the house drains as well as surface water from the road gullies.

The original intention was to continue the develoment and to sell off more of the sandhills, hence the reason why Chiltern Drive was constructed, (but never finished).

That was until the environmentalists put their two penneth in, the rest as they say is history.

Incidentlly the estate opposite Chiltern Drive built by Brosely in the 1960's/70's was sold by Southport Council for around £650.000; a steal then, a crime today!

Great post , thank you .