OT: Mystery device

[Tim+]

I like this kind of stuff. I see something odd when I'm out and about and then try and work out what it's for.

If this is what I think it is it's (slightly) reassuring. ;-)

Tim

[Bill Wright]

They aren't very good photographs because the sky has reduced the exposure. Try half pressing the shutter with the camera looking straight forward before raising it to a view that has a lot of sky. That locks the exposure. You'll lose sky detail but that doesn't matter. Also, strange as it sounds, even outdoors in daylight turning the flash on can help a bit with this sort of adverse lighting, especially if you can get close. Maybe the best thing though is to position yourself so the light is more favourable. If this means you will be standing on the tracks it's an idea to watch out for trams or trains.

Bill

[Tim+]

Mobile phone. I was on my bike. I couldn't be arsed. ;-). The essentials are there for you to work out what it is.

Try half pressing the shutter with the camera looking straight

Impossible in this situation.

Tim

[Tim+]

?

The cable in the foreground is a rope, physically unconnected with the overhead wires behind.

Tim

[Tim+]

A clue. It's close to a runway. More specifically, the end of a runway.

Tim

[The Natural Philosopher]

+1. 'contre jour' is IIRC the correct term. 'against the day' or into the light. Flash definitely is the way to go and most modern cameras will 'understand' and 'do te right thing'.

[Tim Lamb]

Some device to scare birds?

[Tim+]

Nope. ;-)

Tim

[Tim+]

Nope.

The rope that passes over the pulley extends at right angles across the end of the runway. Anything pulling on the rope would flip the pole mounted switch.

Tim

[Robin]

Ah - in that case I'd guess the aim is any plane which overshoots the runway hits the rope and turns of the power to the overhead cables the plane will hit shortly after the rope.

Trademarked by Heath Robinson?

[Sam Plusnet]

Part of an arrestor-wire system to stop a rogue 747 overshooting & tangling with the electified railway.

There are some times when you don't want a 'joined up' transport system.

[Tim+]

Bingo. ;-)

Tim

[GB]

It's interesting, but I don't think it was possible to work that out from the pictures.

I guess that if your plane is crashing it will be a blessing to know the high voltage electricity across your path may be cut off fairly quickly and the trains may not run you over.

[Bill Wright]

As my wife said, it's a bad workman that blames his tool.

Some phones allow exposure compensation, locking, etc.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

We had a French exchange student a few years ago and she knew I didn't speak a word of French. When I took her to the Bradford media museum and used the expression contre jour she gave me a right look.

I didn't use it here because it would seem like showing off.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

Thanks. We need extra information like that because of your shit photography.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

If a plane touches the rope it rings a bell to let people know they're going to die.

Bill

[Bill Wright]

You couldn't work anything out because of his shit photography. I thought it was a picture of a horse, then I thought no, it's the Mona Lisa but upside down. Hil said it looked like the Turin Shroud. Jim the plumber said he thought it was Elvis, but he's obsessed.

Bill

[Zephirum]

Very difficult to see but it looks like a set of line tension weights.

[F Murtz]

Better go back and take a proper photo and repost.