Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

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wallmeerkat
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Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

Post by wallmeerkat »

Apologies if this has been asked or is the wrong forum for this, but I was browsing some historic 2004 imagery on Google Earth and came across a strange clearing near Salsburgh in Scotland.

It runs roughly from the M8, between J5 and J6, where the Craigens Road passes under the motorway.

The clearing runs roughly south, turns 90 degrees west, then turns again to head SouthWest.

Passes the B7606, continues southwest past Linrigg Road (where there appear to be vehicles / containers / equipment on it), past Tillan Burn river, before terminating on a lane leading to a farm between A73 Carlisle Road and Hareshaw Road.

It looks like a line for a road, but obviously isn't, later imagery shows it covered over, albeit in parts you can still make out the line. Nor do I think it is an old abandoned M8 terminus. Doesn't seem to be an airfield either. The first couple of fairly sharp angles are strange. Possibly a large pipeline from the Roughrigg reservoir on the other side of the M8?
Screenshot 2021-11-17 at 15.34.32.png
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Glen
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Re: Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

Post by Glen »

It looks like where the ground has been disturbed following an excavation, for either a pipeline (water, gas or oil) or for an undergrounded transmission line.
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Alderpoint
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Re: Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

Post by Alderpoint »

Gas Pipeline.

If you look at streetview, you can see a plate one side of the road, and a tall marker poll the other side.
Let it snow.
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RJDG14
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Re: Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

Post by RJDG14 »

I've always assumed in the past that these kinds of works visible on aerial photographs were archeological.
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B1040
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Re: Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

Post by B1040 »

RJDG14 wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 01:20 I've always assumed in the past that these kinds of works visible on aerial photographs were archeological.
One day they will be.
jnty
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Re: Google Earth 2004: What is this line near Salsburgh Motherwell

Post by jnty »

Alderpoint wrote: Wed Nov 17, 2021 20:35 Gas Pipeline.

If you look at streetview, you can see a plate one side of the road, and a tall marker poll the other side.
Dredged up an old council document on Google. Seems to have just been a natural gas supply capacity upgrade.
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