UKH

It was a pipe. Bit boring. I was hoping for something more exciting. Still can’t work out why the pipe is there. 

Photo

edit: photo not posting

stick a spade through it:

- If water rushes out it was there to be part of the water supply

- If you feel an acute full body pain, it was a low voltage house supply.

- If you find you can't post on UKC any more it was a high voltage supply and this is the afterlife. (also, sorry about my suggestion, I hope you'll forgive me for it).

- If water oozes out slowly it'd be a good idea to walk briskly in the opposite direction and find a shop that sells gas masks.

I’ve sent my son out to do as you instruct....

I will be stood a safe distance away, videoing. 

Could you fake up a tentacle and have it reaching out?

Hopefully photo will post this time....

Looks like it says Everite

Google Google

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2325158

Run away!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow and thanks. I’ve just shouted to my son to stop sawing off a chunk, put his mask back on and leg it quick!

Any branding or signage present on the barriers might give you a clue on what it's for.

Given its black and the couplings look fairly low pressure and you said there was a sulphurous smell my guess is sewage pipe taking waste to your local works.

I second the sewage guess. It's about the right size for Sewage (which needs to be bigger so it doesn't get blocked). If it was water, it would be supplying quite a few properties and I don't think it would be in such short sections as that or with the low-pressure fittings. Electricity doesn't seem likely for various reasons. Get s spirit level and a couple of planks of wood and find out the angle - sewers should be 1:40 to 1:100 incline to keep the solids floating along with the liquids. Also plot the line of the pipe and go looking for any manhole cover access points. What's under them might help you be more certain.

Or you could gently untension one of the cuffs and see what comes out

Doesn't look like asbestos cement but there are masses of asbestos cement pipes still in use up and down the country and they are nothing to worry about (my new connection is going to involve putting a t-piece into a 1960s asbestos cement water main).