Logged Visits:

18th Mar 2023  14:15  by NJM

Gridref: NT 37031 66301   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 6/10

Second attempt - came here April 2022 and the trig field had a crop of rapeseed that was so tall and so thick that I couldn't see the pillar from the field edge directly N of it (according to GPS), literally 30m away but 'Invisible AND Inaccessible'. Today the crop was about 3cm high, and a tram line leads from the broad field edge directly to the pillar. Marvellous views across to Fife.

View North East Storm's OS Pillar #490
View East
View South
View South East

2nd Oct 2020  14:00  by Oldhortus

FB Number: Not logged  Condition: Good  Score: 6/10

Parked 36739 66401 near to double gate. Up the track 200m theTP is off too the left in the second field. TP Can not be seen from roadside. Amazing vista North.

1st Sep 2019  18:39  by A1Mushroom

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

Parked by the gate to the track and walked around to it. A little bit off the field boundary, but no problem as the wheat had been cut and baled.

3rd Feb 2019  15:58  by grannymermaid

Gridref: NT 37000 66200   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 7/10

This trig point is right in the middle of a field. Parked car at field gate and walked along the edge of the field up a path. Good views all round. The farmer appears to be farming and ploughing right up and very very close to the trig. It only has a little clump of grass to sit on.

3rd Oct 2016  00:00  by caroleengel

Gridref: NT 37032 66293   FB Number: Not logged  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

13th Jun 2015  15:24  by trig-man

Gridref: NT 37034 66291   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Slightly damaged  Score: 5/10

Found it second attempt, didn't realise the first time how far from the hedge it was. The rape seed was chest high the fisrt time, this time it's a wheat field so could see it.

1st May 2015  20:25  by SlainteJimmy

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

Classic mid-field farm trig.

Fordel Mains ..sunsetting, moonlit field.

7th Apr 2015  17:30  by Borderer

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Slightly damaged  Score: 5/10

Relatively unchanged since used for survey control on the Oxenfoord site north of the old A68 below the pillar some 20+ years ago. Slight damage on southern side.

©Borderer

6th Jun 2014  15:50  by trig-man

FB Number: Not logged  Condition: Couldn't find it  Score: 1/10

couldnt find it. somewhere in amongst rape seed

23rd Sep 2013  13:07  by coinea

Gridref: NT 37032 66290   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 6/10

Young crop growing in field (brassica). Followed tramlines. Farmer working in adjacent field.

11th May 2012  18:50  by CJO

Gridref: NT 37033 66299   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

Easy access along tramlines between graincrop.

7th Mar 2012  13:03  by SummitPlummet

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

11th Oct 2010  11:00  by Mickandkim

Gridref: NT 37032 66297   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

Easy access but field ready for new crop

24th Apr 2010  14:57  by agentmancuso

Gridref: NT 37031 66298   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

From track to NW. Field ploughed into large rigs, but nothing growing yet. Pillar sound, but looking very isolated. Footprints indicated someone had visited the pillar from the same direction very recently.

23rd Apr 2010  00:00  by Border Peat

Gridref: NT 37000 66200   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 6/10

trig in deep plouged field !!!

trig may soon disappear ©Border Peat
©Border Peat

30th Dec 2006  10:15  by andyc

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 4/10

Nice location with excellent views to Fife and the Pentlands. Tramlines run right up to the trig so no problem with the newly sown crops.

Fordel Mains FB
Fordel Mains view with silhouette

26th Dec 2004  12:00  by peregrinus

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

vgc, metal cap shallow letters, middle of arable field

28th Sep 2004  11:15  by sky high boys

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

7th Sep 2004  09:27  by fasgadh

Gridref: NT 37033 66293   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

Had hoped that the field would be harvested, but it had only been half done. Better looking wheat than I saw in England last month, and the current warm spell may mean that somenody gets a good harvest. Still accessable via 10m of tramline. Good condition. Easy to get at via track to vodaphone mast, as mentioned below. 1:25000 shows its in a field boundary, but that is gone. The pillar is a bit of an obstacle to arable farming, and must be considered endangered.

Fordel Mains Metal
Fordel Mains
Fordel Mains Saved by the tramlines.

12th Jun 2004  07:30  by ipeattie

Gridref: NT 37036 66290   FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 6/10

In a field currently full of crops, but with tramlines passing right next to the pillar.

Fordel Mains - S3072 The pillar.
Fordel Mains - S3072 The flush bracket. It's there somewhere, behind the crops.

9th Nov 2002  15:22  by clochandighter

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

This trig pillar is located two miles east of the Midlothian town of Dalkeith. Follow the track from the public road at NT367664. This trig pillar is in the middle of an arable field so care must be taken to respect the farmer's crops by following the tramlines. My 1994 edition of OS Pathfinder 420 shows this trig as being on a field boundary running NW to SE. There is no such boundary and has not been since at least as far back as 1984. The trig pillar is in very good condition and still has its original OS cap with engraved lettering. The FB number was partly buried in long grass, but this was easily removed. The flush bracket is on the northeast side of the pillar. Re-visited by GRP, 9th November 2002.

S3072 - Fordel Mains Montage

31st Oct 2002  12:00  by iainmac

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

Revisited 14/01/2004 to photograph

S3072
S3072

15th Jul 1984  18:22  by clochandighter

FB Number: S3072  Condition: Good  Score: 5/10

First visit. To record FB number. The pillar was completed in September 1943 costing £4.17s.0d. Later in 1943 this marker was computed as tertiary station NT48/T37 in the Edinburgh Secondary Block. The flush bracket was levelled for height in 1960. This trig point was last maintained by the OS in October 1982. In the middle of merged arable fields, expected field boundary line had gone by 1984.