A regular sight while flying over the Harret al-Shaam in Jordan is the ruler-straight line of the road running alongside the long-defunct Trans-Arabian Pipeline which carried fuel from Saudi Arabia to Sidon in Lebanon from 1950 till – for its section into Jordan, 1990.

As the photo shows, the Tapline road and pipe often cut through ancient structures - in this case it is Ausaji Kite 31.


An unexpected reminder can be found in New York where the High Line Walkway/ Park – a 1.45 mile disused elevated section of an old railway line in west-central Manhattan, includes open-air art.



In this case it is a series of engraved rings welded to the old rail lines, each commemorating a section of the Tapline.