Drain cover
 

Last Wednesday I was on Bridge street, when it was pointed out that there was a drain cover missing was about 2ft x 18" I actually forgot about it until I got a reminder this morning, its now been 8 days since it went missing and is very Dangerous, I hope one of our councillors reading this will take a look into the matter, probably the target of mindless metal thieves

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/a...1&d=1315139067

Re: Drain cover
 

I looks like the cover has dropped down into the hole jaysay, it appears to be wrong side up under the rubbish.

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Re: Drain cover
 

There are a few Bridge Streets in Hyndburn (I live on one of them!) so if you could fire off a quick e-mail to [email protected] and let them know the precise location it can be dealt with as quickly as possible.

You could e-mail me or any of the other councillors with anything like this of course but it's far quicker to cut out the middle man when reporting problems of this nature.

Re: Drain cover
 

Just fired off an e-mail to the above address regarding a similar case on Water Street in Accy

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Maybe so but the council aren't psychic. Just because there's a problem it doesn't mean that the people who can put it right necessarily know about it. In this instance HBC aren't directly responsible, it is LCC, so it will be down to the speed of the organisation that takes 80% of your council tax.

However, I'll just reiterate my point that we're only as good as the information we're given so please don't stop telling us when something isn't right.

Re: Drain cover
 

There are two drain covers (the grid type) missing from where I live, someone must have reported them as two cones have been placed over the holes, problem is idiots move the cones, my 21 month old is of the size to fall down said hole, and its now into the 2nd week that they have been missing, just how long does it take for HBC to replace the darn things, (i must try and remember to ring them tomorrow and give them a gentle reminder)

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We had the same outside our house, its LCC you need to contact about it.

Re: Drain cover
 

Quite agree Neil but if you contact HBC it may just fast track it a little

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Seems rather funny that an HBC workman, street cleaner, has been in the vicinity on a number of occasions and not reported it or is that above his pay grade, just a thought

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Just rung HBC to be told need to ring LCC, LCC said it sounds like the covers have been stolen, & they are expensive to replace, but they might be waiting for an order, but she will pass it to the inspector!

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Busman is correct without doubt, problem though is they weigh em in, usually well away from around here.

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I have just given this speech in the commons;

*

*

Speech

Thank you Mr Speaker,

I’d like to start first by declaring an interest.

That my partner is an employee of Electricity North West and it is her

... and her colleague’s constant concerns .... that have drawn my attention to this very serious matter.

*

I want to address the sheer scale of the problem

The increase in metal theft in the UK and elsewhere in the past few years has been alarming.

Electricity North West has seen a 40-fold increase in thefts over the past ten years.

There is a growing body of opinion that organised crime,

.....buttered by the benefits of high scrap prices for Copper, Aluminium and Brass,

... have a free hand without disruption to .... steal, ...sell ...and profit.

*

Mr Speaker. The shocking figures speak for their self

In 2009 there were around 100 reported metal thefts per month according to Energy Networks Association which represents the electricity and gas network companies.

In 2011 that figure has risen to around 700 thefts per month, and in one calendar month, March this year it rose to a record 900 reported thefts.

Contrast that with March of 2009 where there were around 70 thefts.

Over a 1000% increase in 2 years.

The Association of Chief Police Officers put the annual cost of metal theft to the communications, energy, transport and water industries at £770m per annum.

*

Targets

It is not just electricity that is being targeted.

The Energy Networks Association and Electricity North West both believe organised crime is involved and thieves are stealing to order from

• Telecommunications, gas and water infrastructure
• Rail and tramways
• Local authority street furniture, particularly manhole covers and gates
• Housing, Schools, buildings.
*
BT reported in October last year that it had 900 cable theft attacks on its network in the previous six months. These affected more than 100,000 customers.

Virgin Media say cutting of cables in Teeside alone has cost £166k and the cost of 1700 stolen back up batteries had cost the business £680k

The British Transport Police estimate that over the last three years cable theft has cost the rail industry £43*million and led to more than 16,000 hours of delays. There is evidence that the theft of gates from railway stations is leaving rail networks dangerously exposed.

Metal Thefts affecting the supply of gas equipment has resulted in fires and explosions.
*

Human consequence – personal accidents

There is also a human consequence to all these thefts.

I visited Electricity North West and was told by staff that there is daily worry about people’s safety as a result of metal theft.

1. Innocent children gaining unsecure access
2. Customers receiving dangerous high voltages at home.
3. Danger to those illegally entering sub stations.
4. And a danger to staff undertaking routine maintenance.
*

Accident 1

Just over two months ago a 16 year old boy died in an electricity sub-station. This happened in the course of an alleged theft of copper cable.

According to Energy Networks Association, there have been four such deaths so far and at least fifty injured.

In June this year many saw the BBC TV news item of Leeds man with electricity cable burns from a 21,000 volt strike from a live power line.

Burns which were so bad his own daughter did not recognise him in hospital.

The impact blew part of his skull off, leaving his brain exposed.

Leeds magistrates gave him a 12-month community service order for burglary.

Consequence

The reality is that on a daily basis there are thefts taking place against our national energy infrastructure across the UK.

These are malicious and leave sites unsafe as well as causing disruption to the public and the economy.

*

Loss of Supply

These thefts have led to 750 cases of loss of supply to at least 25,500 homes.

Of these there were over 2,500 cases involved damage to customer’s TVs, computers and boilers as a result of the outage.

In addition there have been 23 environmental incidents and at least 60 fires.

A recent theft in Yorkshire cost local residents and insurers over half a million pounds in broken electrical equipment and boilers as a result of a theft of £40 of copper when customers voltage rose from 240 volts to a dangerous 430 volts.

*

In Castleford two houses blew up after the neutral wire was removed resulting in a 430 volt current in a cooker burning through a gas pipe. Caught on video, it is lucky no-one was home.

*

Recent crimes in Electricity North West’s area

Until this year thefts had been mainly from substations but Electricity North West – like elsewhere - has seen an increase in thefts of overhead line wires from the top of 30m-high pylons carrying 132,000 volts.

In one incident in Chadderton a business owner noticed a power line had collapsed on to his roof when he arrived for work.

The thieves had climbed up an electricity pylon and had cut the wire.

The thieves did this at two further pylons, managing to steal two 400-yard lengths of copper cable.

The nearby Crown Business Centre, Failsworth, had been hit five times by copper thieves this year, frequently leaving their telephone lines down.

Nothing is stopping the thieves. Only days after the Chadderton theft thieves struck in Middleton where National Grid discovered another piece of copper cabling running between two pylons had been cut down.

*

In Accrington this week, thieves have even taken to stealing the brass locks from numerous substations leaving them assessable to inquisitive young children.

*

Earlier this year the theft of a £5 brass valve from an oil filled transformer resulted in 30 000 litres of oil leaking out.

*

Luckily this was contained within the site ... but if it hadn't ..... it may easily have caused road accidents or damaged the local environment.

*

Every day ENW suffers theft.

Some substations are robbed repeatedly where even electrified fencing has failed to keep thieves out.

Only last month and a first, National Grid suffered theft of the earth wire from a larger 275,000 volt overhead power line.

The anti-climbing guard was cut and the pylon climbed in broad day light, the earth wire cut which fell to ground and was then cut up which all requires specialist knowledge and cutting gear.

The earth wire could have fallen onto the live wires below which could have disrupted the supply of electricity to in excess of 100,000 people.

Had it been one of the largest pylons carrying 400,000 volts then this figure would have resulted in disruption to some 500,000.

*

Criminal Plague – Government inaction - Police

The police and the Home Office have frankly not taken this issue seriously enough.

The paltry Government focus on metal theft and lack of consistent police action across the country has quietly allowed serious organised criminal groups to muscle in on this increasingly lucrative trade.

From organised thieves with protected rounds cruising my back alley each week ... and other back alleys in Haslingden and Hyndburn.. *to expert criminals with now how.

The Government must take this seriously. I ask the Minister to consider this issue at the Energy Emergency Executive.

*

Cost of metal v cost of repair

In March two men were sentenced for 20 months for theft of metal from two substations in Kent that caused £125,000 of damage for copper that was estimated at less than £100 in value.

*

The reality is that apprehension for Metal theft is rare. If caught it is only punishable under the Theft Act.

*

Whilst most thefts do thousands of pounds worth of damage, the law only considers the actual scrap value of a few pounds resulting usually in just a community sentence.

*

Completely disproportionate to the consequences of the crime.

*

Cost to Customers

*

Currently metal theft from Elec North West’s network costs customers approximately £2m a year.

*

Safety paramount concern

The electricity and gas industry network companies can only do so much to address the problem. Safety remains their paramount concern.

They are making our infrastructure as secure as possible but there are hundreds of thousands of individual sites.

In the UK, individual companies and industries have attempted to deal with these issues by deploying various types of defence, including:

CCTV

Forensic marking systems

Improved building security, locking and fencing

As well as Electrified fencing.

*

Even close collaboration with the Police such as in Greater Manchester has not stemmed the increase’s in theft.

This appears to have the effect of simply moving the crime to another area, company or private property.

It has proved almost impossible to prevent metal theft in a cost-effective way.

No industry affected by these crimes has found an effective and enforceable system to deal with the receivers of the metals or deter the perpetrators.

With copper prices at £6000 per tonne and sky high aluminium prices Electricity North West believes that the majority of the metal theft on its network is either stolen to order and sold through poorly regulated scrap dealers or is bulked at a predetermined location and exported to overseas foundries.

*

Prices

At a recent visit to a wholesale and reputable scrap metal dealers ... Elect North West found on site some of their equipment which had been stolen and had entered the... cash only, no questions asked ... system.

*

Lessons from Europe

The UK is now at risk from theft tourism as our European counterparts implement robust regulatory systems to combat how metals may be bought and traded.

That organised crime choose the UK as a soft option for metal theft.

France and Belgium are implementing a process of cashless transactions for scrap metal and other countries are beginning to address the problem.

It is clear that current legislation is not fit purpose. That allowing for the redoubling of efforts by companies, metal theft continues to rise at an alarming rate.

*

Solutions

There is overwhelming evidence that the Government needs to focus on the supply chain and reclassify criminal deterrents so the sentence fits the crime

*

There must be a focus on the people these thieves sell their stolen metal onto which is not always scrap metal dealers. It may be as ENW found out... *container collection points for movement out of Hull sea port.

*

Therefore it is imperative that we close down all means of disposal of the stolen metal, not just target scrap metal dealers.

*

So far the Government have stood idly by relying on legislation from the age of Steptoe & Son....

*

It seems incapable of or unwilling to take reasonable steps to stamp out criminality and organised crime despite the warm words of Baroness Browning.

*

The Scrap Metal Dealers Act is from 1964.

*

It imposes no obligation on scrap metal dealers to comply with the law and in fact does quite the opposite.

*

Those that do register under the Act can be visited by the Police whilst those that do not can only be visited if there is a reasonable suspicion that they have stolen metal on their site.

*

This is a ridiculous situation.

*

In closing Mr Speaker... I call on the government to consider the following changes

1. To amend the Scrap Metal Dealers Act. The Uk needs a robust licensing regime (rather than the present registration), with scrap metal dealers paying a licence fee in order to fund the regulation of the licence.
2. That Property obtained by virtue of theft should be regarded as criminal assets allowing Proceeds of Crime provisions to apply.
3. In line with alcohol licensing powers, police authorities should have the power to search and investigate all premises owned and operated by a scrap metal dealer, and close scrap metal dealers where criminally obtained materials are discovered.
4. To restrict trade in scrap metals to cashless payments and introduce a requirement that scrap metal must not be sold or processed until payments have been cleared.
5. That Photo ID and CCTV to be used to identify sellers of scrap and their vehicles.
6. Magistrates to have powers to add licence restrictions and prevent closed yards re-opening and that criminal gangs are charged proportionate to the consequences of the crime and not the scrap metal value.
So I ask the Minister to use all his efforts to ensure that something is done now before it is too late.

Thank you Mr Speaker

*

Re: Drain cover
 

Nice one Mr Jones, lets just hope heed is taken by those in power, won't hold me breath though.;)

Re: Drain cover
 

They cashy but it don't matter where they weigh um in the people who buy them must know they are nicked especially if they arrive with a van load

Re: Drain cover
 

No one on Bishop St, one Rough Lee Rd, and yest saw one on South St (first time i'd noticed this one & it was the reminder I needed to ring the council). Surely in this day & age there could be an alternative to making these out of metal, what about polycarbonate, this is used in Blackpool Tower for the platform people can stand on at the top of said Tower. (i think people will know what I'm on about) or any other suggestions?

Re: Drain cover
 

Good suggestion. Will follow up.

Re: Drain cover
 

No need to Graham, LCC are already replacing the stolen ones with non metallic ones. I was speaking to the engineers when they replaced a stolen one behind my house. They say non metallic on them as well.

The stupid thing is they never order enough spare ones so they have to come out and do the dangerous cone thing, then come back later and drop the plastic ones in. The only drop in the hole and have chamfered sides to hold them in place.

It would safe a lot of time and money to do the job "right first time" a methodology used in business for many years, time to catch up LCC

Re: Drain cover
 

Perhaps what they need to do is replace all the metal ones with these none metallic ones?
Better that LCC use the scrap value of the metal ones to pay for the replacements than some thief should profit and leave them with the full bill of replacing them.

http://www.messentools.com/images/em...-humor-098.gif

Re: Drain cover
 

I was told by the chaps doing them they cost £80 each and even some of those were stolen by mistake even though they say non metallic on them. Not sure the scrap value of one drain cover but I would guess at under a fiver, maybe only a couple of quid each.

What we need is for the Police to do their job and lock up the thieves to prevent it happening.

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I think the problem there is that most thieves can neither read or write.

Re: Drain cover
 

Even if they can't read or write, they should be able to tell by the weight that its not metal.
Retlaw.

Re: Drain cover
 

Maybe there's a market for recycled plastic in China.

Re: Drain cover
 

Here you go a couple of pictures showing the grid in place and lifted out showing how thick it is. In the second picture you can see the inside of the grid has rotted away and the whole thing needs replacing.

The replacement is a very poor fit and any kid could lift it out as nothing holds it in place. This would leave a dangerous hold again.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/a...1&d=1315402217

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/a...1&d=1315402217

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i cant recall the company name but i was told recently that someone had gone into a yard and stripped an entire fleet of vans of their catalytic converters :eek:

Re: Drain cover
 

Just googled for prices being offered and I think you would agree Neil that a heavy drain cover is worth a bit more than a couple of quid...(The lines have gone haywire in pasting but the info is there)

Ferrous scrap metal prices: £ per tonne
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
0A plate & girder 209 199 195 195 195 205
No 1 old steel scrap 189 180 170 170 170 180
No 2 old steel scrap 189 180 170 170 170 170
4A low residual bales 209 200 195 195 195 205
4C new production bales 209 200 195 195 195 205
light iron 209 180 160 160 160 170
7B mixed steel turnings 210 190 170 170 170 180
8B mixed steel cuttings 199 190 185 185 185 195
foundry heavy cast iron 204 185 180 180 180 190
No 9 cast 204 185 175 175 175 185
No 10 light cast 204 185 170 170 170 180
11 cast iron borings 190 175 165 165 165 175
12A new production heavy steel scrap 209 190 185 185 185 195

Re: Drain cover
 

Neil....is that Garinda's brain lying down there in the drain?

If so, I've written a poem about it:

Garinda lost his brain
Down an Ossy drain
Neil took a piccy
And I took the mickey


....another classic, what!

Re: Drain cover
 

I agree with what he said but we had the same problem when the last Government were in and they did nothing either.

I still say its a Police issue and thay have all the powers they need to deal with theft

So why are they not doing?

Re: Drain cover
 

Here's a good 'un:

40 Gypsies arrive at the Pearly Gates in their Transit vans and caravans.

St Peter goes into the gatehouse and phones up God, saying "I've got 40 travellers here. Can I let them in?"

God says "We are over quota on Gypsies. Go back to the gates and tell them to choose between them which are the 12 most worthy and I will let a dozen in".

Less than a minute later St Peter is on the phone to God again. "They've gone", he tells God.

"What?" says God, "All 40 of them?"


"No, ....The Gates".

Re: Drain cover
 

Well two more been nicked yest at some point next rd to mine, phoned LCC who within a couple hrs had come & put cones over the holes, what I would like to know is are the police doing regular spot checks on scrap yards? There was an article in the lancs telegraph this wk or last saying a load of cable had been found at a scrap yard, but how many grate covers or manhole covers have ever been recovered, its about time some serious prosecutions were made against scrap yard owners.

Re: Drain cover
 

Theres a couple missing now at the top of Sandy Lane right near St Anne's Primary School and I also saw one missing from the road that leads from Sandy Lane down past Bejamin Hargreaves whilst walking past on my way down to town from school. This is a very busy area with lots of children walking to school as well as using cars. Sooner or later there are going to be some fairly serious accidents as in my opinin an upturned orange cone stuck down the hole (invisible to the eye until you get within 5 foot of it) is not an adequate short term solution!.

Re: Drain cover
 

a good sledge hammer and you can smash cast iron and throw it in with other stuff

They had this problem in Germany and their way was to just replace them with plastic ones as they were stolen.

It may be a good idea to get the jump on thieves and start replacing what are left with plastic ones and weighing in the removed ones so they at least get some money back rather than nothing?

aslo stopping cars or vans that only have two people in yet their back end is dragging on the floor could be a good start especially in teh early hours of teh morning when this is probably happening

Re: Drain cover
 

Re: Drain cover
 

the ones that I reported that still hadn't been attended to (other than the upside down cones in them) are still in dire need of replacing, this is now into the 3rd week, could the council be held responsible for manslaughter if some small child fell down one???

Re: Drain cover
 

Are they the drains that have gone missing on Surrey St?

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funny thing is if someone drives over a pot hole and damages their car or if someone is injured tripping in a hole in the road the county council are pretty quick at getting the hole filled in the hope that the victim hasn't had time to take photos and gather evidence.Maybe someone has to get hurt before action is taken ?

Re: Drain cover
 

No Rough Lee Road, Bishop Street, South Street, and now two more which I reported on Friday on the corner of Russell St & Clement St. Someone had obviously reported the first three streets as there have been cones in the holes for 3 weeks now, I chased them up with LCC last week, and was told they would be passed to an inspector to chase up, well it isn't good enough, they should have plenty of stocks of the replacement drain covers, they are all a standard size, the excuse of "we are probably awaiting a delivery" just doesn't wash Im afraid, this is potentially someone's life a risk, also damage to cars, people tripping up over them etc. LCC needs to get on with it quickly, I shall be ringing again tomorrow and asking for an explanation. Or maybe Bernard you could get onto them as you probably hold a bit more clout than joe bloggs here??

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I'll get in touch with them tomorrow as well. I don't know what the latest position, other than I know there's lot gone missing throughout the Borough over the last few weeks.

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Just spent 20 mins on the phone to some young kid who was an absolute waste of time, The only report she can find for Rough Lee Road was when I rang last week! Explained someone had obviously already reported this as the cones were in situe, "do you have the ref. numb" er "no as I have already said I didnt originally report it". She cannot find any reference to Bishop Street or South Street, "it might have been the police who put the cones there"! Eh "I dont think so, LCC has put them there". "In certain circumstances the police will put cones there when it is out of LCC office hours"! She then rang through to the 'back office', I was then told that a superintendant (name unknown) will ring me when he is next back in the office (again unknown when he will be back in the office). I asked again how these reports cannot be on their system, her response "they are not on our system, but they might be on our system". If LCC employed staff who knew what they were on about it would be a start, what a waste of 20 mins of my life. Well I will await a telephone call from the superintendant!

Re: Drain cover
 

Just this minute had a phone call from LCC, the missing covers have been put out to contractors they haven't been forgotten about, "they are being done as we speak", they are being replaced with metal covers not the non metallic ones, which is absolutely ridiculous, nothing like throwing good money after bad is there. There is no timescale which they will be replaced. I did express my concerns as to the fact that the one for instance on Rough Lee Rd the cone is so far embedded down the hole that no-one would know about it unless you looked inside the drain, and that I have my 21 month old with me when we walk past this one a couple times a day & it makes me shudder to think what would happen if say he or another young child stepped into this hole. He also mentioned that 30+ more drain covers were stolen just last week. So the result they are being done, when? who knows, they want to get their priorities right I think.

Re: Drain cover
 

Perhaps they are doing a crafty?

Getting metal ones on the cheap?

They've perhaps found a guy with a bit of a brogue accent that can supply them with unlimited replacements, so long as it's cash in hand & no questions asked.

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Can they get non metallic covers for that type of opening?

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Another one disappeared over night on the corner of Clement street and Belfield road. I just nearly fell down it whilst walking the dog!! It's right outside a house where 3 young children live.

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If we can get to the moon(although some on here would deny that) surely we can invent a cheap non-metal drain cover(not £80 as Neil mentioned) and sell the metal ones to pay for them?
Also, can't HBC stock them? Put out to contract? It's a bit late to do that when they're nearly all gone.
Why not just pile the new metal ones up outside the Town Hall so the thieves don't have to waste petrol looking for them?

Re: Drain cover
 

You can even get them in re-enforced concrete, 'suitable for heavy traffic' and with no scrap value at all. Couldn't find a price.

Re: Drain cover
 

The replacement plastic ones are not very good. They cut them to fit. The one in my picture looks like Stevie Wonder cut it to size.

The problem with replacement covers is that that have to fit the old hole and they have to be strong enough.

As for HBC stocking them, why should they when it is LCC's responsibility?

Re: Drain cover
 

Sorry, Neil, not living in Accrington I havn't a clue who's responsable for what.
My argument still stands, why no stock and why no acceptable plastic or concrete replacement? Use the right plastic and they'd be strong enough.
Opening for a new business there?

Re: Drain cover
 

I have read that in some countries they steal concrete ones for the rebar inside them.

Don't forget some of these drains have been in place for donkeys years. Fitting one with a plastic lid would probably mean digging out the old one to fit a new type which would be very expensive.

The cause of all this is that they are being stolen. It is the job of the Police to catch thieves not Councils so where are they and what are they doing about it?

Re: Drain cover
 

Its like I've always said, when it comes to scrap metal, the scumbags that thieve any metal have to sell it somewhere, if the net was tightened on scrap dealers they wouldn't have anywhere to sell their ill gotten gains

Re: Drain cover
 

That is much more practical @ sensible,than expecting the police force to watch every drain cover full time.also would be a damn site cheaper.

Re: Drain cover
 

Them thieving scumbags might not use local scrap dealers, probably have their own chain of dealers, who can make them disappear overnight, and be in a chinese foundry next week. Happen PC Plod can't find them.
Retlaw

Re: Drain cover
 

There are Policemen all over the country and scrap dealers all over the country, if covers turn up in Kent which were stolen here, should still stand out like a sore thumb, lets face it road grates and manhole covers are not everyday items of scrap metal wherever they turn up

Re: Drain cover
 

they could paint the drains as they replace them with smart water like they are doing on a lot of metal these days but i have no idea of the expense or how long it would stay on the drain for.From what i have been led to believe they can trace each instance of smart water to a particular item as it can be coded and logged as to which particualr mixture was used on what and where.

Apparently it shows up under UV light ad merely touching it leaves traces on the skin for up to 7 weeks.

Re: Drain cover
 

Well, that should make them popular on the dance floor at the nightclub.
:)

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lol

put your hands up in the air..:Banane01:

now the scrap metal thieves :Banane07:

Re: Drain cover
 

They've now replace the ones in Rough Lee Rd, and Bishop St. The new ones are supposed to be thief proof, they dug the road up and installed new lid and frame, had a look can't see how it can be opened, to clean inside, tried and couldn't budge it.
Retlaw.

Re: Drain cover
 

So, Retlaw, we have a confession, have we? It's been you all the time.

Re: Drain cover
 

Yep Gordon I saw him trying to nick it! I had a word with the fellas fitting them, I asked why they weren't using plastic ones they said the plastic ones cost £40, (though stupidly didn't ask how much the metal ones are), they said the pikies aren't able to nick these ones? Time will tell.

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Think that could be fatal, saying pikies can't nick em. they love a challenge.:hehetable

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You cheeky little grass, you won't get an orange in your christmas stocking this year.

Retlaw.

Re: Drain cover
 

well its not just lancashire thats being hit with the drain covers being nicked ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...ester-14729087

BBC News - Appeal after 30 Falkirk drain covers taken

up near the spugster is being hit as well ....

Re: Drain cover
 

I am pleased to report that the missing man-hole cover as featured in #1 of this thread (by jaysay) has now been replaced by a nice new wooden (temp I presume) cover to stop people falling in. It only took 20 days for the council to do something............. It took the carpenters well under 30 minutes.:rolleyes:

Re: Drain cover
 

Wow Busman thats good overdue news;)

Re: Drain cover
 

Can't see that lasting long, the weather is starting to turn so constant wet & damp is going to have it warping & twisting in no time & if it's some kind of Ply/MDF/Processed wood it'll fall to pieces. (Plus, bommy night's only round the corner so some toenail will probably have it away)

Re: Drain cover
 

If it hasn't already gone;)

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Oh sorry didn't know about the cone Busman:D

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How to make a man-hole cover

FIRST: using 2" x 1" wood, wedge 2 spars across the hole (make sure the measurements are absolutely spot on else they will fall in the hole)

NEXT: cut 6 planks of tongue & groove, put together and screw to the wedged spars.

FINALLY: Use yellow paint spray to very roughly cover planks (to prevent too much water absorption (and help to highlight danger area) and stick a traffic cone on top.

To be fair to the council and workers, assuming it is temporary, it is fine. I tried lifting it and it seems to be tight and will support the weight of giant haystacks (I think) and if you don't understand who giant haystacks is, it's 'cos you're too young so google him!

Re: Drain cover
 

It looks like replacements must be in short supply with the current level of thefts for which the police are still to make any arrests.

I would be happy with wood covering the hole to stop my kids falling down until LCC can do it properly.

Re: Drain cover
 

I know who he is, along with Big Daddy, Gorgeous Gus & Adrian Street, Mick Macmanus, those faraway Saturday afternoons on ITV Sport waiting for the Footy results or Friday nights with my Granddad at the Liverpool Lyceum & Empire, all in & tag wrestling. :)

Re: Drain cover
 

Used to stop at my Gran & Grandads on a sat night. Would watch the wrestling with my Gran then we had to sit in silence whilst my Grandad got his football results. Those were the days, Dickie Davies & K(b)ent Walton.
Watching the hill climbs on Grandstand. :D:D:D

Re: Drain cover
 

Ya forgot Billy Two Rivers Dave:D

Re: Drain cover
 

Ya and when the footy results came on at 5pm every result was there not 4 from the first division the rest spread over 3 days:mad:

Re: Drain cover
 

Re: Drain cover
 

He was called Len Martin. :D

Re: Drain cover
 

I received this the other day.

Dear Graham,
The missing drain cover is not on the adopted highway. The drain cover is the responsibility of British Telecom and is part of the drainage system serving the telephone exchange building. I called at the exchange this morning and a BT representative promised to resolve the situation.

Regards

Colin Bowman
Principal Engineer
Environmental Services East
Lancashire County Council
Lancashire County Council - Homepage

Re: Drain cover
 

Hassan Ali Bey, Less Kellett, Jacky Pallo.
Retlaw.

Re: Drain cover