On Fri, 26 Mar 2021 10:22:45 +0000, nightjar
wrote:

On 25/03/2021 21:58, T i m wrote:
I started to hear a regular 'clonk-donk' as cars were driving over
something in the road, like a bit of chipboard shelf but it then
persisted for around a couple of weeks.

Yesterday I investigated when we took the dog for a walk last thing
and it appears at least one manhole cover has been lifted ... or has
worked loose(?) and is now rocking about 5mm when you stand on it?

This is just one of the single piece, all metal (cast iron), slightly
rectangular ones with just a BS number on it and no clues to what
utility it might serve but from it's location I'm thinking it might be
the sewer?
...

That can be caused by the brickwork of the hole itself starting to fail,
causing the support frame to move. Repairing that requires major works
of the sort that normally has to be planned months in advance.

It can also be due to part of the cover or frame breaking off and
allowing the cover to rock. That can sometimes be alleviated by pouring
sand in, but only if it stays in place and doesn't trickle down the hole
because it is part of the frame that has broken.

I'm not sure what they did but I got an email a few days ago informing
me that they had 'dealt with my enquiry'.

That prompted me to listen out for the noise and I couldn't hear
anything (when I knew cars would have gone over it etc).

When we went out to walk the dog last night I went and inspected the
manhole and it was obvious it was all new and there was a 200mm wide
border of fresh Tarmac round the outside. It was also the case for one
a few meters away so it looks like they had changed two.

Upon reflection, I did hear something 'going on' in that area a few
days ago (like the sound of petrol disk cutters) and saw a large
vehicle parked up but it looked like they were able to do both without
having to stop the traffic (the junction to that road is opposite ours
and that's normally where they put any 'Road closed type signs).

I did report a cover that was hanging off a lamp post a while back and
the reply was 'Low priority' so I stuck it back on as I went past the
next time. The latches that hook into the aperture at the bottom had
been broken off (and so why it wouldn't typically stay closed) but I
managed to wedge it in place and it's seemed to have stayed on ever
since. I might take a big cable tie with me next time and fit it on
'better'. ;-)

It's the same with all the small green cabinets (Cabletel NTL VM)
that have a lid that seems to hook on at the top and then lock down at
the bottom. I don't think there are many round here that aren't open,
as in they are hooked on but not locked down? Similar position with
the medium sized cabinets that have two doors (with one door swinging
about in the wind). I would love to go round and sort them all out
properly, even if it's to protect my own cable BB service. ;-)

Cheers, T i m