Kaboom! (not exactly a d-i-y job)...

[Colin Bignell]

On 14/08/2022 08:00, ARW wrote: ....

Only in Britain would we make a public information film, during a war, on how to make tea.

[Ian <$]

A morning chorous of angle-grinder and jack-hammer, they're back on the job:

The four cables on the top are the LV ones they jointed a bit closer to the transformer when it was replaced. The one underneath is the HV feed.

Interestingly, it looks to have been jointed already, with new (red) cable going to the switch/fuse, not the older cable that seemed to have failed (the joint in this picture wasn't done today). That suggests the failed cable was the one feeding the transformer, so they didn't replace it when they swapped the transformer. A bit naughty if it was an old cable perhaps?

Also interesting that there's only one HV feed. Unlikely to be another from a different direction as there are houses on all three other sides.

[Ian <$]

More progress. New HV cable joint:

Interesting that they've used singles not 3-core for the new connection. Nice platting though :)

A chunk of the old (failed) cable:

[Andy Burns]

I notice lots of replacement with three red singles, e.g. where it comes above ground to go to an overhead supply, or vice-versa ... but maybe I only notice it because the red cables are more noticeable?

[Andrew]

The existing cable seems to have lost much of its original outer sheath. Looks pretty manky to me.

[Andy Burns]

Didn't zoom in last time I looked, but just did to see how manky, only then noticed the bare earth soldered(?) to stakes and kind of wire-wrapped to join it.

[Ian <$]

Job done. Shiny new switchgear to match the new transformer:

They left the trench open for a week, and made daily inspections, so hopefully the joint to the old cable will hold. At least I know where not to let the dog pee...

Yes, the earths do look rather manky. I'm sure they're the right CSA an' all, but it doesn't look very robust. There's an RCD ("Earth Fault Indicator") installed though, so that's ok :)