My outside loo has a genuine cast iron high level Thomas T and original Victorian two piece pan.
However, the internals of the Thomas T were replaced with a modern version before I bought the house. And the down pipe is plastic. Looks ok at a casual glance though, and works fine.
The coupling between the down pipe and the pan is a sort of shaped rubber boot, and this has perished and is leaking. Any idea where to get a replacement - or would some form of gunge work as well?
Any god plumbers or B & Q Warehouse
I've tried my local Travis Perkins and large B&Q. This is an external rubber boot - rather like the type that covers the universal joint on a FWD car driveshaft.
We have one too - the original 1930s type. I'm always amazed that it hasn't leaked but I'd like to know how to replace it when it does.
The other day I broke the cistern lid into two pieces :-( Spouse mended it and while we don't want to replace the lot we realise that one day, if we live that long, we'll have to.
Mary
I know what you mean. We used to use them when I was a young Plumber ** years ago. We used to roll them back like a condom on the flush pipe side fill them with putty and pull them forward over the pan inlet. We then used to use wire to hold them in place by wrapping wire round each side and then twisting with pliers.
Bloody crude I know but in those days that was the way things were.
Have not seen one for years.
That's interesting. Ours isn't wired on though. Of course, any wiring might be hidden by the accumulation of dust, I can never get it clean.
Did you forget to explain the asterisks?
Mary
That's the one - but no putty in my case, just wire.
Oh dear. ;-)
Some random thoughts...
If the rubber is (sometimes?) filled with putty and (almost?) always wired, then the rubber thingy itself is probably not providing much of a seal. The putty (plumber's mate, I guess) is perhaps the key ingredient?
Maybe with a little bit of ingenuity something else could be used? The rubber bit from a sink plunger, suitably modified? Very large heatshrink tubing? Mould one yourself? Or maybe just some silicone sealant to hold the pipe in place and forget the rubber wotsit?
Or, maybe a trip to a reclamation yard is in order.
How about eBay? I sold a 60 year old cistern, brackets and downpipe - including the rubber thingy - about a year ago. Mind you, I got £100 so it would be an expensive way to obtain just the piece of rubber! Tim Hardisty. Please remove HAT before replying by email.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required