Are Weymouth's lampposts crooked? (From Thisisdorset)
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Are Weymouth's lampposts crooked?
8:40am Wednesday 17th March 2010 in
A RETIRED rocket and bomb engineer has hit out at ‘dangerously-exposed’ and ‘tilting’ lampposts along one of Weymouth’s busiest roads.
Dr Fred Beardshall has declared that the town’s lampposts look like ‘something out of Alice in Wonderland’ and expressed concern about the street light replacement under way along Dorchester Road.
Dr Beardshall, who used to work for Bristol Siddeley Engineers – part of British Aerospace – said: “Those holes dug down by the side of lampposts along the road are disgraceful.
They should be using triangular supports holding them in place or to dig a hole and fill it straight away.
“Instead they’ve dug all the holes along the road in advance to save time but if you get high winds they’ll come crashing down.
“If they crashed down on a car, it would be disastrous.”
The Dorchester Road resident added: “This town is full of tilting lampposts.
“It’s like Alice in Wonderland with them all leaning at crazy angles – particularly one in Melcombe Avenue.”
The street light replacement scheme on that route is being undertaken by Rob Burton Limited, working on behalf of Southern Electric, contracting in partnership with Dorset County Council.
A Southern Electric spokesman said: “I can’t stress enough that there’s no problem at all with the situation of lampposts – or columns as we like to call them – in Dorchester Road.
“These columns are about 12 metres high with two metres underground.
“Our engineers got their levels out and checked – they’re totally erect – there’s no danger.”
The spokesman said electrical engineers would be going to Dorchester Road to work on the cables that supplied power for the streetlights.
He added: “Everything should be completed by the end of the week.
“There’s no danger at all of the columns in Dorchester Road – no safety risk.”
A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “All streetlights in Weymouth and Portland are being replaced over the next three years as part of the county council’s initiative to upgrade Dorset’s street lighting. If anyone is concerned that a streetlight is tilting, they should report it by calling Southern Electric Contracting on 0800 0684145.
“An engineer will come out to assess it and, if need be, replace it.”
Comments(22)
PortlandWilliam
says...
8:59am Wed 17 Mar 10
A photographer can't help put the lampposts straight or your minds at rest.
niblick
says...
9:04am Wed 17 Mar 10
PortlandWilliam wrote:Wrong any photographer with decent post-production skills could straighten out these lampposts, problem solved, and yes it must be a slow news day are the OHEC saving the stories up for Saturday's paper.
If you believe something is unsafe call the electric company not the newspapers. A photographer can't help put the lampposts straight or your minds at rest.
Mabu
says...
9:26am Wed 17 Mar 10
Duckorange
says...
9:39am Wed 17 Mar 10
.
In these cynical times, isn't it great to see council employees enjoying their work?
likeitornot
says...
10:41am Wed 17 Mar 10
Duckorange wrote:I like your light hearted comment, but come on its a bit near the mark.
"Our engineers got their levels out and checked – they’re totally erect."
.
In these cynical times, isn't it great to see council employees enjoying their work?
Duckorange
says...
10:44am Wed 17 Mar 10
likeitornot wrote:Poor, dead Kenneth Williams would be turning in his grave.
Duckorange wrote: "Our engineers got their levels out and checked – they’re totally erect." . In these cynical times, isn't it great to see council employees enjoying their work?I like your light hearted comment, but come on its a bit near the mark.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY DON'T LIKE THE NEW ECHO WEBSITE
says...
12:10pm Wed 17 Mar 10
.
likeitornot- lighten up you miserable sod. It is a sad day when someone cannot make a light hearted comment about council workers visibly enjoying their work.
I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY DON'T LIKE THE NEW ECHO WEBSITE
says...
12:12pm Wed 17 Mar 10
.
Security word (I swear on my life!) is WILL-LEAN.
Duckorange
says...
2:08pm Wed 17 Mar 10
If there's one person in Weymouth who knows what is - and what isn't - rocket science, it's him.
Techie
says...
2:15pm Wed 17 Mar 10
likeitornot wrote:Plz to be indicating distance from said mark in both imperial and metric.
Duckorange wrote:I like your light hearted comment, but come on its a bit near the mark.
"Our engineers got their levels out and checked – they’re totally erect."
.
In these cynical times, isn't it great to see council employees enjoying their work?
boxfile
says...
4:38pm Wed 17 Mar 10
pd7
says...
4:49pm Wed 17 Mar 10
Duckorange
says...
6:11pm Wed 17 Mar 10
ull
bluecat
says...
6:59pm Wed 17 Mar 10
Echo. The Dr is obviously an attention seeker and the Echo fell for it. Yet another example of non stories blown up to fill the pages.
pd7
says...
7:20pm Wed 17 Mar 10
I feel the echo should interview the doggies of Weymouth to see if the crooked lamp posts have had any impact on a doggies natural way of life.
Results could be tabulated
Hit
Near Miss
Way off target
Mamma Media
says...
2:19pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Mamma Media
says...
2:22pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Mamma Media wrote:And by the wya they have made a right mess of it aswell, they have filled the wholes in with cold press tarmac which is only meant to last up to 6 months, Are they going to go round digging it up again to put in permanent hot press tarmac in six months? I expect sooooo! more money than sense.
Replacing the all lamposts in Weymouth area - another way for WPC to waste tax payers money, If it ain't broke - Don't fix it!!!
Mamma Media
says...
2:23pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Mamma Media wrote:*WAY* HOLES*
Mamma Media wrote: Replacing the all lamposts in Weymouth area - another way for WPC to waste tax payers money, If it ain't broke - Don't fix it!!!And by the wya they have made a right mess of it aswell, they have filled the wholes in with cold press tarmac which is only meant to last up to 6 months, Are they going to go round digging it up again to put in permanent hot press tarmac in six months? I expect sooooo! more money than sense.
Leccy
says...
9:43pm Thu 18 Mar 10
Mamma Media wrote:Two things,the lamp columns being replaced are nothing to do with Weymouth & Portland Borough Council, it comes under Dorset County Councils remit and is a scheduled replacement program. Secondly in many cases yes cold lay tarmac is used to temp patch and then the full re-instatement is done at a later date,nothing to do with wasting money. It would cost an arm and a leg to bring in a "Hot Box" tarmac plant for every little hole!!
Mamma Media wrote: Replacing the all lamposts in Weymouth area - another way for WPC to waste tax payers money, If it ain't broke - Don't fix it!!!And by the wya they have made a right mess of it aswell, they have filled the wholes in with cold press tarmac which is only meant to last up to 6 months, Are they going to go round digging it up again to put in permanent hot press tarmac in six months? I expect sooooo! more money than sense.
weymouthfox
says...
11:55pm Fri 19 Mar 10
Jemwed
says...
11:39pm Sat 20 Mar 10
Since when did he become a doctor?
A RETIRED rocket and bomb engineer???
Do me a favour.
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Dr Fred Beardshall points out a lamppost in Melcombe Avenue
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b+w geezer says...
8:51am Wed 17 Mar 10