Bournemouth area - roadside stop cock / water meter key?

[Justin Passing]

A pair of grips is typical to use for those caps.

Eh wot?
stop cock key. This Rothenberger one works on pavement stopcocks which have a bar across the top, or a couple of sizes of square

There are a few patterns.
Obviously any sort of SC can be adjacent to a meter.
If a water meter has an integral shut off valve, the ones I've see have mostly been a quarter turn thing, or more often, a screw-down valve . My own has a 10mm female hexagon socket, and the key is about a foot long, plastic, with the hex on the end to fit,

 

[Ric_01]

Thanks. Barbeque tongs did the trick

 

[Ric_01]

OK, I got the cover off. My neighbour found his key, but it's a square-fit, mine's a round head.

At least I've got something to take round a plumber's merchant to ID the correct key.

If I ran this country, all vital resources / infrastructure would be state-controlled, you'd have one meter, with one key, from Land's End to John O' Groats.

What we've got now is '!' chaos.

 

[Ric_01]

Neighbour's key is square headed.

 

[Ric_01]

That T key is 35" long, for reference. It's about the same length as the one for my meter point, but the head is different.

 

[Ric_01]

OK, I got the cover off. My neighbour found his key, but it's a square-fit, mine's a round head.

At least I've got something to take round a plumber's merchant to ID the correct key.

If I ran this country, all vital resources / infrastructure would be state-controlled, you'd have one meter, with one key, from Land's End to John O' Groats.

What we've got now is '!' chaos.View attachment 419570View attachment 419571

So, what fits this round stop-cock, please? Thanks.

 

[pcaouolte]

what fits this round stop-cock

Never seen one like that but have you tried turning it by hand?

 

[Ric_01]

Never seen one like that but have you tried turning it by hand?

Have not tried turning it by hand - a week ago professional plumbers were struggling to turn it with a T-tool, so I wouldn't have thought it could be turned by hand, & it is loacate well beneath the surface of the pavement, in a very constricted space. Whoever designs these things needs 'a good talking to', I feel.

 

[Old Salt]

A lot will depend on how old your house is and who the water company are. I bet the Victorians never even considered a standard key for water meters that they didn't use. Government departments and County councils dont even talk to each other so why should water companies.

 

[Ric_01]

A lot will depend on how old your house is and who the water company are. I bet the Victorians never even considered a standard key for water meters that they didn't use. Government departments and County councils dont even talk to each other so why should water companies.

Thanks. Did the Victorians use water meters?

The property is 50 years old, but I seem to recall that Bournemouth Water fitted the meter about 10 years ago.

 

[Ric_01]

A lot will depend on how old your house is and who the water company are. I bet the Victorians never even considered a standard key for water meters that they didn't use. Government departments and County councils dont even talk to each other so why should water companies.

As far as I'm aware, councils are local government, an arm of central government - if they don't jump when told to, their clerical career prospects would be terminated. Private water companies can more of less do what they please, until they breach the law, as with pollution recently. To me, this just seems an open invitation to chaos.

 

[dilalio]

@Ric_01 Bournemouth water authority chose to install anti-tamper water meters.

You need a 3-vane key.

This company works in partnership with Bournemouth water and supply the meters there. They have stopcock keys listed but the photos of each key don't appear on my browser... Broken links!

They may be able to help you?

"Multipurpose: AQ 3/3"
https://www.aquamcorp.co.uk/water-services/equipment/consumable-sales/stop-tap-keys#:~:text=Multipurpose: AQ 3/3

Bournemouth Water | Aquam Water Services

 

[CountryFan]

Is that center part steel?