External stopcock -is this busted?

[RegB]

Hi Guys
I'm trying to turn off my external stopcock. It's an ancient one but I've got it moving. I'm leaving the kitchen tap on to see when the water stops, and what happens is the water keeps coming off and on as the stopcock rotates. It's as if the stopcock is acting like one of those isolating valves that you just keep turning until it's in the right position. Does that sound right to you or could the stopcock be busted? (I thought the external stopcock would screw right in or out to shut off/turn on, like a normal stopcock).
Any advice appreciated.
Reg

 

[HERTS P&D]

Post a pic of your stopcock.

Andy

 

[Burnerman]

Many stop cocks in the road are exactly like that......at least yours is working fine!
Another name for it is a Toby, and the turning end will be square or rectangular.
There will be another stopcock within your property, of course.
John

 

[RegB]

Thanks Andy and John
Unfortunately I can't really get my camera down the hole to take a pic as it's so narrow (my proctologist said the same thing last week) but yes, I can see the end of the stopcock is rectangular. Anyway, looks like it's a 'Toby' then, so thanks for that bit of education! Yes, I do have an indoor stopcock too. It's because that one was leaking that I needed to turn off the outside one. Having now replaced the indoor one of course it's still leaking from the compression joint, so that's the next bit of fun and games.