Orpington postie baffled by Quilter Road light works

8:28am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Robert Fisk

Orpington postie Robert Goddard is baffled by Quilter Road light works Orpington postie Robert Goddard is baffled by Quilter Road light works

A BAFFLED postman is hoping someone can shed some light on the mystery of the lampposts in his street.

Robert Goddard says the concrete lamppost near his home in Quilter Road, Orpington, has worked for years so was surprised when a metal lamppost was put up right next to it.

And, as the picture shows, the metal lamppost does not work while artificial light shines brightly from the concrete one.

He says a week before last month’s snow he watched from his house as workmen dug up the ground by the street lights and then put barriers round the site.

The 62-year-old says it stayed like this until about three weeks ago when workmen filled up the hole with dirt on one day then dug it up again the next day before it was filled in again.

And he says the curious incident of the lamppost in the day time and night time is continued down the street where there is a concrete light that never goes out.

This one is on 24 hours a day and is next to a metal lamppost which comes on after dark.

Mr Goddard said: “It was a right farce, the workmen came round and dug it up then filled it in then dug it up again.

“It’s strange to see these things going on.

“It’s a waste of money putting lampposts up next to other ones especially when the new one is not working.

“I’m waiting to see what happens next.”

A council spokesman says the lampposts in the street are being replaced and it is normal to have both columns in situ while the changeover happens.

Executive councillor for the environment Colin Smith said: "If ever residents see a street light on during the daytime, the council would always encourage them to report it, ideally on our website by the report it button, which should see the repair made within four days. 

"Regarding the holes, the council is totally reliant on UK Power Networks to undertake the connection which they advise has been particularly difficult in this instance due to style and position of the lamp in question.”

 

Comments(16)

Polly Staight says...
9:10am Wed 6 Mar 13

Cor Newsshopper...

...That's a scoop!

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highway warrior says...
9:42am Wed 6 Mar 13

Concrete columns are old and nearing the end of their life spans so are being phased out across boroughs, well Bexley and Bromley are certainly. Bromley has 7000 of them to change over I believe! so a little delay is not surprising.
Hope that sheds some light on this.....

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Virtual-Monster says...
9:55am Wed 6 Mar 13

illuminating.....

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Gypo.Joe says...
10:30am Wed 6 Mar 13

Curtain twitcher !

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lord righteous says...
11:07am Wed 6 Mar 13

I am sure Robert Goddard gets baffled by quite a lot of things :)
I hope he's not my postie!

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Gypo.Joe says...
11:10am Wed 6 Mar 13

I forgot to say no only a curtain twitcher but a council tenant too.

Bl00dy cheek of them !

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bnorther says...
4:46pm Wed 6 Mar 13

I figured it out in about 2 seconds that its replacing the old one, but that the old one has yet to be dismantled.

Why on earth would anyone go to a paper with this?

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madras says...
7:18pm Wed 6 Mar 13

'curious incident of the lamppost in the day time and night time ' - supposed to be a pun against 'curious incident of the dog in the nighttime'?

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jaded1 says...
6:56pm Fri 8 Mar 13

He needs to get out more (during the day obviously)!!

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Anteater says...
1:55am Sat 9 Mar 13

As Newspeeps reported style and position are everything - FK the blasted light that is shining thru' my bedroom window

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danm5577 says...
7:09pm Sat 9 Mar 13

Obvious they are replacing them!
There have been reports from other councils that they crack and in some cases have collapsed, one killed a baby in a pram (can't remember where this was)
Can take about a month or more for works to be completed.
Just hope they work other wise we will see him in the paper next month

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Marty1979 says...
8:52pm Sat 9 Mar 13

Happens all the time, workmen did hole so cables can be connected then it gets filled in

Is that the best NS could come up with for news?

And if Mr Goddard is concerned about a waste of money why hasn't he reported the light that stays on?

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Oldchap says...
9:20am Sun 10 Mar 13

danm is right - the old concrete post are dangerous, the top light part has been known to snap off & fall. If a car hits it, even comparatively lightly they can fall down

The process is a hole is dug, a new metal pole put up, electric connected to new pole, old pole disconnected, old pole removed

I'm amazed that as a postman Mr Goddard hasn't seen this before

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banjo8 says...
11:56am Mon 11 Mar 13

I'm not sure Mr Goddard would spot anything! I bet letters have been going to the wrong houses on his round for years.

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Slonik says...
2:11pm Mon 11 Mar 13

Some posties are so easily baffled they can't even match the numbers on letters with those on front doors.

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banjo8 says...
4:11pm Mon 11 Mar 13

In fairness my current postie is pretty good and very friendly. But the last one I had in Orpington would have made an orangutan look sharp - and not bad looking either.

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