Stroud District Council calls on Openreach to help preserve historic communications 'landmark'
Stroud District Council and BT have joined forces with the world’s oldest canal company to ensure an unusual piece of local communications heritage is preserved for future generations.
A telephone pole, believed to be more than 100 years old, will remain part of the canal-side landscape, even though it’s no longer in service.
This follows a special agreement between Stroud District Council, Openreach – BT’s local network business - and the canal’s owners, Company of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation.
The 30-foot pole, situated just east of Oilmills Bridge, at the heart of the Cotswold Canals restoration project, is believed to be one of the oldest in the country.
It is the last remaining pole of its kind in the area, distinguished by the number of cross pieces at the top. Such poles were a distinctive feature in early photos of the canal.
Advances in communications technology mean the pole is no longer needed, so Openreach had planned to remove it. Instead, with the support of Stroud District Council – which is restoring the canal - and the Company of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation, it will continue to be maintained as if it were part of the working network.
Martin Northfield, Openreach’s local asset assurance programme manager, who came up with the idea, said: “After discussions with the council, rather than handing over the pole, we felt it would be better for everyone if Openreach continued to look after it as if it were an operational pole, that way it will be checked and tested regularly and kept safe.”
Councillor Steve Lydon, leader of Stroud District Council, said: “Our thanks go to BT for ‘saving’ this pole. I’m pleased that the ever-increasing number of towpath users will be able to learn about and enjoy this part of the canal’s – and the district’s – history, for years to come.”
Paul Coles, BT’s regional manager for Gloucestershire and the South-West, said: “BT has a long-established record of helping to preserve communications heritage, but this is certainly one of the more unusual projects we’ve been involved in.
“After carrying out routine safety checks, engineers will remove any cables that are still attached. As well as the distinctive cross pieces, this pole was fitted with porcelain insulators and connection boxes, which probably date back to the 1950s. We will ensure they are also preserved.”
Note to Editors
Stroud had its first telephone exchange in 1885 in Palace Chambers, London Road and in 1896, there were only 34 subscribers in the National Telephone Directory for the town. However, the next year two of the canal’s main proprietors, Charles Hooper & Co and Marling & Co Ltd, both had business telephones at Stonehouse.
This pole is believed to date from 1895/6 and was almost certainly part of the link between Stonehouse and Stroud. The canal towpath would have offered a relatively obstacle-free route between the two towns and brought in much-needed revenue for the canal owners – the Company of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation.
More information about the Company of Proprietors of the Stroudwater Navigation is available from: http://www.stroudwater.co.uk/cpsn/heritage.html
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Issued by Stroud District Council and the BT regional press office.
For more information please contact David Marshall on 01453 754646 or email: david.marshall@stroud.gov.uk
Or
Emma Tennant at the BT regional press office on 0800 085 0660 or email: emma.tennant@bt.com
All BT news releases can be accessed at or web site: http://www.btplc.com/News
About the Cotswold Canals Restoration
Restoration of the Cotswold Canals between Stonehouse and Brimscombe is being led by Stroud District Council with funding mainly from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the council.
About BT
BT’s purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services.BT consists of six customer-facing lines of business: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, and Openreach.
For the year ended 31 March 2016, BT Group’s reported revenue was £19,042m with reported profit before taxation of £3,029m.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.btplc.com
