GPO Manhole covers
The GPO used marker posts where cables were buried underground (typically trunk route cables), rather than on telegraph pole runs. The posts
highlighted the position of joints in the cable, and originally these joints were simply buried in the ground with no access box around them. However where later maintenance was required, and in various other situations, the joint would be within a buried box, with a cover at street level. Although in common parlance we tend to call all such covers "manhole covers", in reality the telecomms ones should be referred to as footway box covers (FBCs) - or carriageway box covers for the heavier duty ones in the road. They were never designed for a "man" - other than just an arm maybe - but instead contain the cable junction and/or associated wiring. To this day covers are often found in close proximity to the markers, and in some stretches of cable their presence can be an indicator that a marker post should be very nearby.
There are various designs of FBC around; some dating back to Post Office Telegraphs (or even Exchange Telegraph Company Limited), right up to modern-day BT covers. They may be square or rectangular,
and for larger installations may involve two, three or more covers adjacent over a larger hole. Shown below are the range of styles of covers local
to me, in Watford, Hertfordshire; click on any image to view larger version. (Photos © Derek Pattenson unless otherwise indicated)
Post Office / Telegraphs
square design
Post Office / Telegraphs
bold font, rectangular design
Photo by Mark Ahsmann under license
Post Office Telephones
rectangular design
P O
rectangular minimalist design
Post Office / Telegraphs
rectangular design
Post Office Telephones
rectangular fine font
G.P.O.
square inset design
Post Office Telephones
square inset design
BT
square inset design
General Post Office
early oval design
Photo by Evelyn Simak under license
Exchange Telegraph Company
predecessor to Post Office
Photo by Mauls under license
Post Office Telephones
with grille
Photo by Joyce Ainslie
Hull Corporation
Photo by Seamus Ellis-Ringham
When things go wrong... what happens if you drive over a FOOTWAY box cover!
Photo by Lyn Andrews
Gone wrong ... inside the box
Photo by Lyn Andrews
In Tel Aviv, Israel - a UK design re-used
Photo © Manhole.co.il
Because of the sheer number of these manhole covers, I'm not going to make any attempt to document or map these. However I'd be interested in photographs
of any designs that differ in style from the above examples, so we can build a complete gallery of styles here. Let me know via the
Marker Posts reporting
page, where you can also upload your images together with location details.