What is this thing?

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[Solved] What is this metal contraption (UK)? (lemmy.world)

submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by FlayOtters to c/whatisthisthing

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This thing has been in my garden since I moved here and it's always just been pushed up against the side of the fence. I want rid of it now but I haven't got a clue what I'm removing. Its about 1 metre away from a telegraph pole. Nothing on the other side of the fence.

When the rod at the top reaches the fence it just goes straight down into the ground. I can rotate it around that point but no matter how much I pull/rotate it, it wont come out.

Another image after rotating it here:

https://i.ibb.co/4pfwV10/Screenshot-20230701-064813-Gallery.jpg

Edit: Solved. It's a turnbuckle previously used to hold up the telegraph pole.

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[–] Mortensen 8 points 2 years ago

Looks like a turnbuckle to me for tensioning the cable it’s attached to.

[–] Lenins2ndCat 4 points 2 years ago

A few reverse searches popped up this similar looking doohickey on a Russian utility pole. I think this is part of a tension support.

[–] ObviouslyNotBanana 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

1m from the pole seems a bit close. Now, I'm not a lineman so I cannot tell you much but my guess from looking at loads of telegraph poles throughout my existence is that it may be from an older pole that was placed a bit further away from it.

I assume it's one of those things they've forgotten about when they changed poles because it was buried in your garden.

[–] FlayOtters 2 points 2 years ago

The pole might have been on the neighbours property before (a couple more metres to the right) and was moved due their apple tree being right up against it

Will need to ask the neighbours.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Thanks for also providing the edit/update

[–] RedRuM 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

You can't pull it out of the ground as it should be attached to the pole you mentioned, it's to stop the thing falling over! No idea who or how you'd report that too... openreach maybe???

If you want to nerd out > https://www.powertelcom.com/guy-wire-function/

[–] Lenins2ndCat 4 points 2 years ago

Make sure you have a plan of the boundaries of the property as they may well ask questions about the fence and whose land it is on.

[–] FlayOtters 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Openreach are out all the time messing with the pole and have never mentioned it. In other gardens they don't have anything like this next to their pole either. Is it possibly something used temporarily when the pole is being installed?

Thanks

[–] RedRuM 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

maybe? it would make sense that it was required before and isn't now so it just got cut off? it's 100% related to the pole though, if you get chance to politely shout in the direction of the next person going up the pole, see if they know what you can do with it

[–] FlayOtters 2 points 2 years ago

Thank you. Will ask them the next time they're here.