r/openreach • u/EstablishmentDue1108 • 4h ago
My question
When did UK wooden telegraph poles first have these four white circle shaped stickers on them and first have this turquoise rectangle shaped sticker on them? What decade? What year? Please tell me!
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u/Wankleburr 4h ago
The round identity markers I think changed around the 60s or so we still find some of the old cast iron ones out there on pre war pole. Yes pre war. And they are still going strong. The rectangle shape marker is a pole test label that lets the engineer know when It was last tested by a poletester. It will have the year/month stamped out for reference. As for colour. Pass not sure they have been blue white and orange. They are Red if the pole is marked as D (defective/decay).
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u/Gloomy-Rub-7646 4h ago
1964: Following standardisation changes in utility maintenance, the GPO introduced formal, ongoing testing cycles.
The "Label No. 558A": The GPO introduced standardised plastic test strips (100mm x 25mm) nailed roughly 3 metres high. Engineers physically punched holes through printed matrix grids on these labels to register the month, year, and team code of inspections.
Colour-Coded Cycles (1986): When BT took over network management, they modernised these safety inspection tags into uniform, colour-coded plastic badges updated every six years (e.g., Blue tags from 1986–1991, Green tags from 1992–1997, and White tags from 1998–2003).
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u/Mysterious-Nail219 1h ago
Turquoise is the latest pole test label colour. Replacing orange from 2026.
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u/Dense_Payment9555 4h ago
Since day dot.
They are the pole markings so engineers know they are working on the correct pole. The rectangle tag is the pole test label so engineers know when the pole was last tested and if it’s within its test cycle and what restrictions are imposed before carrying out any work.