22
Laying the cables
Ever wondered just how the P and T staff guide three tons of telephone cable through ducts under the roads. We did, so recently we stopped for a while to see how it was done. Simple, but nevertheless ingenious.
He's holding a "mouse" which fits neatly into the duct
The the "mouse" is attached a nylon line and the "mouse" is blown through the duct by compressed air.
Out the other end it comes (the other end is attached to a cable and this is winched through).
The cable, now joined to the telephone cable, is run through this flexible guide which is plugged into the duct.
At the drum end the cable is greased as it feeds into the guide.
The cable appears (extreme right duct)
Then begins the very complex job of joining wires
The cable is winched through the duct with the aid of this periscope.