Stobie Poles

Submitted: Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 18:36
ThreadID: 63090 Views:4890 Replies:9 FollowUps:11
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In SA we don’t have nice straight trees to cut power poles from so a chappie called James Cyril Stobie who worked for the Adelaide Electricity Supply Company gave us the “Stobie Pole” in 1924 which is essentially a tapered post made from two RSJ’s bolted together around a core of concrete.

Completely termite … and car resistant.

Tuesday 27 October in Adelaide - Stobie 1 Ferrari Nil.

Image Could Not Be Found

The driver and passenger escaped with only minor injuries and the pole has scratches in the rust. The 3 year old Ferrari will take a little work to buff out the marks.

Link to the full story and more pictures here:

Walkerville Crash

Have a good weekend and drive safe.

Pete
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Reply By: Motherhen - Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 18:45

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 18:45
Hi Pete

When touring in SA, we have thought the power poles so sensible. Didn't try and hit one though!

Motherhen
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Reply By: Member No 1- Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 19:16

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 19:16
wonder if it will cost more than 250k to fix
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Reply By: Member - Footloose - Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 19:21

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 19:21
The poles over in SA are pretty lethal looking all right !
But I am one of those who try and heed the little red and black crosses signs.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:35

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:35
Sad reminder arent they footy?
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Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:49

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:49
A very sad reminder :((
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:53

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:53
I didnt mean whats happened to my kids mate, I mean that they are a reminder to be safe, sorry if I upset you I didnt mean to.

You should be in BED anyways
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Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:56

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:56
Bonz. No explanation needed. That's the way I took it.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:59

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:59
Good Man!
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Reply By: slave - Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 19:39

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 19:39
There was a story about that accident in Wednesdays Herald Sun, but the photo shown was head on which shows that the stobie pole ended up in the centre of the car.

Mention 'stobie pole' anywhere but SA and people have no idea what you are talking about..... Even spell check doesn't recognise it

Mrs S
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Reply By: Off-track - Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 21:58

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 21:58
They are ugly as sin and for some reason regarded as a SA icon. Cuck the lines underground.
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Follow Up By: Off-track - Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 21:59

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 21:59
Chuck, even
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:42

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 00:42
Well I reckon they're great, the design characteristics are such that back stays are rarely required and they are everything resistant, even Ferrari's
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 10:00

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 10:00
There was an interesting comment in today's Advertiser on the pros and cons of the humble Stobie pole.

If the Ferrari hadn't been stopped by the pole, it may well have ended up in an adjacent tree, or even worse, someone's loungeroom.

Yeah, remove all obsticles, including all trees from the roadside so drivers have nothing to hit when they lose control. What will stop them then???

Don't blame the Stobie pole.

Bill



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Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 10:13

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 10:13
I'm with Off-track, bung the cables underground, Stobie poles are so ugly, I'm sure they were a practical solution to a problem but they've had their day.
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Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 10:15

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 10:15
Sounds like a piece of cake, but are you prepared to pay at least SIX times the costs you now pay to get electricity connected?

I amnt. Overhead stuff may be an eyesore and have collisionny consequences but its cheap and effective
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Follow Up By: Patrolman Pat - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 13:32

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 13:32
I hear you Bonz. To be fair to Etsa lots of undergrounding is occuring with new sub divisions and major road upgrades etc. The cost would be huge, along with ongoing maintenance but overhead cables are so unsightly and a fire risk in many areas so I say get rid where possibleand practical.
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Reply By: Dion - Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 23:24

Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 23:24
Take yuu Balogni somewhere else, we'll stick with our fritz!!

Cheers,
Dion.
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Reply By: Member - cuffs (SA) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 03:24

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 03:24
I took on a stobie 34yrs ago, it won and the buggers billed me $1800 for the competion. At least they could have given me what was left but no & I had to repair dads car too!
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 08:58

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 08:58
Pete
Having lived at Eden Valley I reackon the worst bit of road in SA is from Springton to Gumeracha, there's huge trees on the edge of the road , and I mean on the EDGE , the road is sealed right to the butt, For those who have not been to SA below is a photo of a Stobie Pole .

Image Could Not Be Found

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Reply By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 12:25

Saturday, Nov 01, 2008 at 12:25
Stobie poles- playing a large part in assisting Darwin in SA since 1963
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