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Manhole covers

Manhole covers are safety critical. With this in mind we develop solutions which incorporate features that help eliminate failure mechanisms, minimising safety issues and optimising whole life cost.

Unite double D400 manhole cover being installed

Our manhole cover ranges

Manufactured from heavy duty ductile iron, offering durable strength and long standing performance. Our extensive ranges include single, double and triple rectangular covers and round and square to round manhole covers, including popular and less common sizes. Available in load classes from A15 to E600. Our products are certified by BSI to BS EN 124, we also have ranges conforming to CD 534, as well as many other industry specifications. All our ductile ironwork carries the Kitemark, meaning our products offer a trusted solution.

D400 manhole covers
Product comparison

Find the right range for you

Our manhole cover comparison tool gives you a detailed overview of which features, options and accessories are available for each product range.

The tool provides information on our three primary iron ranges; Tristar, Highway and Unite, making it easy to find the best solution for your project.

Class beating manhole covers

Class beating performance, value and quality too.

supplier of ductile iron castings.

UK's No.1

recorded of Unite manhole covers.

0failures

castings covers sold every year.

>300,000
Enlarged frame corners available on a range of our manhole covers
Minimise bedding pressure

Built on solid foundations

Foundation erosion is a common problem when weight and vibrations are transferred through access covers with a small frame flange area (footprint). In these situations every time traffic passes it sends small shocks through the installation to the underlying foundation, this can begin to wear down the foundation and potentially result it a failure.

All Wrekin D400 and E600 manhole covers include enlarged frame corners and increased overall flange areas to overcome this issue.

This design feature helps to dissipate the load in the foundations. By spreading the load, we minimise the stress on the frame. The result is less movement of the manhole cover and a longer life for the installation.

Meeting the needs of National Highways CD 534

National Highways has updated CD 534, a significant set of its requirements for manhole covers and gully grates installed on their road network. First released in February 2020 and updated to version 0.1.0 as of May 2022.

All Highway and Unite access covers meet the requirements of CD 534 v0.1.0

Frame flange area

CD 534 now sets a minimum flange area of 190,000 mm² for D400 and 285,000 mm² for E600 covers, this equates to 2.1N / mm² as in HA 104/09.

Frame depth and weight

A 150 mm frame depth is now required on motorways and all purpose trunk roads. A lower limit frame weight is also specified to ensure frames are stiff enough.

Skid resistance

The WRc test mehod is now the only accepted test method for calculating skid resistance on raised chequer. This test measures a small tyre’s resistance to sideways slip caused by the cover surface.

D400 or E600

E600 manhole covers are to be installed in place of D400 covers where the Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) of light goods vehicles travelled on a road is greater than 1,500 in each direction.

Check road traffic statistics for AADT
ClickLift being installed
Manhole cover frame raising system

ClickLift™

ClickLift eliminates the time and resources required to dig out and reinstall frames to suit the final adoptable surface. This eliminates the potential damage to manhole covers during construction and removes the potential for residents claims for damage to their vehicles and massively reduces disruption. ClickLift provides housing developers with huge savings in terms of time, money and hassle. Allowing whole estates to have their covers raised to the final surfacing level, in as little as a few hours.

Armadillo manhole cover protector shell installed
The hard hat for your ironwork

Armadillo

Armadillo is a complete range of protector shells, designed to be placed over manhole covers and gully grates to provide enhanced protection during the construction phase.

Armadillo provides protection from construction site traffic, including tracked vehicles, and can be easily removed when the final surfacing is completed. This ensures manhole covers and gully grates can start their service life in ‘as new’ condition to optimise longevity.

Wrekin and Thames Water LGBTQ+ cover

Bespoke access covers

Alongside our standard manhole cover ranges, we also offer bespoke designs. We have been lucky enough to work on amazing projects such as the iconic LGBTQ+ access cover with Thames Water, and commemorative covers for Abbey Road and the Whitechapel fatberg amongst others.

Whether you are looking to subtly to disguise your access cover, or something extravagant to shine proud and celebrate, we are able to help design and manufacture the perfect solution for you.

Related case studies

Related case study

Bespoke steel cover at centre of new Sidmouth amphitheatre

Wrekin is proud to have created a bespoke decorative steel manhole cover as part of a significant flood alleviation scheme in a stunning new amphitheatre setting in Sidmouth, Devon. The unique cover is the focal point at the heart of the new flood storage area which doubles as an outdoor performance and event space for the community.

Devon County Council
Devon County Council
Read the full Case Study
Related case study

Bespoke access covers for the River of Light

Specialist steel access covers required as part of the artistic transformation of a city centre street in St Helier, Jersey have been designed and manufactured by civil engineering specialist Wrekin Products.  One of the highlights of the regeneration project is the Pitt Street art installation, ‘The River of Light’, funded by the Channel Islands Co-operative Society.
Channel Islands Co-operative Society
Channel Islands Co-operative Society
Read the full Case Study