The Death of the Split Pin

I had a problem with the cistern in one of our toilets last week. The float came off the arm and consequently the water kept flowing into the toilet (in fact the cistern started to overflow at one point but luckily I was in the house and was able to stop this before any harm was done).

As part of replacing the float, I needed to replace a split pin (the old one was so corroded that it fell apart when I tried to take it off).

I went to my two local hardware shops (Woodies and B&Q) and neither of them stocks split pins any more! I couldn't believe it!

In fact, I had to explain what a "split pin" was to the people who worked there!

So obviously times have moved on and split pins are a thing of the past.

So I'm including a photo of a split pin below so that they will not be forgotten forever!

BTW: I also used the term "ballcock" (to refer to the float) when I was talking to the people working in the shops and they didn't know that term either!