Need to put 5 core 25mm swa cable through collapsed duct

[JohnW2]

Edit: In reply to John, ... Personally, I'd just push it as far as it would go, and after making sure that a bit more of a shoove won't get it moving, and that the cut end is not digging into the side, I'd put a band of tape on it where it the remaining cable emerged from the duct, then pull it out and lay it on the surface. Provided the route can be seen, it should be trivial to see where you need to dig

Sure, that would identify the location of the problem, but my point was that there might possibly be no need to 'dig'. The fact that it is a 'collapse' is presumably an assumption. Perhaps less likely (but not impossible), but a camera might reveal some other reason for the 'blockage' (even a dead animal perhaps ) - which might just possibly be shiftable/removable using drain rods with appropriate tools' on the end.

 

[IJWS15]

Duct collapses generally happen when backfilling, was a rope put in at installation and was it checked before you paid the contractor?

A cobra may help, then a camera if that doesn’t work. Water jetting may clear it if it is silted, other than that - dig.

 

[sparkwright]

The two magic questions have to be
1) How long has this ducting been installed?
2) And as IJWS15 asks, was a draw rope put in?

I think it was mentioned this run is something like 40 metres - so without a draw rope I imagine the cable could get stuck, even if there is no actual blockage.

Send photos.