I noticed them too and tried to work out what the lanterns were, I'm guessing a rare GR100 type installation. As for the columns, I wondered how these have suvived remarkably intact.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

I'm not sure those columns are Concrete Utilities. As for the lantern, that appears to be a GEC Z9537/9.

CU had a very similar pre war design. I would have thought it unlikely another manufacturer would have copied it so closely. The base of the column also looks to be "typically" CU.


I agree though that the lantern is likely to be a GEC Z9537/9.

I noticed that too, not surprised to see it mentioned in this thread given how attentive we are. Its a lovely column and in great condition. Wonder what other gems the base holds.

In this Goodies episode, go to 26:22 and you'll see a Thorn Gamma 1 in the grounds of the BBC Television Centre, now lit by Gamma 5s. The 5s are now clearly on borrowed time though due to the closure and ongoing redevelopment of the Television Centre.

A few Sundays ago I was up way past my bedtime (as usual!) when Withnail & I came on the late night movie slot. I wasn't really paying attention to it but it caught my eye when they started their journey on the motorway and entered a sea of 135/180W SOX, seen here: http://youtu.be/faYSY7hWbRY?t=1m30s

That scene reminded me a lot of my childhood motorway journeys when SOX was a lot more common and to be honest I think it may well have been a catalyst for me getting into this hobby.



just think how much money we'd save if motorways were still lit with 135/180W SOX, instead of highmasts stuffed with 6+ lanterns running 600W SON.

Those appear to be GEC Bricks. Not quite sure about the location.

Thanks. I suppose it isn't easy to tell by looking at that image, but I'll edit my post now.

Just to say that the annual Tour de France cycle race starts today ... in Leeds!

Although the cycle race itself is of obvious importance to the UK (after all, Bradley Wiggins won it in 2012 and Chris Froome won it in 2013), one of the benefits of the rolling TV coverage is that you get to see what is lighting the roads as well.

The three UK stages of the 2014 race are:
Stage One (today): Leeds to Harrogate;
Stage Two (tomorrow): York to Sheffield;
Stage Three (Monday 7th July): Cambridge to London.

Click on the links above to see the stage maps and a list of towns and villages being visited by the Tour. You can also zoom into the maps to view individual roads.

Thankfully, the lion's share of the places being visited by this year's Tour have not had their street lighting PFI'd, so the TV coverage will be well worth a watch if you're a fan of old concretes, turtles, SOX, and with any luck, possibly some mercury too. I know for example that the opening few minutes of Stage Three takes in the lion's share of Cambridge's Richardson Candles:



The Essex part of the tour on Stage Three will also take in epic quantities of SOX (which is still the dominant light source in the county) as well as many parish mercuries in the rural stages between Saffron Walden and North Weald.

The UK stages of the Tour De France are being broadcast live on ITV1 today (10:30am to 3:45pm); tomorrow (10:30am to 5pm) and on Monday (midday to 4:30pm)

Couldn't agree with you more David! The nearest to me the Tour de France will pass is Woodford, and these fantastic installations with GR150s will feature on the TV broadcast (as far as I know they're still standing, as surrounding roads had their lighting upgraded to metal halide a few months ago, but oddly this one didn't). I was hoping to go and see the race (and get some shots of the lighting in the process) but sadly I'm working so can't make it.