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GEC lantern discussion
http://www.ukastle.co.uk/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=360		 Page 3 of 4
Author:  mazeteam [ Fri Nov 16, 2012 2:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
Check the lanterns closely, as it might be you are looking at two different versions: one with internal gear and one with external gear.

Also on the subject, the GEC Z953x series is a bit odd like this.... with side entry geared versions like the Z9538 the lampholder is at the 'road' end of the lantern, hinged with the geartray; whilst the top entry version, the Z9539, has the lampholder at the 'pavement' end of the lantern... this picture below shows this off using the top two lanterns as examples (both lanterns are orientatedfor the road end to be at the left)
Image
Author:  sotonsteve [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
Here's a question...

GEC's range of street lighting lanterns usually consisted of a Z prefix followed by four numbers. However, some lanterns carried a ZD prefix followed by three, four or five numbers. What made GEC decide to use a ZD prefix rather than a Z prefix?
Author:  Claire [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
sotonsteve wrote:
Here's a question...

GEC's range of street lighting lanterns usually consisted of a Z prefix followed by four numbers. However, some lanterns carried a ZD prefix followed by three, four or five numbers. What made GEC decide to use a ZD prefix rather than a Z prefix?


I understand that the 'D' stood for Decorative.
Author:  sotonsteve [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
Claire wrote:
sotonsteve wrote:
Here's a question...

GEC's range of street lighting lanterns usually consisted of a Z prefix followed by four numbers. However, some lanterns carried a ZD prefix followed by three, four or five numbers. What made GEC decide to use a ZD prefix rather than a Z prefix?


I understand that the 'D' stood for Decorative.


That's interesting. That makes sense if you look at the 'saucers' to which this applies, but there are some anomalies. The geared version of the Z5670 (ZD6526) may be a post-top, but in my opinion it was a functional post-top and no more decorative than the standard Z5670 series. There was also the catenary motorway lantern and 'brick' (ZD3230 and ZD4565), which were designed for use on motorways.
Author:  Urbis Saturn Land [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 4:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
The ZD anomalies on the non decorative GEC lanterns has got me thinking.

I'll hazard a guess but I could be wrong, could the ZD designation on the non decorative lanterns be down to the lack of Zxxxx possibilities? As there where a few codes used for the various 'Bricks' series, even though it was the same lantern a different code was used depending on what was different with the lantern such as spigot design for example.
Author:  mazeteam [ Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
That might be it... they probably started off with ZD to mean 'decorative' lanterns, but as they got certain lanterns with so many variations they ran out of numbers and so somebody probably said "stick a ZD in front of a random number and that's what we'll call it"! :lol:
Author:  versalift09 [ Sun Feb 03, 2013 6:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
I've also noticed the ZD prefix used for identifying certain GEC lantern castings, although not necessarily bearing any relation to the lantern code itself. All interesting stuff  8-)
Author:  Phosco152 [ Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
At Whiteley in Fareham borough, Hampshire are some SON GEC bricks dating from the mid 1980s. They don’t appear in any GEC catalogues and Simon Cornwell’s site doesn’t have any info on them.

Image

A chance discovery by sotonsteve has solved the mystery, they are GEC ZD8305 lanterns. More in the collection thread.
Author:  GreatNorburyStDepot [ Wed Sep 17, 2014 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
Whilst having a sort through some of my vintage streetlighting "bumf", I came across this sheet. Interesting reading actually,  as it was an "Advance Information Sheet" for a modified Z5590 and one which I haven't come across before. The GEC product description code is: Z5590/1"CO".

"The lantern is designed for use in the vicinity of airfields,  and for dock and waterside lighting, where a cut-off distribution is required. The lantern is suitable for use with 60-200 watt Osram pearl tungsten filament BC or ES cap; or 80 watt or 125 watt Osram MB/U or MBF/U mercury vapour lamp. The lantern has a symmetric, cut-off distribution".

As is typical, there is no date reference on the sheet. Much use was obviously made of an existing lantern, with key elements retained. Despite mention of a "tropicalised felt gasket . . . to make a weatherproof joint when the lantern was closed", there seems to be no inclusion of the usual flat glass into the outer shade. Perhaps in the absence of a reliable neoprene rubber, having an open lantern design would remove problems caused by the  lantern "breathing in" after a night time's use.

Does anyone out there know of its existence in the real world, or did it fail to get off the drawing board?

Attachments:
GEC Z5590 CO.jpg
GEC Z5590 CO.jpg [ 212.82 KiB | Viewed 11033 times ]
Author:  Phosco152 [ Thu Sep 18, 2014 3:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GEC lantern discussion
Interesting. The 01 code for London was abandoned in May 1990, but given the Telex reference, I suspect this was from the 1970s.

Yet another case of GEC making a lantern "for all seasons" - in other words yet another variant for what is probably a fairly small market, and for which they couldn't guarantee their fittings would be chosen for.

Perhaps Simon Cornwell knows more...
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