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 Post subject: GEC lantern discussion
PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:16 pm 
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sotonsteve wrote:
Here is the latest lantern in my collection:

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It is a GEC Z9541 "Brick". You may be asking "What makes a Z9541 different to a Z9545?" The answer is I'm not fully sure, because I only knew of the existence of the Z9541 as a product code when I saw it badged this way on this lantern. Could it be because the spigot is of a different style? Everything else is much the same I believe.


Sotonsteve's Z9541 Brick has got me thinking. My own Z9555 and Z9565, 135 and 180W Bricks both have spigots like this:

Image

Looking at my pictures of Bricks from Guildford to Colchester, and Heathrow to Maidenhead they all have the same spigots as mine.

However the Z9541 is different.

Image

I can see the reason for it, by blending the spigot socket into the plate with a deeper web, the whole assembly is much stronger.

On the original design, there is an abrupt transition from the socket to the plate - but given its thickness I'm surprised it was considered a weak point. These lanterns are very light and 180W versions survived in Portsmouth for 40 years and the 1987 hurricane. Does anyone recall seeing a failed one?

Given the different designs it seems GEC weren't that happy with it..


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:52 pm 
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There is also a third style of spigot, as seen on both the SOX and SON 'Bricks' in Whiteley, Hampshire:

Image

It appears to be like the original spigot, except without the thicker casting on the underside for the grub screws, and instead with grub screws entering the sides of the spigot.


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PostPosted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:07 pm 
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It may be an optical illusion - my Brick is on a side road bracket - but the SON version looks to have a larger diameter spigot socket in relation to the plate. The bracket on the column is also thicker on sotonsteve's picture which makes it a bit tricky to tell.

A larger diameter socket with perhaps thicker walls to take the grub screws would be another way to add strength, rather than having the deeper web.

Given the SON lanterns are geared and therefore heavier, I suspect my theory may well be correct - I very much doubt that GEC went back to the original design after it had already been re-designed once.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:35 am 
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Phosco152 wrote:
It may be an optical illusion - my Brick is on a side road bracket - but the SON version looks to have a larger diameter spigot socket in relation to the plate. The bracket on the column is also thicker on sotonsteve's picture which makes it a bit tricky to tell.


I was referring to the cuboid add-on to the casting for the grub screws rather than the cylindrical part itself.


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PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:19 am 
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Could the GEC Z95XX range be similar to Phillips MA range, I.E. different sized lanterns and in GEC's case different spigots too.

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PostPosted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:06 pm 
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I'm wondering if this could also be used to tell the age of the lantern, as the only GEC Bricks in York have the same spigot as the one Steve has just obtained (and Steve pointed it out to me) and so these could be newer. I think they are late 1980's/early 90's lanterns due to the appearance of the buildings around them...

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:27 pm 
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mazeteam wrote:
I'm wondering if this could also be used to tell the age of the lantern, as the only GEC Bricks in York have the same spigot as the one Steve has just obtained (and Steve pointed it out to me) and so these could be newer. I think they are late 1980's/early 90's lanterns due to the appearance of the buildings around them...


Are you able to link this to us on Google Street View?

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Aside from bricks, I found this old image of GEC Turtles in London (1981):

Image
Bishopsgate Goods Yard by Steve White2008, on Flickr


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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:38 pm 
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http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ll= ... ,,2,-16.23

Here's one of the York ones at Askham Bar, the spigot is sloped just the same.
I think this is one of the columns that is a chopoff now.

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:44 pm 
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I'm guessing early 90's by looking at the GSV link.

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PostPosted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:44 pm 
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Urbis Saturn Land wrote:
I'm guessing early 90's by looking at the GSV link.


I concur, all the surroundings look to be of that era in origin.


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