12FD. Parkdale, off Bounds Green Road, Bounds Green, London. Thanks to Alex Monk for informing me of these Survivors. Located in the communal parking area behind the flats are four ELECO-Way Slim Post Top lanterns, probably the HW-898 variant, each attached to a 15 ft (5 m) 'ELECOSLIM' 1308 concrete column. Sadly, at the time of photographing, in January 2022, the death knell had sounded for these 1960s' installations, with new Abacus 6 m base-hinged columns supporting TRT Aspect Eco LED lanterns being installed alongside, suggesting that the old columns would be due for imminent removal.

The difference in height between the old and new columns is very apparent; the use of base-hinged columns is probably because the parking area is accessed by traversing some of the flats that bridge the roadway, preventing direct access for a maintenance vehicle, owing to the limited headroom.

As the lanterns are fitted to ELECO's own column range, a special base section is used that matches the column's contours. The alternative (and more common) option was a base casting that catered for traditional circular column spigots.

With the optical pattern of the new lanterns being so different to that of their predecessors, the car park will look considerably different when these provide the night-time illumination.

The columns are hexagonal, with a door that is shaped to match this profile. As ELECO door keys are not exactly commonplace these days, all doors are now supported with tape or cable ties, and appear to have been forced open in an attempt to gain access (probably as part of the decommissioning and removal process).

ELECO, the British Standard 'Kitemark' logo, and the 1308 product code is moulded into the concrete below the door.

The damaged concrete to the top-left of the door aperture reveals a Davis / ELECO 'Thyractor' ballast for 35 - 55 Watt SOX lamps - literature for this lantern indicates that it could accommodate 45 - 60 Watt SOI/H lamps (the 60 Watt being the forerunner of (what became) the 35 Watt SOX lamp).

A general view of the car park and its lighting, including one column that had had an Urbis ZX1 installed as a replacement for a failed ELECO lantern at some point. Another column topped with a ZX1 was located adjacent Bounds Green Road itself; this too was to be replaced as part of this work. Notice that the new column in the foreground was awaiting the fitting of a lantern at the time.

The same installation, from a different angle. The maintenance number attached to the concrete column's shaft suggests that these are maintained by Haringey Council.

The Perspex bowl employed was available in two grades of opalescence - 030 and 040, with the latter being the type fitted to these lanterns.

Two further old and new installations are located towards the rear of the parking area.

Photocells have been introduced to the ELECO lanterns over the years (replacing time switches, in all likelihood) - all appear to be on 20 mm mounting with flying leads, rather than the NEMA type that the replacement lanterns utilise. This would be for ease of conversion and installation. As the more visible photocells on the post-tops look to be Sirebeck products, conversion to photocell operation is likely to have occurred in the early-mid 1990s.

Where the Sirebeck cells have failed, miniature photocells are used instead.

The HW-898 seen at the start of this page entered my Collection in March 2022; click here for details.

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