148 - Market Square, Bingham, Nottinghamshire

148. Market Square, Bingham, Nottinghamshire Located on the perimeter roads surrounding the market square area are a number of 15 ft Concrete Utilities "Fluted" concrete columns; all supporting a single P109 "Georgian" lantern. The original version of the "Fluted" column appeared in 1935, but the design was updated in 1956, in order to include provision for a base compartment option. Although the type seen here is of the latter design, these columns are unlikely to be quite as old as this - in fact, archival photographs suggest that they may date from around the late 1970s / early 1980s. Whilst some of the columns are in their "natural" concrete finish, others are painted gloss black, in order to create the appearance of a cast iron column. The lanterns run either 100 Watt or 150 Watt SON-T lamps - even when fitted with glass refractor domes, the output is likely to be somewhat glary, owing to the low mounting heights.

The first column pictured is located on Market Street, near the junction with Long Acre.

The refractor dome in the next example had become partially detached from its support ring.

A painted column followed; the gloss black finish shining in the early-morning sun. For some reason, the bowl on this lantern was especially opalescent; the result of UV degradation.

The height of the lantern on the next column caused it to be touching the gutter of an adjacent building.

The lantern attached to the following column was perhaps a newer replacement (although the canopy's ornate latticework was heavily rusted); the longer cylindrical refractor providing an improved optical control.

This column's paint finish was beginning to wear, revealing the original concrete finish beneath. This lantern also looked to be a replacement; the latticework on this example being painted gold.

The next example could be seen outside The Butter Cross pub. Until recently, there had been an intermediate installation situated just to the left of the K6 telephone kiosks in the background; a new 6 m tubular steel column supporting a new P109 now existed at this position.

The canopy securing finial was missing from this lantern; a nut had been screwed onto the threaded rod in order to hold the assembly together.

Not only was the finial missing from this example as well, but the refractor dome had fallen away from its support ring completely, and now lay rather forlornly in the bottom of the lantern. The cash machine visible to the left of the column made national headlines in February 2012, when thieves stole it using a tractor as a means of wrenching it out of the wall. (Incidentally, the refractor had already fallen before the theft occurred; it didn't fall as a result of the incident.)

The Zodion SS54-style two-part photocell detector featured prominently on this lantern's canopy.

The white Royce Thompson P42-style detector was also rather obvious on the final installation. The refractor on this example, although still securely fitted to its ring, was in need of a bit of a clean!