148D. Off Coach Gap Lane, Langar, Nottinghamshire Installed along a roadway leading to a couple of industrial units are a number of derelict 15 ft (5 m) Concrete Utilities columns of an unknown type (it is, possibly, a variation of the 'Avenue 2D' design), supporting the remains of Revo C13566 cut-off lanterns. These installations are likely to date from the early 1940s, as the land was occupied by RAF Langar during the Second World War; the base having opened in 1942. Sadly, after nearly eighty years of being situated along the road, by 2020, the top-entry brackets on many of the columns were in very poor condition, with a number of the lanterns missing most of their bodywork through corrosion. By 1952, the site had been taken over by the Royal Canadian Air Force, and it remained under their control for the next eleven years. Today, the runways remain in use as part of the private Langar Airfield, although access to it from this roadway is no longer possible.
The first column is spied just a short distance after leaving the main Coach Gap Lane.
Very little remains of the lantern's casing; the steel reflector having rotted away to (virtually) nothing.
The porcelain bayonet lampholder was intact, however, along with the cap from a long-smashed tungsten filament (GLS) lamp.
Unlike the Avenue 2D column, which has a triangular base that matches the profile of the column shaft, these columns have a wider, quadrilateral base.
The bracket was in a very bad way, with most of the concrete having broken away, revealing the internal steel conduit and reinforcing rods.
The bracket fitted to the next column along was in better condition, although this also had damage at its joint with the column.
The reflector was missing completely on this lantern.
The bracket had disappeared from the next column. I did look for it in the surrounding grass, but it was nowhere to be found, save for a small lump of concrete.
The bracket on the following installation didn't look to have long left for this world either.
Again, the spalling was considerably advanced. Notice that the internal conduit has rotted through towards the rear of the bracket.
"REVO Prov. Pat." is cast into the access panel on the top section of the lantern.
This lampholder didn't even hold a lamp cap any longer!
After making a left turn, another installation came into view.
Remarkably, the lantern body was intact with this example; however, the internal adjustable curved mirror reflectors were long gone.
A small portion of the lamp remained inside - judging by the length of its neck, it may have been a 150 Watt example.
The following lantern was also extant.
This example retained its cast iron front ring, which would have supported a glass cover originally. Revo produced an open version of this fitting that excluded the cover - the C13564.
The lamp still appeared to be intact in this example too. A small corrosion hole is visible at the rear of the lantern as it appears here.
Full-length view.
The bracket on the next example was in very precarious condition.
I was surprised that it had fractured in such a way that it fell to one side, ensuring that the lantern remains were not smashed against the column in the process.
The column was leaning, and may have been struck by a vehicle, which is probably what caused the bracket to collapse too.
The conduit appears to be holding the bracket in place, though for how long is anyone's guess.
The final example's bracket was in place, although little was left of the lantern.
Even the lampholder had gone from this example, with the two asbestos-sheathed wires protruding through the baffle plate.
The reinforcement rods were beginning to become visible on the bracket.
The baffle plate appears to be brass or copper, given the appearance of a verdigris as the metal has weathered.
This column's inspection door was missing, revealing a cracked VIR (Vulcanised India Rubber) cable heading up the shaft.
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