Derby's Street Lighting PFI Contract

Kedleston Road Service Road, Allestree - Part One

This road was home to several variants of the popular Thorn Beta 5 35 Watt SOX lantern. All were due for removal as part of the PFI. The following photographs were taken on Sunday, 11th July 2010.

Firstly, this late 1970s' - early 1980s' example was located at the entrance to the footpath leading to Carsington Crescent. This example featured a stainless steel bowl clip; meaning that it can date to no later than 1981, when the stainless steel clip gave way to the plastic toggle fitted to all Beta 5s installed after this date.

The next few columns were early Stanton 7 concretes; dating from the late 1940s to the early 1950s. All of the columns were sleeved, but the variation in lanterns did not stop. Notice that the road surface here is of a concrete construction. It is likely to be the original road surface for this road.

This Beta 5 (again, likely to date from the early 1980s) does not appear to have a photocell fitted. Whether the cell was simply missing when these pictures were taken, or whether the lantern was operated by a time switch or even group-controlled is not known.

A WRTL Arc replaced the Beta 5 on the next column in the mid-2000s.

The next Stanton 7 still retained its Beta 5. This is a 1990s' variant, although the deep bowl common to earlier designs is fitted here.

This particular column appeared to be suffering from "Hokey-Cokey syndrome" when pictured...or perhaps it was just marked that a new column would be installed in the hole it vacated when removed; I'm not sure.

A top-entry Beta 5 (complete with modified sleeve) was the next in line:

A large conifer tree surrounded most of the sleeve on the following column:

The last three installations saw a return to tubular steel columns. The first supported another top-entry Beta 5.

An early 2000s replacement tubular steel column supporting a shallow-bowled Beta 5 was also due for removal. Notice that the bowl clip on this lantern is broken; resulting in the use of a cable tie to secure the bowl.

Finally, another side-entry Beta 5 dating from the 1980s completed the lighting on this road. This example was newer than the first example pictured on this page was; evidenced by the plastic bowl toggle on this lantern.

Notice the street lighting feeder pillar located adjacent this column.

CONTINUE TO PART TWO

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