Derby's Street Lighting PFI Contract - Larges Street / York Street, City Centre

The table below details the lighting along these two roads as it appeared in 1997. The following photographs were taken on Monday, 3rd April 2017.

Seq. No.	Lamp Number	Location	Lamp Type	Watt	Isolation Point
1	29892	ADJ 78 FRIARGATE	SXPL1	90
2	29893	OS ST JAMES' CT	SXPL1	35
3	29894	ADJ NO 34	SXPL1	35
4	29895	OS NO 43	SXPL1	35
5	98411	OS NO 55	SXPL1	35
6	98412	OS NOS 54/56	SXPL1	35
7	98413	OS NO 62	SXPL1	35
8	106516	CRN OF YORK ST	FL	8
9	106517	OS NO 55	FL	8
10	106518	O/S NOS 59/63	FL	8
11	106519	SIDE 2 YORK ST	FL	8
12	106520	OPP AMBROSE TR	FL	8
13	106521	JUNC SOUTH ST	FL	8
14	106522	JUNC SOUTH ST	FL	8

Whilst the PFI had seen replacements on much of Larges Street, for some reason, the short section between South Street and York Street was left alone. Not only that, but in 2016, the rather elderly tubular steel columns were given a fresh coat of paint - rather than being repainted their 'Derbyshire Green' colour (or even the original lighter sage green finish), they were painted the same dark blue that the PFI columns were painted.

A veteran pre-1981 Thorn Beta 5 lantern was fitted, and switched using a Royce Thompson Monostar 1000 photocell, which dated from the early 2000s.

York Street

Seq. No.	Lamp Number	Location	Lamp Type	Watt	Isolation Point
1	107017	JUNC VERNON ST			Y
2	37771	OS NOS 2/2A	SXPL1	35
3	37772	OS NO 15	SXPL1	35
4	37773	O/S NOS 32/34	SXPL1	35
5	98416	O/S NO 29	SXPL1	35

Another Beta 5, this time, a top-entry version, is pictured below. As well as this example, there was another top-entry Beta 5 a little further back towards Larges Street.

Being so familiar with the curious side-to-top-entry adaptor system that was once so common in Derby, seeing one looking 'new' is very strange indeed!

Another top-entry Beta 5 was located near to the junction with Vernon Street. This was fitted to an Abacus column.

I wonder how long the rust will take to reappear in the new paintwork.

Although freshened up by having the new paint applied, the spindly column base was showing its age - not only did the inspection door lock now fail to keep the door tight to the column (though it was still 'holding'); the visible rust patch in the steel immediately above ground level is a reminder that the column will not last forever, even if the painting has improved its overall appearance slightly, even if this is only cosmetic.