Local Philips SGS 203s

The SGS 203 is a popular lantern all over the UK, and certainly, examples can be seen in Derbyshire. It isn't used here in great numbers, however - probably due to Thorn's Alpha 8 being a preferred choice. Wattages range from 70 Watt to 250 Watt SON although there was also a 55 Watt QL Induction lamp version in use, as well as the odd mercury example. The polycarbonate bowl version is the most popular around here; a few flat-glass examples exist in places, however.

The QL version (KGS 203) is shown first; this example was a one-off and was located on Enoch Stone Drive in Spondon, prior to the road being relit as part of Derby's Street Lighting PFI.

When operating, the lantern produced an output that was similar in appearance to that of a mercury vapour lamp.

Another unusual variant of the SGS 203 - these examples on a footpath off Broadway in Darley Abbey run White SON lamps.

This example can be found in a car park off Stratford Road in Chaddesden - it is running a 125 Watt mercury lamp. The lantern would officially therefore be a HGS 203, although it is an in-house conversion and so is probably still labelled as an SGS 203.

On the other hand, this was a 'true' HGS 203 and was always geared up to run a 125 Watt MBF lamp. The lighting column also supports a CCTV camera; presumably the mercury lantern was there to provide some colour rendering for the camera at night. In the background, part of the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary (as was - now the London Road Community Hospital) can be seen. Again, this lantern was later replaced as part of the Street Lighting PFI.

This freshly-installed (at the time of photographing - the 27th June 2005) 70 Watt SON SGS 203 is located in Hobart Close in Mickleover; replacing a concrete column of some repute. A large-scale replacement programme using WRTL Arcs began on this estate a few months after this SGS was installed; however, the lantern was retained. This lasted until August 2021, when a 1 m extension section was added to the 5 m column, and a D.W. Windsor Kirium Pro Mini LED lantern installed instead.

This example was on the corner of Iron Gate and St Mary's Gate. The flowers to the right of both pictures are in a hanging basket - hanging from a column supporting DW Windsor Windsor!

Several flat-glass examples exist in a car park in Matlock. They are fitted to CU steel columns with long outreach brackets.

A 35 Lux SELC / Westire AcRo photocell switches this lantern on and off as required.

These lanterns are original to the Fabrikat columns and brackets that support them.

A Zodion SS6 photocell rated at 55 Lux controls this lantern's operation.

This 150 Watt example is on a junction leading onto a sliproad for the A516. This and several others were added in order to complement the existing lighting, which consisted of Thorn Pilote T2s. The bowls have started to discolour from the UV rays emitted by the lamp. This lantern was replaced in 2019; an Urbis Ampera Midi 94 W LED lantern served as the replacement.

Further down the A516, this double-arm column that supported a Pilote on one side and an SGS 203 on the other looks rather the worst for wear after being struck by a vehicle.

Parts of the Pilote were scattered everywhere. The small curved object to the right of the column is the reflector, and adjacent that is at least part of the vehicle's front bumper. A headlight was visible slightly further along!