Local Philips SGS 204s

The SGS 204 was used in Derby as a replacement for failed Thorn Alpha 3s in the late 1990s. Derby's Street Lighting PFI saw many of these lanterns disappear as a result of their columns being removed; however, at the time of writing, a number still existed on Uttoxeter Road, near the Royal Derby Hospital, and on Osmaston Park Road. Further afield, these lanterns could also be seen on the A61 Chesterfield Bypass.

This now-removed 250 Watt example in Derby City Centre is attached to a 25 ft Stewart and Lloyd column, which would originally have supported an Alpha 3.

The large roundabout on the A5111 Osmaston Park Road (part of Derby's Ring Road system) is home to a number of 250 Watt SGS 204s; one of which was dayburning at the time of photographing.

Clearly, the lantern's Royce Thompson Monostar 1000 photocell has failed, in order for this fault to occur.

Further, non-dayburning examples could be seen around the roundabout's gyratory.

The columns are spaced relatively closely together.

This lantern has a flat glass cover; it is the only non-bowled example on the roundabout.

SGS 204s running 250 Watt lamps can also be seen at the junction where the A516 Uttoxeter New Road meets the A5111 Kingsway / Manor Road.

These examples are fitted to Fabrikat 10 m tubular steel columns, and date from around 1993, when the junction underwent considerable modification.

Unlike the relatively clean example seen at the top of this page, these lanterns feature very grubby canopies, and heavily discoloured polycarbonate bowls.

Two columns are installed side-by-side on one limb of the junction. A less 'cluttered' solution would have been for a single column to have been installed at this point, with a bespoke twin-arm bracket fabricated that catered for both perpendicular lantern positions. In blustery weather, the proximity of the two columns causes them to 'knock' together. An attempt to reduce this effect by using a stainless steel 'Tespa' band strapped just above the two column bases reduces this effect.

Notice that none of the lanterns are fitted with photocells; the installations are group-switched from a column on the other side of the junction.

An identifying feature of these lanterns is the large oblong black plastic bowl clip at the front.

This group of SGS 204s began to be replaced with D.W. Windsor Kirium Pro LED lanterns in early 2021.

This 400 Watt example was on the Morledge in Derby City Centre. It was fitted to a column that would originally have supported an Atlas Alpha 8; being replaced in more energy-conscious years with another Alpha 3. The photocell is seen to be bypassed with a NEMA shorting plug, as the lights here are all group-switched. The photograph was taken from the roof of the adjacent Cock Pitt car park - an excellent vantage point for taking photographs overlooking the city! Again, this installation no longer exists, though in this case, it is because of road realigning, owing to the redevelopment of the adjacent Bus Station.

This example also (perhaps unbelievably, given the relatively low mounting height) ran a 400 Watt lamp - I guess that the Alpha 3 that was installed here previously would similarly have run a lamp of this wattage, and so a lantern of the equivalent wattage was fitted when the Alpha 3 required replacing.

This close-up of the left-hand example in the above picture reveals the rather rough appearance of the lantern's canopy, as it appeared in August 2015.

As can be seen, these lanterns are also of the flat glass type. They may each, therefore, run 400 Watt lamps as well.