Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester

The Museum features examples of both gas and electrical lanterns - as well as several vintage lamps (not shown here). Entry to these displays is free.

Several gas lanterns are usually working, with the mantles giving out a fair amount of light.

The electric lanterns are from several different eras:

Firstly, there is this carbon arc lantern - sadly it is missing its large spherical glass bowl, and a halogen capsule lamp has been fitted.

Secondly is this directional lantern - possibly a Revo design.

The lantern is fitted to an AC Ford bracket, which may have been made for the display.

Next is this immaculate GEC 'Lewisham' lantern from the 1930s. An MBF lamp is now installed but the lantern was designed for MA/V lamps.

The optics of the lantern are very poor by today's standards but to me,  this doesn't matter as the lantern's distinctive shape makes up for this.

The rear refractors are wider than those on the front - presumably in an attempt to reduce the amount of light being sent backwards.

The Lewisham was followed by this Philips KGS 203 running an 85 W QL Induction lamp. The actual colour of the output is more like that of a mercury lamp. The doorway at the end of the corridor leads to a room detailing the history of the computer...and I thought street lighting had come a long way in a short time!

A special reflector is employed due to the shape of the QL lamp.

The final lantern is this Revo 'Festival' fluorescent post-top lantern. Whilst the lantern was designed to accommodate four tubes, it appears that only one is fitted (or working, anyway) in this example. 

For more information about the Museum, go to: www.msim.org.uk

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