ESLA - Twenty Years On

I had hoped to give the whole installation a full repaint in time for its twentieth anniversary in 2023. Alas, the logistics in doing this proved too difficult (to paint the ESLA safely would require the hiring of a scaffold tower, or an access platform, and both cost money and time that I don't have), but I was keen to mark the occasion nonetheless, especially following Jeremy's untimely death two years earlier. Eventually, I decided that as he wrote his initials on anything that he installed in Street Lighting, the column should also bear the hallowed initials. Therefore, using the traditional metal stencil-based system that has existed in Derbyshire for many years, the column gained a JPS mark at last. I also added the number '573', which was Jeremy's personal two-way radio number at the time when I underwent work experience with the Council in 2003.

To ensure that there was no over-spraying on any of the stencils, each one was attached to the column separately, using masking tape. Sheets of newspaper were then used to plug any gaps. The white gloss spray paint can was shaken for over five minutes, to ensure that the paint had thickened, and wouldn't drip or run during application.

Something that I have not uploaded to here previously is that a birthday present some years ago was a model version of the ESLA and column, with a miniature version of me appearing to switch the lantern on, and off, using the time switch's manual override button. The video below demonstrates its operation.

The ESLA Project
Preliminary Photographs	Restoration	Choosing and installing the Column	Being fitted to the Column	Wiring up and Working	An ESLA for all Seasons	Re-lamping	Five Years On	Ten Years On

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION