ELECO 'Goldenray Mk VIII' HW-846
Lantern acquired in March 2025.
This lantern fits the expression "the right place at the right time" perfectly - I had planned to visit Prune Park Lane, in Wilsden, Bradford, to photograph this lantern for a Survivors from the Past article on Saturday, 8th March 2025. Noticing that Prune Park Lane happened to have a road closure in place when I visited, I parked up and began walking along the road. As I was walking, I noticed that many of the lanterns along this road were dayburning, and wondered if there was any chance that this was related to the road closure, though equally, given the road's rural location, it could have been genuine faults that I was witnessing, and the two events were purely coincidental. As I walked on, I noticed a van parked up with beacons flashing in the distance, in the approximate location of where I knew the HW-846 was situated. Approaching further, I realised that this was a Bradford Council street lighting maintenance van...fate had drawn me to this road on this particularly date! After chatting with the operatives, I discovered that the lantern was due to be replaced there and then, and so naturally, I asked whether it could be saved for me, to which (as this page existing would suggest) they agreed. Thus, my 202nd lantern was a surprise, and very welcome, addition - travel not only expands the mind, but also the Collection too, it transpires!
A very big thank-you to the operatives involved in the replacement for donating the lantern to me.
The HW-846 is pictured here moments before being removed. One of the workmen mentioned that the poles are likely to be replaced completely in the near future, as all of the original ones are now in poor condition through corrosion.
The close-up reveals that the bowl is cracked, but I was still keen to save the lantern.
The HW-846 is the side-entry version of the HW-747, and shares many components. A short section of the bracket, including a large clamp from a long-gone support bar, remains fitted in the lantern - the two 3/16" grub screws are jammed. As always when there is an off-cut of the old bracket fixed into the lantern, the first task was to file down the exposed edges, to reduce their sharpness.
The canopy is not drilled for a photocell, as the lanterns were group-controlled from a single location, with the overhead supply cables between support poles only being energised after nightfall.
As with the HW-747, the original ELECO bowl had been replaced with a vacuum-formed replacement. Sadly, the plastic is very thin, and has broken in multiple places, as I had noted while the lantern was still installed. I will attempt to glue the breaks back together.
Whereas the HW-747 was in good condition internally, the HW-846 will need more work, but it is all complete. No lamp was fitted in the lantern at the time of its removal - it may have been left out as the wiring to the lampholder is burnt out.
Something very wrong has occurred to this wiring, for it to have melted through completely, on both the live and neutral to the lampholder.
Testing the ballast will prove interesting - I wonder if it still works if its output managed to cause so much damage to these conductors.
The lampholder itself is also broken, and the fixing screws are seized here too.
Removing the reflector allows the gear to be seen - this comprises a Philips L4045BX ballast for 40 - 60 Watt lamps (this being the first indicator that the lantern was made prior to 1968, as this was when these wattages evolved to become the 35 - 55 wattages), and L4013/02 capacitor. Notice that there are numerous unused bosses cast into this side of the aluminium, including two that seem to allow the lampholder to be positioned at the front of the lantern as an alternative position. Owing to there being no provision for a fuse box on the support pole, a GEC in-line fuse carrier has been added into the lantern. This looks to be a 1980s' alteration - there may not have been any local fusing to the lantern at all prior to then. There is also no earth conductor connected.
The part code is cast into the front of the canopy too.
'K7' is stamped on the ballast, which represents September 1967.
The capacitor is rated at 13 µF. Assuming that it is dated in the same style, the 'B7' stamp is likely to represent when it was made, which translates to February 1967.
The fuse carrier and its body are formed of black plastic that has discoloured from the heat generated by the lamp.
The fuse appears to have taken the place of the wiring connector block, and is screwed roughly into the threaded boss that would have secured it previously.
The carrier accommodates a BS88 6 amp 'SS'-type fuse, with offset pins.
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