12AC. Earhart Way, Cranford, London Borough of Hounslow With thanks to Hayden Bray for informing me of these Survivors. Situated on this short section of perimeter road outside Heathrow Airport are a number of GEC Z9545 lanterns; the cut-off distribution of these lanterns being required due to the proximity of the airport, and the possibility of the light output from lanterns with a more relaxed cut-off distribution causing confusion to pilots viewing the lighting from the air. Many of these lanterns are fitted to 10 m tubular steel columns and run 90 Watt SOX (low pressure sodium) lamps (8 m mounting heights are more common with this wattage); however, a few at the eastern end of the road are fitted to older 20 ft (6 m) Stewart & Lloyd columns instead, and run 55 Watt SOX lamps.

One of the lower mounting height examples is seen first.

The shorter 55 Watt lamp is (just) visible within the very functional lantern.

The second of these columns is to be found a short distance down the road.

Part of the sealing gasket is hanging out of this lantern.

The 10 m columns begin next; at this point, Earhart Way parallels the A30 Great South-West Road, with a relatively shallow excavation housing London Underground's Piccadilly line being sandwiched between the two.

The front hinge of this lantern appears to have detached from the boxy aluminium canopy.

The road passes the former British Airways Cranebank Training Centre, which now lies disused and abandoned. The roadway is closed to vehicular traffic from this point onwards, but is still accessible on foot.

The close-up of the foreground Z9545's bowl reveals that it is rather grubby internally. A Zodion SS4 photocell is provided for switching the lantern.

The columns continue into the distance until Earhart Way becomes Eastern Perimeter Road.

Back on the accessible section of road, the lantern, bracket and door were missing from one column. This revealed a rusted GEC Z1621P (probably dating from the late 1980s) ballast, a cylindrical capacitor, local fuse (with the carrier missing) and a later Henley service cut-out. The supply cable was disconnected.

< Previous | Next >

BACK TO SURVIVORS IN GREATER LONDON

BACK TO SURVIVORS

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION