174AB. Saint Peter's Close, Maney, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham With thanks to Leo Conway for discovering these Survivors. Installed on this short, private cul-de-sac are four 15 ft (5 m) tubular steel columns, with each one supporting an Atlas / Thorn Gamma 5 post-top lantern. The 1960s' cul-de-sac is built on land that was occupied formerly by the hall and two tennis courts that belonged to the adjacent, eponymous St Peter's Church; a replacement hall being built behind the church on spare land.

The installations are all in excellent condition, and appear to be well maintained - the columns are painted gloss black, which looked relatively fresh.

Domestic GLS (incandescent)-shaped LED lamps are fitted into the four Gamma 5s - notice that the original lampholder in the first example has been replaced; a batten-type household lampholder is now fitted in this first example.

A prismatic glass refractor dome surrounds the lamp, and provides a small amount of optical control.

Small plastic electrical enclosures have been added to each column base - I didn't look closely, but these may accommodate photocells to allow the lanterns to switch automatically.

This Gamma 5's Perspex bowl has become slightly more translucent than the example seen on the first lantern was. The canopy is also slightly misaligned, allowing the top of part of the bowl to be visible, and therefore, increasing the likelihood of dirt gathering within the lantern.

The third column is to be found to the rear of the site.

The refractor is missing from this lantern, allowing the lamp to be seen without being obscured.

The final installation is situated alongside the communal garage area.

I suspect that these Gamma 5s have never run discharge lamps - standard GLS lamp options did exist in official literature, and provided that the columns do not suffer structural failure, the use of LED lamps in the modern era should ensure that these lanterns can continue in service for many more years.

This example's internal sealing gasket would benefit from being re-attached to its canopy, mind you!

< Previous | Next >

BACK TO SURVIVORS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

BACK TO SURVIVORS