174DA. Bryant Street / Blackford Street, Winson Green, Birmingham, West Midlands With thanks to Leo Conway for discovering these Survivors. The 5 m tubular steel columns installed on this small terraced housing estate have, as of January 2025, managed to avoid the fitting of LED lanterns; instead, all retain lanterns designed for traditional discharge lamps, and none of these have been converted to take an LED retro-fit source instead. Four of the columns are fitted with the smaller version of the Simplex Gemini (or possibly Relite "New Sodium", depending on their age) lanterns, made locally to Birmingham. Unusually, while this version of the Gemini's most common lamp type was the 35 Watt SOX (low pressure sodium), these examples run a tubular high pressure sodium (SON-T) lamp instead. This is not an in-service conversion; a SON option was produced, probably as a means of competing with Philips' MI55, a similar product.
Two of the installations are pictured here; this is one of the Bryant Street examples.
The lantern's original NEMA photocell socket lies disused; a Telensa Telecell now controls this lantern's operation.
The additional heat emitted by the lamp (in comparison to that of a SOX lamp) has caused additional discolouration to the polycarbonate bowl.
This example is to be found at Blackthorn Street's junction with Bryant Street.
The Telecell here has replaced the photocell directly.
The underside of this example's bowl is slightly clearer, allowing the lampholder and connector block to be seen within the lantern.
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