174DB. Eyre Street, Hockley Port, Birmingham With thanks to Leo Conway for discovering these Survivors. Attached to a building that may have previously belonged to one company (historical maps identify the buildings as a nail works), but now appears to have been divided into smaller units, are four wall brackets supporting GEC Z5590 lanterns, for 60 - 200 Watt GLS (incandescent), or 80 - 125 Watt MBF (mercury vapour) lamps. The position of a fifth, removed, bracket is clear on the wall, while two of the remaining brackets have worked loose from their wall fixings, causing their lanterns to smash into the brickwork below.

The first installation to be seen from Spring Hill is one such casualty.

Although the polycarbonate bowl (weakened already by ultraviolet degradation from the lamp and sunlight generally) has shattered in the impact, it has proven sacrificial in protecting the still-extant glass refractor within the lantern.

The bracket's former position on the wall is clearly visible, alongside a GEC-branded box that houses the lamp control gear.

The GEC logo is visible on the forlorn lantern's canopy.

The following bracket was still attached to the wall.

This example is slightly misaligned on its bracket.

The third bracket was also still in place.

A length of Mineral-Insulated cable clipped along the building's facade serves as the means of supply to the brackets. The natural copper outer sheath has developed a verdigris patina, owing to atmospheric corrosion over the years.

The bracket was missing at the next position. A halogen floodlight positioned above the GEC box provides an alternative means of illumination.

Surprisingly, the bracket pipe has been unscrewed from its wall plate, leaving the latter still attached. The length of conduit that disappears off to the right is possibly the original supply point to the lights, as it terminates into an end box with a hole in the back, leading into the building.

The last bracket is the second to have detached from the wall, leaving the assembly hanging. This occurred at some point after September 2015, according to Google Street View imagery.

A replacement means of supplying the lights seems to exist with this installation, with a length of steel wire armoured cable being terminated into the left-hand side of the enclosure. The cable only runs for a short distance before ending abruptly, having been cut. Thus, none of the Z5590s will work any longer.

< Previous | Next >


BACK TO SURVIVORS IN THE WEST MIDLANDS

BACK TO SURVIVORS

BACK TO INDEX

CLICK HERE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION

© 2002 - English Street Lights Online