194EA. Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside Installed within the Lever Brothers' Model Village Conservation Area are two separate notable installations - firstly, attached to the Bridge Inn Public House on Victoria Street are two Atlas Alpha 5 lanterns, with each fitted with a 140 or 200 Watt SLI/H (linear low pressure sodium) lamp. Given that SLI/H lamp production ceased in the 1980s, and the Alpha 5 itself was discontinued after 1978, these installations have probably lain disused for the best part of forty years. The second Survivor is an equally-abandoned Alpha 8 lantern attached to an older Stanton 6 25 ft (8 m) concrete column by a Type B side-entry bracket that is located within the grounds of the Unilever factory on Wood Street. Formerly, Alpha 1 lanterns were attached to some very elderly Stewart & Lloyd 25 ft tubular steel columns, but these had all been replaced by the time of photographing, in September 2024.
The first of the two Alpha 5s is missing its bowl.
While this is a shame, it does allow the SLI/H lamp to be viewed easily.
Sadly, the lamp is damaged, although its construction reveals it to be a Thorn product. The label attached to the above-lamp reflector confirms this to be an Atlas example of the Alpha 5, dating from the 1960s.
As can be seen, the barium getters at either end of the lamp have become cloudy-white, indicating an air leak in the outer bulb.
The 'Terry' clip, used in supporting the lamp, has become rusty through exposure to moisture.
The bowl remains on the second example, however.
The lamp looks to have detached, and is lying on the bottom of the bowl, although its state cannot be determined, owing to dirt on the inside of the bowl obscuring the view.
The Stanton 6 column supporting the Alpha 8 is in a gated compound alongside the main factory building.
The bowl clip is insecure, causing a gap to form at the front of the lantern. Judging by the moss growth on the canopy and bowl, the lantern has probably been out of use for a long time.
A large portion of the concrete from around the front of the bracket is missing, allowing the bolts that secure it to the column to be seen.
The column door is missing, revealing that much of the wiring has been removed, leaving only the rear of a Red Spot cut-out attached to the backboard.
A rather unintentionally atmospheric shot of the column on an early September morning.
The B-type brackets with an open section in the rear fin indicate that they are an earlier version - probably dating from the late 1940s or early 1950s.
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