217A. Baird Road, Arborfield Green, Wokingham, Berkshire With thanks to Dwight for informing me of these Survivors. Installed on roads that served previously as accesses to residential properties within the former Arborfield Garrison (known locally as Poperinghe Barracks), which closed in 2015, are a number of 8 m columns supporting Thorn Alpha 1 90 Watt SOX lanterns. Sadly, two of these are vandalised, with their acrylic 'Opticell' units smashed, but thankfully, the majority remain intact. With the Garrison site now being redeveloped for housing, if this road is to be brought up to adoptable standard, the future of these installations hangs in the balance.

The first Alpha 1 to be photographed is located adjacent Faraday Close.

Although the exterior of this Opticell is grubby, the interior appears clean - the seal has worked successfully with this example. The lamp looks to be worn out.

One of the vandalised examples followed.

Simple curved outreach bracket pipes support the lanterns - or what is left of them.

The lower portion of the Opticell remains hooked into the rear casting. The cap of the lantern's last lamp is still attached to the bayonet lampholder.

This Alpha 1 may not be operational either, despite being intact, as a resident has attached a solar powered, PIR-activated LED floodlight to the column shaft.

Again, the Opticell looks relatively clean from ground level.

This column was installed by Fleming Close.

A small swarm of insects had managed to gain access to the interior of this lantern's Opticell.

Another of the vandalised examples was next.

Slightly more of the Opticell's rear section survived here.

A little further down the road was this 5 m column supporting (what had once been) a Thorn Gamma 6.

The heavily-damaged bowl has slipped downwards, revealing a broken mercury vapour (MBF) lamp still screwed into its holder.

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