219C. Grassmoor Avenue / Melbreak Avenue, Slatefell, Cockermouth, Cumberland, Cumbria With thanks to Dwight for informing me of these Survivors. On both of these roads are several 15 ft (5 m) Concrete Utilities' Avenue 2D columns with Arc 2 brackets fitted with various top-entry lanterns that would have run 35 Watt SOX (low pressure sodium) lamps (or their earlier equivalents) when new, but today are converted for running retro-fit LED lamps instead. One of the columns supports a P122 (SO60) lantern, made by the lantern division of Concrete Utilities, Phosware, which may be what was fitted to other columns originally.
The first column supports a GEC Z9533 lantern from the 1970s.
The Arc 2 bracket complements the Avenue 2D bracket nicely; the earliest examples of both date back to the late 1930s / early 1940s.
The next column was the one still supporting the P122 / SO60.
With the road being on a gradient, an "at-level" photograph could be taken.
The P122 employs an 'Oddie' key to secure the bowl under normal circumstances. Unfortunately, this method proved unreliable, with the Oddie keys failing to engage with the inside of the canopy, or falling out of their aperture completely, and being lost. As can be seen, this example now requires a ring of cable ties to be wrapped around the lantern as a way of securing the bowl.
With the P122 originating in the late 1950s, it is quite a chunky lantern, owing to the typical size of the lamp control gear components of the period. This known date also allows the age of these installations to be estimated.
Moving onto Melbreak Avenue, this installation fitted with a Thorn Beta 5 is situated opposite Grassmoor Avenue.
Once again, this bracket is in good condition, without any signs of age-related cracking at its joint with the column.
The retro-fit lamp is positioned poorly in the lantern, owing to the original lamp support having also been replaced with a cable tie. This will have the effect of reducing the amount of light being cast forward over the junction.
The final installation is at Melbreak Avenue's junction with Whinfell Avenue; another Beta 5 is fitted here.
This example appears to have retained its lamp support, positioning the lamp more accurately.
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