232. Red Barn Drive, Hereford With thanks to Dwight for informing me of these Survivors. Installed alongside the parking area for some industrial premises are three Abacus 25 ft (8 m) base-hinged tubular steel columns, with each supporting a GEC Z8420 'Turtle' lantern, for 250 - 400 Watt MBF (mercury vapour) or SON (high pressure sodium) lamps. There are also another couple of Z8420s attached to either end of one of the buildings (not pictured here). The installations are likely to date from the 1960s, and some, if not all, may remain operational, as not all of the buildings have any other outdoor lighting installed that would supplement (or replace) these lights.
The use of cut-off lanterns along this access road is surprising - there are no locations nearby (for example, airports or railways) that would dictate the use of such lighting.
The main lantern canopy hinges down for access to the lamp - the locking clamp is visible inside the fixed casting that attaches to the bracket.
The specification for base-hinged columns is also odd, as all of the installations would be accessible by a maintenance vehicle.
The lanterns are all streaked with bird dirt, though the original blue paint finish applied to the canopy is still just about visible beneath the grime.
The lanterns appear somewhat bulky at this mounting height.
Out of the three column-mounted lanterns, this was the cleanest.
This juvenile gull watched proceedings from its verge location.
The flat glass cover was in need of a clean, however, with the dust and dirt gathered within it over the years having made the lamp very difficult to observe. It does appear to be an elliptical discharge lamp, however.
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