Tunnel Avenue, Greenwich Peninsula, London Borough of Greenwich Located near to the entrance to the eponymous Blackwall Tunnel are a number of 10 m tubular steel columns produced by British Steel in the 1970s; two of which still support their original Philips MA 30 lanterns, intended (at this location) to run a 250 Watt SON (high pressure sodium) lamp. These are Survivors from a larger relighting scheme that encompassed the entire Tunnel Avenue - at the time, the area was still largely industrial; being part of the larger Docklands area, though even then, the docks were in decline. Only with 1990s' rejuvenation works has the area changed, though where these columns are positioned is largely forgotten, and not yet particularly redeveloped, which is probably what has allowed them to continue in service.

The first column to be seen is positioned alongside the former Star in the East Public House.

The bowl is missing (and probably has been for a while, considering how corroded the internal reflective aluminium plates are), and the lamp is smashed.

The second of the two remaining MA 30s is near a junction for vehicles to access the tunnel.

The bowl remains in place here, although it would benefit from a thorough cleaning.

The 1897 Tunnel House building is visible in the background of this picture.

Unlike the enormously-popular SOX (low pressure sodium) lanterns that were also in the Philips MA range, the MA 30 never gained the same sort of popularity, and was always something of an oddity in the range.

The original door on this column had been lost, and a plastic substitute door had been fitted instead. As this was a poor fit, a gap at the top of the door aperture allowed a Philips BSN 250 ballast to be seen in the base, confirming that the lanterns should run 250 Watt SON lamps.

Heading back north, this gear-in-head Thorn Alpha 3 was seen attached to an Abacus 25 ft (8 m) tubular steel column that was behind some hoardings on Ordnance Crescent. I love the juxtaposition that this elderly installation creates with the backdrop of the Millennium Dome (if you're old enough to remember when it was called that), which itself was over a quarter of a century old when these pictures were taken.

A small pellet hole is visible on this side of the Alpha 3's bowl.

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