Local Thorn Beta 79s

The Beta 79 has been popular here for many years but never gained the popularity of the 5 due to Derbyshire's Group 'B' roads being primarily SOX-lit. The original aluminium-bodied version from the early 1980s is quite rare; however the later GRP-bodied version is much more common.

This aluminium-bodied, shallow-bowled Beta 79 was on Chapel Street in Spondon. Since this photograph was taken, a more modern photocell has been fitted. The lantern was eventually removed in 2007 and is now in my collection.

This shadowy Beta 79 on St Mary's Gate has a GRP canopy but the shallow bowl is still present.

This hockey-stick mounted Beta 79 on Amen Alley would also have had a shallow bowl fitted - however this disappeared and the deep one was fitted towards the end of 2005.

This Beta 79 in Ticknall (with 70W SON-T lamp) would have been used to replace a GEC Z8896 at some point.

This Beta 79 has been retro-fitted to a very ornate cast iron column just out of Bakewell - probably replacing an AC Ford AC848 at some point. The cover on the control box has disappeared, revealing the porcelain fuse carrier inside.

This Beta 79 in Markeaton Park replaced my Disano Sella 1 lantern. It is fitted with a 125W MBF lamp.

This Beta 79 also runs a mercury lamp and was used to replace my clear-bowled Thorn Gamma 5.

This Beta 79 (plus another just out of shot) in Alvaston also runs a 125W lamp. The bowl seen here is a replacement - the original again being of the slimline type.

The 100W Beta 79 is uncommon here though a few examples exist, as proved by this example mounted to a CCTV camera column on Siddals Road.

© 2002-2009 Mike Barford