134D. Farleigh Road, East Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent Installed adjacent East Farleigh Railway Station itself, on the level crossing, is an Atlas Alpha 10 cut-off lantern for 55 - 90 Watt SOX (low pressure sodium) lamps, installed atop a 35 ft (10.6 m) tubular steel lighting column. Although the lantern is designed for a mounting height of up to 25 ft (8 m), the taller column was probably selected for this location as there are limited places to install a column, owing to the road being narrow, and so this setup would produce a greater spread of light across the level crossing, at the slight expense of overall brightness. I am uncertain as to whether the lantern remains in service in the modern era or not; however, the lamp did not appear too worn, and so the possibility of the lantern remaining operational is increased.
The level crossing sees trains passing through frequently; indeed, while I was taking these pictures, a goods train turned up.
The cut-off distribution is a requirement, owing to the installation's proximity to the railway line, where the amber light emitted by the SOX lamp could be mistaken for a signal at caution by train drivers.
The acrylic bowl features no refractors or other diffusion measures - it is completely transparent.
The adjacent footbridge served as a useful vantage point for photographing the installation.
A rather lengthy outreach bracket positions the lantern in the approximate centre of the road.
The detector for a Royce Thompson P42 two-part photocell sensor is visible towards the rear of the canopy.
A small amount of debris has gathered at the back of the bowl - the lowest point in the lantern.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION
© 2002 - English Street Lights Online