174EC. A45 Coventry Road, Yardley, Hay Mills, Birmingham, West Midlands With thanks to Leo Conway for informing me of these Survivors. Located just west of the Swan Island junction are several lanterns that, by 2025, were very much a rare sight on Britain's roads, with one of these (an early example of the Philips MA 50 with the lamp control gear installed remotely) being the sole remaining example from a much earlier (but not the original) lighting scheme for the junction. Some of the columns employed may be original to the construction in the 1960s, however. All other lanterns are casual replacements. Some of the images taken in 1983 on this page show the junction when these MA 50s were commonplace, suggesting that this last remaining example was over 42 years old when these pictures were taken.

The column supporting the veteran MA 50 now looks rather asymmetrical, thanks to the replacement of the other MA 50 on the double-arm bracket with an SGS 203; itself, very much a throwback to an era before LED street lighting became widespread.

Both lanterns are now switched using Telensa Telecells, although the now-disused one-part NEMA photocell that switched the MA 50 previously remains in place.

The short rear aluminium castings are a feature of these older MAs, where the lamp control gear was housed remotely.

The Stewarts & Lloyds 35 ft (10 m) tubular steel column includes provision for separate gear lanterns, with two inspection doors incorporated into the base, providing ample space for the gear and isolation equipment. The fluted shaft design is a common feature with Stewarts & Lloyds columns.

Several newer MA 50s with the control gear installed within the lantern were also still in use.

These too have had Telecells installed as replacements for their photocell controls.

One column a little further down the road runs a CU Phosco P220/4 lantern. These were a common lantern on many major roads throughout Birmingham, and while they were intended for use in high mast installations, the Birmingham examples are always attached to conventional columns.

A fairly lengthy outreach bracket is necessary to allow the light emitted from the lantern to extend the full width of the multi-lane eastbound carriageway.

The polycarbonate bowl is heavily discoloured on this example. Surprisingly, the lantern still appears to be on photocell control.

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