King Edward Street, Sleaford, Quarrington, North Kesteven, Lincolnshire With thanks to AgentHalogen_87 for informing me of these Survivors. Positioned alongside Sleaford West Level Crossing (which, even in 2026, still used manually-operated gates to close the road off to traffic whenever trains passed) are two 10 ft (3 m) Revo 'Moseley' cast iron columns topped with swan neck brackets and the later additions of Philips MI 50 lanterns, for 50-70 Watt SON (high pressure sodium) lamps. Although the lights help to provide general illumination over the crossing area, their main purpose seems to be to light either end of a narrow pedestrian underpass, which would allow people on foot to continue their journeys uninterrupted while the gates were closed, as well as providing a safer option than having to walk on the road would be at busy periods. I had thought that the underpass was excavated in the 1930s, as motor traffic increased, given the likely age of the columns; however, this map from 1914 (or earlier) also shows the footpath burrowing beneath the railway lines.
The more northerly of the two columns is pictured first. Maintaining these lights must be a challenge, given how far the columns are set back from the road, and how the height to ground level immediately in front of them is deeper, owing to the underpass.
The MI 50s are, obviously, much newer lanterns than the rest of the installations are - the swan neck brackets would have catered for top-entry lanterns originally.
Fisher-Karpark SS4 photocells (possibly, the original cells for these lanterns) are employed.
The same installation is pictured looking back towards the crossing, and the underpass.
Three fairly lengthy bolts secure the swan neck's spigot to the column.
The combination of heat from the lamp, and general UV light produced by the sun, has made the lantern's bowl rather translucent and discoloured.
The original Revo two-prong brass bolt employed to secure the door has been lost over time, with an oblong-headed cast iron bolt serving as a makeshift substitute.
The second column is situated close to the former signal box building - this remains open, but only to accommodate the level crossing attendant these days.
This page features some archival photographs of the crossing; the second image from the top, taken in 1973, features this column, complete with its original top-entry lantern.
The underside of this MI 50's bowl is especially grubby, with a pool of rust-coloured rainwater (from the internal steel gear tray / reflector) being present.
For a comprehensive history of the level crossing, and the now-defunct adjacent signal box, click here.
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