Off Longton Road, Trentham, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire With thanks to AgentHalogen_87 for informing me of these Survivors. Installed within the forecourt of a car sales company are two 15 ft (5 m) Abacus base-hinged tubular steel columns, both of which support Thorn Alpha 3 lanterns for 250 - 400 Watt MBF (mercury vapour), SON (high pressure sodium, or MBI (metal halide) lamps, with the necessary lamp control gear situated within the lanterns themselves. The two columns are likely to be left over from the site's previous use, with historical maps indicating that a garage premises existed on this site by 1975. The current buildings are of newer construction, and the Alpha 3s may have been installed in place of the original lanterns (possibly, earlier Alpha 3s) as part of the site's redevelopment.

The more easterly of the two installations is pictured first.

Although these examples are not fitted with any sort of photocell control, the intended location of the NEMA socket that would accommodate a one-part unit is evident on the top side of the Alpha 3's rear casting.

The fixing screws that hold the gear cover in place on the underside of the casting must have been lost over time, requiring two cable ties to be wrapped around the whole section.

The same installation, as viewed from the opposite direction.

Ingrained dirt on the Alpha 3's bowl prevents any assessment of the current lamp type/wattage from being made, assuming that the lantern is still equipped with one, of course.

This style of the base-hinged Abacus column suggests that it is a very early version - the various paint colours visible where the white top coat has flaked away being testament to this. Notice that the supply cables are surface-mounted, and enter the column through a hole in its shaft.

The other column is on the opposite side of the forecourt area.

The close-up reveals that a small portion of the sealing gasket has detached at the front of the bowl.

The extensive growth of the hedge around the column suggests that it hasn't been lowered in many years!

The screws for this gear cover have also been lost over time.

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