Various locations - Maidensgrave / Drybridge Hill, Woodbridge, East Suffolk With thanks to Dwight for informing me of these Survivors. Attached to many of the wooden poles that support the overhead electricity (and in some cases, telecommunications cables too) conductors in this area are AC Ford top-entry outreach brackets supporting 1960s' ELECO HW-747 lanterns. While these lanterns were intended to run 45 - 60 Watt SO/H and SOI/H (low pressure sodium) lamps, subsequent advances in lamp technology mean that 35 Watt SOX lamps are now employed. With Philips having discontinued SOX lamp production in 2019, and Chinese-produced SOX lamps generally not being ordered in bulk quantities, owing to the preferences by many authorities to use LED-based technologies instead, these lanterns will only be able to continue in their as-original condition while dwindling numbers of SOX lamps are available. Happily, all of those pictured below all seemed to have avoided being fitted with retro-fit lamps during my visit in July 2025 - note that there were other examples that are not pictured here.
The first installation to be seen is on Clare Avenue, at the junction of Peterhouse Crescent.
Owing to the length of the bracket outreach, a diagonal support bar is provided beneath the bracket pipe. The electricity supply cut-out can be seen attached to the pole.
The lantern is in near-perfect condition, with only minor dirt accumulation present in the bowl.
The internal reflector bends deeply, owing to it covering the sizeable 1960s' ballast and capacitor that are installed within the lantern.
A similar setup existed on the parallel Newham Avenue.
Although a shorter outreach existed here, the support bar was still used. A GRP enclosure houses the cut-out on this example.
The bowl soiling was only slightly worse on this example. The lanterns are now switched using Telensa Telecells, but may have been time switch operated originally (or group-controlled on a "fifth core" supply).
A column-mounted ELECO GR550 was seen back up the road.
Although the GR550 was long enough to accommodate 55 Watt SOX lamps, another 35 Watt lamp is fitted here.
Another HW-747 was espied after a slight bend in the road.
Owing to the considerable setback of this pole from the carriageway, an even longer outreach was used here. The support bar is now on top of the bracket.
A slight crack existed in the front of this example's bowl. The remains of an earth bonding pipe clamp are visible on the rusted bracket - this would have provided a rudimentary earth connection, although any cabling that was attached to this is long gone. The neutral and earth conductors within the lantern may have been connected together to create an alternative safety return path.
The tree-lined avenue section of Through Duncans was the next place to feature an HW-747.
This example saw a return to a shorter outreach.
Very slight translucence has occurred with the bowl on this example, although the lamp remains visible within it.
A clearing further down Through Duncans was home to this HW-747.
This installation also appeared to have had its earthing arrangements altered - a ring crimped conductor surrounds one of the bolts that affixes the bracket to the pole, but the conductor is cut a short distance later.
This example's bowl also exhibited slight clouding.
This setup was just south of Anderson's Way.
The close-up reveals that the Telecells use a 20 mm mounting, rather than plugging into a NEMA photocell socket.
The final example to be pictured was on Bullard's Lane.
The Telecell here is fitted to the far side of the AC Ford PVC fuse box; thus, preserving the lantern canopy from having to be drilled.
Damage to the bowl has led to higher dirt and water ingress than was seen with the other examples.
CLICK HERE TO MAKE A MONETARY DONATION
© 2002 - English Street Lights Online