Station Road, Valley, Isle of Anglesey With thanks to AgentHalogen_87 for informing me of this Survivor. Situated alongside the signal box for Valley Railway Station is a 25 ft (8 m) Abacus base-hinged column supporting a GEC Z8520, which may have run a 250 Watt MBF (mercury vapour) lamp originally, but today, runs a SON (high pressure sodium) lamp of the same wattage instead; equally, it may always have been a SON example. The column is positioned over the adjacent level crossing to provide increased luminance after nightfall, and may also be a legacy from the time when the crossing was of the manually-operated gated type, where it would have assisted the crossing keeper during the hours of darkness.
When pictured in May 2026, the lantern was lit during the day; I suspect that it is switched manually from within the signal box.
The bracket exhibits some noticeable rusting at its attachment to the column, but the column is otherwise not in terrible condition for its age.
The cut-off distribution is due to the lantern's proximity to the railway, to avoid train drivers mistaking the amber light as a "caution" signal aspect when approaching the crossing.
A slight amount of dirt has gathered on the inside of the flat glass cover.
The signal box opened in 1903, under the ownership of the London and North Western Railway (LNWR), and received Grade II listed status in 1998. It remains in operation to this day.
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