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PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:23 pm 
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Thank you for the information - fascinating.

Here is a direct link to the clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUty7TkK8qw

Great to see the catenary lighting at the beginning. I agree with all of your identifications. I just wonder when the GEC Z9504s were replaced - did they survive right up until the Rivieras on new columns, installed c. 2000?


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 7:17 pm 
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I suspect they could have been replaced with something like Philips MA50s in the late 1980s when SLI became obsolete, following the trend for replacing motorway SLI elsewhere.


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PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 10:02 pm 
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Actually, I think you're right there Steve - I seem to recall seeing dated footage of the Chiswick roundabout junction with MA60s on the flyover, with the North Circular lit with a catenary system.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:37 pm 
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From last Sunday's James May's Cars of the People and according to the commentary "somewhere in Birmingham", a Phosco P222 saucer (and possibly GEC versions in the background, although the image isn't clear enough to be certain), and a Triumph Herald.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:43 pm 
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As soon as I saw that image I knew exactly where it was, it is Sheepcote Street just off Broad Street. I don't think there are any GECs there though.


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PostPosted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:15 pm 
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This is from British Pathe news in the 1970s, filmed somewhere in London.

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Pretty unique way of mounting those huge, fluorescent lanterns but doesn't seem particularly safe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veaWimGEW1Q

At 2:30 onwards.


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PostPosted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:10 pm 
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Wow, how unusual!

Equally rare, this from Ch4’s Ugly House, a screen shot of an estate built in 1967  “somewhere in Berkshire” (but likely to be along the M4 corridor) that was shot on cine film by one of the new estate’s homeowners, showing what look like Atlas/Thorn Beta 3s on Concrete Utilities columns (and Mk1 Ford Escort).

The current footage of the estate shows slim bowl Beta 5s on the same columns – those columns that still exist, many have been replaced by hockey stick steel columns with Iridiums.

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 2:43 pm 
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Lampman wrote:
This is from British Pathe news in the 1970s, filmed somewhere in London.

Image

Pretty unique way of mounting those huge, fluorescent lanterns but doesn't seem particularly safe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veaWimGEW1Q

At 2:30 onwards.


That look like the back of the old White City Stadium site (on the right as the Police car drives down the road), which would be Dorando Close today.  The main road at the back is the A40 Westway - you can see Hammersmith Hospital at the back in the distance.


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PostPosted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:04 pm 
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Lampman wrote:
This is from British Pathe news in the 1970s, filmed somewhere in London.

Image

Pretty unique way of mounting those huge, fluorescent lanterns but doesn't seem particularly safe!


Although very unusual these days, in previous times the slinging of lanterns across the roadway was common practice especially where the tram / trolleybus infrastructure was in situ. In addition to this, the use of buildings to anchor the overhead span wires was also far from unique.

Courtesy of Mr Henry Priestley, the following image is of Aberdeen back in 1955. Showing a very busy scene, the inclusion of the new fluorescent streetlighting installation amongst the soon to be dismantled tramway system, makes for an interesting contrast. As has been well documented, the huge wealth of images from our transport heritage is also a great source of reference for the connoisseur of streetlighting.

Referring to the 70s Pathe footage, I would suspect the weight of these lanterns would be well within the capabilities of the catenary cable, although the style of column doesn't suggest it previously had a role in supporting OHLE as used for electric traction. Am I correct in thinking that the canopy of these 5' lanterns would be made out of fibreglass or pressed aluminium sheet?

Interestingly, when tramway traction poles where erected, even with their deep root they were always skewed slightly off the vertical, away from the highway. This was to counter the pull of the OHLE when fully loaded.
As we know, traction poles were also used to support streetlighting, therefore they survived far longer than the original transport system. Once the overhead wires were cut down, the traction poles were free of their loading and for the most part returned to their off centre position.


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PostPosted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 3:59 pm 
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Thank you for that useful insight!


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