The job was completed this weekend as planned. The photocells worked perfectly and the light output illuminates the crossing area well.
A main concern was possible glare to road users due to the low height of the columns, (which is prototypical for crossing lamps) I need not have worried as even with the 20 watt CFL lamp, the light is quite 'soft' and is not blinding.

Should make the crossing area safer for the signalman operating the gates, and highlight the crossing for road users.

Here are some photos. The night photos are poor due to a cameraphone being used, and so doesn't really give a true picture as to the illumination obtained.


General view of crossing area, other lamp diagonally opposite.


One of the lamps.


Night view of crossing area. In the distance our MBF Eleco Welwyn also muscles in on the pic!


Approaching the crossing from the other direction at night.


Night view of one gate with lamp.

Mike.

Good work there Mike. The columns are shorter than I was expecting. As you say the light level looks more than adequate given the rural nature of the road.

I too am suprised at how low the columns are, though they probably are correct for the height you'd expect for traditional platform lighting.
Whilst the light output isn't bright (granted my eyes compensate for the quality of the image, as I have used a cameraphone of that quality so know roughly what the real light level would be like) the quality of the light is a marked change from the yellow SOX lighting of the public highway and so denotes a potential hazard for road users - which is what you need.

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Lovely job Mike. Period lighting but with modern features to suit!
I've always wanted to get hold of one of the old green enamel 'railway' type reflector lanterns commonly found on wood pole/building mounts.

I do like the night shots, even though the lanterns are lower it does suit the period.

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From streetlighting to radio, dance through the night whilst the streetlights are glowing outside.

Hello,

I have just joined this forum as I have an old-fashioned streetlamp in my front garden, and would like to improve its light-output and perhaps put a SOX lamp in there as I think that might be fun. I hope this is the correct place to discuss this? If not, I apologise, and would appreciate any suggestions as to where I can discuss this.

I have uploaded a photo of the lamp here:

As you can just about see, there is a 75w (equivalent) CFL bulb (bayonet fitting) mounted on a plastic tube, which sits (wonkily) in the hollow streetlamp itself.

The power cable is routed through my carport, and connects to my downstairs lighting circuit (6A). The only modification I have made since moving here, apart from chaging the bulb, is to connect a photocell unit in series, to control when the lamp lights. It all works well, other than the light output isn't great.

So my question is: Can I modify this so that it gives out more light? I appreciate putting a more powerful bulb would help, but wonder if there are any restrictions, as the lamp is adjacent to a main road.

I've always had a fondness for SOX lamps, and wonder if I could retrofit a SOX lamp in there. I assume that I would need to buy the control-gear, and wonder if I could install that in my carport, which the power wires routes through.

I would love any advice/suggestions as to what I can do to improve this light (Yes, cleaning/painting it would be a good start!). I have no idea what control gear/lamp/fittings I would need, but would feel comfortable installing it, and even wiring it into a project case, if that's what is needed.

Thanks

Nick

Welcome to Ukastle.

The first question is what colour light? SOX is pure yellow and will make most colours look a dark shade/colour when lit. If that is ok, then go for SOX. A 35W lamp is around 300mm long though.

If you don't want yellow light, then its white light - plenty of different options available, or SON which is a peach/golden yellow light with better colour rendering than SOX.

Are running costs an issue?

Another factor is the glass top of the lantern - I would suggest some form of internal reflector - most of the light will go straight up to the moon!

Unusual lantern though and it looks rare - definitely worth keeping and sympathetically improving.

It's good to know that SOX will have a future in private, even if its public brethren are being persecuted to the point of extinction.

Short of going completely original and re-equipping this old lantern for gas, I think SOX would be a good choice and be quite novel too. It would see off the existing CFL for good!
Obviously, the inclusion of this lamp will alter the daytime appearance of the lantern - it might look good...or it might not.

The only other things to bear in mind is that an unshaded 35W lamp can be uncomfortably glaring at night, especially when at the relatively low mounting height likely to be encountered here (your neighbours might not be so enthusiastic either). The monochromatic radiation at 589nm is closest to the human eye's peak responsiveness, hence its great efficacy - but I'm sure you'll know that already!

In addition, as the lamp would typically be burned "cap up", most of the light would be thrown out sideways, with only a small amount reaching below. An alternative solution would be to mount the lamp on the horizontal via a special reflector, mounted in the "eaves" of the lantern. This will stop any upward light being lost "to the moon!"

The slight problem here though might be a lack of available space in which to fit the lamp - we wouldn't want to recreate a version of the Rochdale seagulls! Should this be the case, a better prospect would be an 18W SOX-E. With a simple trapezoidal shaped reflector made of opal perspex fixed to top end, the lamp would fit in, the light would be reflected downwards, plus you'll get that characteristic glow through the opal lantern top - very nice!

The gear could be mounted remotely as you suggest, however it may be possible to mount it internally above the reflector, thus reducing wiring. If I can, I'll pop a few drawings in to better explain this idea.

I have done a similar sort of thing with my garden lamp. It is a cut down cast iron column with swan neck. Total height to its Z9480 lantern is only about 8'. As I wanted it to remain SOX but mindful of upsetting the neighbours, I repositioned the lampholder bracket so an 18W lamp could be used and would still be central. The gear was from a scrap Philips bulkhead. Powering the lamp up was rewarding but also introduced a slight problem. The light was still too bright for the area, therefore it needed to be toned down. A handy tip is to use expandable plastic cable braiding. It is available in many sizes and is easy to cut and fit. When slid over the lamp, the light still gets out but is slightly reduced in brightness, as some of it is blocked by the braiding weave. Due to the relatively low temp the lamp reaches, there is no risk of the plastic melting. Light output is now more "in scale" with the mounting height and has run with no problems for many months now.

Anyway, it's a thought.

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"I can't think what you want to go to London for, you won't find any better lampposts there..."
L.S. Lowry. 1887-1976.

I'm happy with the yellow light of SOX. Apart from believing that's part of SOX's "charm", it would also better imitate the flame of a gaslamp. Please correct me if you think I'm mistaken though!

Unfortunately, yes! However, I'm happy with the cost of a conventional incandescent bulb of say between 40-60w. I assume that a 35w SOX uses the same as a 35w incandescent bulb? I know that's probably a dumb question.

I take your point. I'm honestly torn between the bottom mounted, looks like an old-fashioned gaslamp, versus top,side-mounted, reflector above approach. Whilst I think I can probably wire the ballast, ignitor etc., having to weld pieces into this very old lamp might be beyond me, especially as I don't have a welder. So I don't know how I would affix the reflector, control-gear and lamp to the top of this lantern. Any ideas gratefully received.

Thank you. As I said, it came with the house, and have no idea of its origins. The lamp wasn't working when I moved in, but a bulb change was all it needed. It's a bit of a "bodge job" in that the bayonet-socket is mounted on the end of a plastic tube, and as you can see the wire drapes down the side of the lamp-post. I'm not that concerned about the wire, but at least getting the bulb-socket to sit vertically might be a start...

35W SOX uses around 70W circuit power on good quality magnetic gear or around 40W with electronic gear. With older magnetic gear, circuit power can be over 100W.

Electronic ballasts are long and thin though - longer than a 35W lamp, so would have to be fitted remotely.

Given comments from other contributors, I would also suggest an 18W lamp which should still produce enough light. This can be run on a 20W fluorescent ballast - preferably with an electronic starter as used with fluorescent tubes. It should also work with a 20W electronic ballast - although I haven't myself tried such a combination.

Circuit power on magnetic should be no more than 45W ( smaller ballasts are more lossy) or around 25W on electronic.

The use of a simple folded aluminium reflector in the top of the lantern will reduce sky glow and enable the lamp to be mounted. The cable only needs to be 0.5mm2 and could easily be run up one of the glazing bars on the inside of the lantern so it doesn't show.

The reflector can be easily and non obtrusively fixed inside the lantern (no welding required!). An 18W lamp is short enough to mount vertically if required.

Where in the UK are you?