Are group switched circuits which are fed off time-clocks still installed today? It's strange because went the junction at the top of my road was reconstructed, 2 new columns were erected and all new bollards fitted. They're grouped together and switch on very late, yet not a photocell in sight! Perhaps an infra-red cell inside a bollard? Or maybe spurred off the photocell which is responsible for dimming the traffic lights? I find it hard to believe that a time-controlled group circuit would be installed these days but I wouldn't put anything past our council.

Not anymore I don't think, however with Sheffield they could be the very last place where mass group switching is used. The timeclock control which Calderdale uses is either for the 'lone ranger' Revo Solumbra which is located opposite a bus depot in Halifax or for festive lighting. So any lighting stock used now in Sheffield will more or less have photocells used since I do beleive it has its PFI.

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

Group switching is still used in some parts in my area. It is mostly done with older SOX installations. One section of lighting has it done by a control cell fitted on a double doored column which will feed about 10 columns. One of the SOX lanterns has been repalced with an Alpha8 but this was done many years ago. More recently one was replaced with a ZX3 and this too had its cell wired out.

There is one Alpha8 that is controlled by timeclock on the same section but this is a normal column with a permanent overhead supply, it used to also control the illuminated bollards but like most in Co Durham they have now just been replaced with reflecive plates which are unlit but are just as effective.  -
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There are also various examples of overhead group switching. This too is also becoming more uncommon as radio switching moves in or the electricity board removes uninsulated cables in favour of insulated concentric ones thus removing the switched wire. The lanterns and wood poles usually remain and are re-wired in but just left day burning until the council replace them.

I have two modern group switched examples, one of which I can see from my bedroom window. The first lot is the footpath from the main road to the park and ride site - a line of K-lux's and the odd replacement for vandalised ones which have their own cell, but the original ones are all fed from a pillar by the main road which has heavy duty switchgear inside. The second example is the other side of the park and ride site whereby part of Katryn Avenue has 8m columns and Kingfisher Serikas installed (with one QSM casual replacement, individually celled) and these are controlled from a feeder pillar near the QSM column, the timer being a SELC 850 electronic one (the same type as I have to control my garden lights) and it is set to switch off at about 10.30pm as the road is pretty dead after that time (the pillar also has a pile of dead fuses in the bottom).

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