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Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!
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Author:  GreatNorburyStDepot [ Tue Jan 23, 2018 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

I'm sure I am not the only one to have heard about the decision of J. Salmon Ltd, to discontinue the production of the traditional postcards.

When you consider the many seaside holiday destinations visited especially during the 1960s and 70s, it was usually a J. Salmon postcard which would always show the holiday destination at its best.

There always seemed to be three major ingredients to any holiday postcard of this period.

1. The sky would be that bright "Domestos" Blue, with hardly a cloud in sight.

2. The sea would be invitingly clean and deep, with the local sewage outfall pipe carefully airbrushed out.

3. Every available area of space would be thronged with members of the public.

Of course, it has to be said that postcard producers were not just interested in holiday destinations. Even the most industrial of towns and cities which still retained a measure of municipal pride, were queuing up to have their new civic centres promoted in a riot of garish colour.

The interesting thing about a lot of these scenes, (some now gone forever in the continuing path of redevelopment), is that they also featured... streetlamps.

I'm sure you will have already amassed some of these cards, purely down to the interesting streetlighting included in the action. Seaside towns especially tended to have pretty flamboyant lighting, especially on the seafront, whilst the local view of the A6 through Stockport shows a mixture of Revo Horizons, Alpha 3s and the odd Viatron.

Anyway, I enclose a couple of examples, however the most interesting pair are cropped from a 1970s postcard from Hyde, Cheshire.

Can you identify the lighting?

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Author:  GreatNorburyStDepot [ Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

Following the huge groundswell of interest in how streetlighting can form part of even the most humdrum of topical postcards, I thought I would share this one with you - it is amazing what you can get on Ebay.

This card by Lilywhites Ltd, presents a selection of views of the Heaton Chapel district of Stockport, Cheshire. Suffice it to say, the roads these days are not quite so traffic free.

As can be seen, the use of GEC Viatrons was widespread in this area. The main A6 road was entirely lit with them, along with other thoroughfares such as Broadstone Road. On nearby Manchester Road, you may recognise the GEC Z8128 on what I think are S&L columns.

Whilst the A6 was completely relit in later years with 10m octagonal Petitjean "hockeysticks", the remaining B road concretes were subsequently sleeved to 10m. In all cases, the lantern selected to replace these mercury burners was the Eleco GR150.

In more recent years, surviving main road SOX has been phased out, in favour of the Cosmopolis system, usually on Valmont Stainton columns.

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Author:  GreatNorburyStDepot [ Thu Mar 29, 2018 6:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

Whilst having a sort through some of my photos and catalogues recently, I came across this great postcard. I think I got it from a charity shop but compared to the usual suspects, is quite an unusual find.

As you can see it is promoting the Osram / GEC range of SON lamps, which at the time was the newest kid on the block.
"Lighting the way with Osram - GEC Solarcolour"".

On the reverse -
"66/67. A decade of Golden Progress" with GEC solarcolour on Blackpool's Golden Mile".

Featuring the iconic Blackpool Tower in the background, the picture also includes one of the ill fated Coronation trams. I would suspect the "seagull chasing antics" of its early years would have been curtailed by this time, with its VAMBAC soul left cold on the depot floor.

Assuming it was released in the late 60s, the card was ultimately "popped in the post" some 13 years later, by a member of the Warton (Womens) Institute in order to enter a competition (it looks like the promoters were asking for suggestions of new name for their brand of cider).

Aside of the unusual use the card was put to, it makes you wonder if the GEC released any other promotional postcards?

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Author:  Alex [ Sun Apr 15, 2018 3:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

Looks fab - thanks for sharing.

Author:  meppso [ Thu Apr 19, 2018 12:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

That's great to see Blackpool with its original post top lanterns.

I seem to recall "coloured" tubes being placed in them in the Early 80s. Not sure if that really happened or if it was a dream :)

Thanks,

Andrew.

Author:  GreatNorburyStDepot [ Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

Thanks for your kind comments.

Here is my latest acquisition, which I'm sure you''ll appreciate.
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It looks like it wasn't just the GEC which promoted its revolutionary lighting schemes on postcards.

As can be seen on the reverse, this example from earlier times is by another equally prolific manufacturer of the low pressure sodium lantern - Eleco.
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Interestingly, the lanterns appear to be fitted to CU Avenue columns, suggesting it was either a relighting scheme, or the lanterns alone were to be supplied by Eleco from the start.

Furthermore, a quick peruse of Mr Cornwell's resources, indicates the photograph presumably dates from around 1938, as it had been also selected as part of Philips "Philora" promotional material of the period.
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Author:  Bergstrom [ Thu May 17, 2018 4:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

GreatNorburyStDepot wrote:
Hello Bergstrom.

Nice test link to hear from you and thanks for your kind comments.

I find postcards are a valuable resource to illustrate streetlighting in years gone by. Specialist issues such as those supplied by Eleco are probably few and far between, having probably been produced for distribution at trade fairs etc.

Keep an eye out though, as you never know what you could unearth.


It's such a great idea to look to postcards for this. I would have never thought of that. Too bad I can't be of more help as I don't recognize and of the lighting but I've certainly enjoyed them.

Author:  GreatNorburyStDepot [ Sun May 20, 2018 9:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Postcards are for Sun, Sea... and Streetlighting!

Hello Bergstrom.

Nice to hear from you and thanks for your kind comments.

I find postcards are a valuable resource to illustrate streetlighting in years gone by. Specialist issues such as those supplied by Eleco are probably few and far between, having probably been produced for distribution at trade fairs etc.

Keep an eye out though, as you never know what you could unearth.

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