Whilst I think it's nice for rare lanterns to be left in service to enjoy, if any do get removed, I wouldn't mind having one my way!I'm going to echo Indust, and say I'd be interested in a Geared Beta 9 if any of those come down!I'm afraid I don't know anyone in Suffolk, else I'd put in a request for one myself, alongside one of those Eleco two-forties!
As I seem to have done alright at finding old stuff recently (most of them from gratefully-received tip-offs I should add!), I thought I would hunt down Southend's GEC Z8432 Viatrons after work yesterday. I last saw these while on a day trip back in the early 2000s, although I had no idea what they were and, not knowing their heritage, even thought they looked pretty awful at the time!
At the very western end of
Chalkwell Esplanade, there is a cul-de-sac used for seafront parking by day trippers, and it still has some Viatrons on well-maintained cast-iron poles.
A close-up of one of the GEC Viatron lanterns, which are all painted the same colour as the columns.
It looks like the original 'brackets' were 180-degree semicircles which would have had top-entry lanterns on them, and these have been cut in half with a short extension welded onto them to accommodate the new Viatrons in the 1950s!
The view above originally had four Viatrons, but one has been casually replaced.
And looking west from the same spot reveals another two Viatrons, bringing the total number of Viatrons in this street to five.
Another street in Southend -
The Leas - has three Viatrons in a row, bringing the total found yesterday to eight. There may be a few more of course!