Here are some images of this fabulous installation of mercury-running Z8430CMs on 8m Concrete Utilities Avenue 3DNNs at Naze Marine Holiday Park in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex. The daytime photographs of this holiday park in this post were taken in April 2016.


How the same road in the holiday park looks at night. Both nighttime photographs were taken last night (January 2018).


Another view of Naze Marine Holiday Park taken in April 2016.


This is the same vlew at night.


Where casual replacement lanterns have been needed, the Tamlight "Tamcourt" 90W SOX lantern has been used.


Many of the holiday parks in the top corner of Essex have legacy local authority lighting. This mercury-running GEC Z8430CM on a 10m Concrete Utilities "New Highway" column is one of a small collection on Highfield Grange Holiday Park in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. This photograph was taken in May 2016.

That is an amazing sight to see nowadays. Unsleeved concretes are becoming quite rare now, and main road mercury has been rare for many years now.

I've just been doing my usual rounds on Streetview, following an interesting series of London Underground walks, when I came across an ESLA (yes, you read that correctly...an ESLA!) still surviving on a public street in Merton, southwest London!

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.41402 ... 312!8i6656

The Diageo (beer and liqueur company) HQ in Ealing is Thorn Alpha galore! There are a few Alpha 1s and 9s, and I'm pretty sure I can see a few 3s in the background as well!

On the subject of Alpha 1s, there are some wall-mounted examples surviving at the rear entrance to Crown Point Train Maintenance Depot in Norwich. I'm visiting there for work in June, so I will try and grab some shots (if I'm allowed) while I'm there!

Spotted yesterday, and not far from me, are these installations at Central Precinct in Chandlers Ford:

GEC Z5671 on GEC concrete column
GEC Z5674 on GEC concrete column
Revo Monitor on GEC concrete column
Revo Monitor on GEC concrete column

The Revo lanterns are the originals and the GEC lanterns are later replacements. They are fitted with mercury lamps, although I'm not sure if they are working.

Here is what I believe to be a Thorn Beta 7 on a leaning unsleeved concrete column in Yorkshire, presumably running mercury despite many LED and other relatively contemporary replacements nearby. Perhaps the installation on the bridge has set back its replacement.

That is actually a GEC Z8896

SOX is now pretty rare in Bristol and concrete columns even more so, so this sleeved Stanton 8 with Philips MA90 really is relic from the past. It's another example of the "forgotten down a cul de sac/service road" syndrome.

I suppose this could be classed as a "survivor from the past", but how many of you remember this book?

Were you ever a member of the I-Spy tribe, under the auspices of "Big Chief"?
I recall there was a whole series of publications under the "I-Spy" brand, covering pretty much every schoolboy interest - apart from sex presumably!

One of my favourite titles was "I-Spy - In The Street".

Wonderfully archaic and yet a reassuringly British phenomenon, this particular edition covered all those vital ingredients to be found in any streetscene recipe.

From cobbles to wood paving, manhole covers to bus stops, this little book whilst being contemporary at the time of publication, could now be seen as a witness to the increasingly bland and boring street furniture which clutters up our urban environment.

Back then there were no PFIs, hi-viz clothing or WEEE; just lots of concrete and cast iron, all tended and painted by the local UDC.

Of course, the main thrust of my interest is the section on Lamps and Lighting. The diagrams are of course subject to artistic licence, however some of the lighting featured does bear an uncanny resemblance to designs that would have existed at the time.

One of the drawings (C) seems to depict a Sugg Southport Group B gas lantern, whilst the concrete column (B) looks to be sporting a Revo Dalek!

The metal lamp post (D) would have been a fine example to see too.

Of course, no amount of nostalgia with reference to streetlighting would be complete without this final picture.

Now, how many of you remember carrying out this exercise?

I know I did!

_________________
"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.

Give us a clue....? Time clock?>