It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 5:32 pm

All times are UTC






Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 129 posts ] 


Author Message
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Sun Mar 10, 2013 1:35 am 
Offline
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:48 am
Posts: 6227
Images: 1729
For a while, Urbis had gone back to their old style website - I had hoped they had received negative feedback about the unintuitive design of the site and had ditched it... apparently I was wrong. It would also seem they can't make their mind up about lanterns either then, bringing back products that had been superseded 5 years ago or more - and getting rid of support for Cosmo lamps of any power is just plain daft.

_________________
Tesco brings all the mums to the yard...
and they're like "do you have your club card"
Image


Top
 Profile  Personal album 
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 4:18 am 
Offline
Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 9:42 pm
Posts: 24
I have just found out the dreadful news about Urbis axing the wonderful ZX2  :cry:  
.....  I have always loved the ZX2 due to its perfect proportions and aesthetic appeal on any bracket or column in relation to its rivals.

Not only am I completely and utterly gutted to see this happen, but I now cant stop feeling that Urbis have made a major mistake for many reasons :shock: .

Firstly, the website still predominantly shows pics of the ZX2 instead, even in the brochures, whilst being unclear whether the ZXU1 has survived, or if the ZX1 moniker has risen from the dead  :lol:

Secondly, I know that I am a huge fan of the ZX2, but without being biased, I am sure the ZX2 was far more popular than its smaller/bigger brothers...
e.g. If you look at London the popularity of the ZX3, ZXU1 and ZX2 are as follows:

London Councils that still use the ZX3
> Southwark (only for casual replacements)
> Barnet (no more than casual replacements)
> TFL red routes (occasional casual replacements)

London Councils that still use the ZXU1
> Wandsworth (staple side road)
> Hammersmith and Fulham (staple side road)
> Tower Hamlets (only for casual replacements)
> Southwark (only for casual replacements)
> Waltham Forest (only for casual replacements)
> Bexley (only for casual replacements)

Now to contrast this, London councils that still use the ZX2  :o
> Hammersmith and Fulham (Staple Lantern)
> Wandsworth (Staple Lantern)
> Merton (Staple Lantern)
> Sutton (Staple Lantern)
> Bexley (Staple Lantern)
> Harrow (Staple Lantern, ZX12 Casual Side Road Replacement)
> Southwark (ZX12 Staple, ZX2 Casual replacements)
> Waltham Forest (Casual Replacements)
> Hillingdon (Possibly Staple Lantern, definitely Casual)
> TFL Red Routes (Occasional casual replacement)

So to prove the point above, I think Urbis have made a huge mistake doing this, because it is unlikely that these once loyal councils to the Urbis brand will still remain with Urbis (Harrow already have trialed the Iridium2, whilst Merton, Sutton and TFL use the older Iridiums).
For the rest of the boroughs, they may choose the evolo2/Saphire 2/3/ZX3 (Haringey, Ealing) or the common Iridium (Lewisham, Croydon, Islington), but personally I really hope they go for the WRTL Arc 80 (Camden) or the WRTL Luma range (Bromley) as their new staple lantern  :D
............... unless of course Urbis decide resurect the ZX2   :?:

                                                                           RIP Urbis ZX2 (1986/1988-2013)  :cry:


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:52 am 
Offline
Member
Random avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2011 9:17 pm
Posts: 411
It's not the best designed lantern in the world but it was pretty good, shame to see it go. I will be hanging on to my 2 deep bowled versions, plus I still have 3 brand new ZX12s and a used ZX21.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 8:51 pm 
Offline
Member
Random avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:31 pm
Posts: 612
Images: 36
That news will really cheer up Durham County Council considering they have upgraded about a quarter of their main road SON/SOX to ZX2s as part of their radio switching scheme. I just wonder what the new lantern of choice will be?

About them not being the best designed, the optics are poor compared with low wattage Thorn Oracles, an improvement can be seen when used side by side. When they decided to use them in Consett which has an altitude of nearly 1000 feet they didn't fare too well over winter, canopys ripped off, gear trays hanging out you name it. The failure rate has been quite high when compared with the Oracles; this could be down to poorer quality bulbs at higher wattages.  Im actually surpries with the success of the Sapphire and Evolo they didn't just pull the plug on the whole ZX range.


Top
 Profile  Personal album 
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 10:35 pm 
Offline
Founder
Random avatar

Joined: Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:17 pm
Posts: 1679
Images: 32
Ali ZX2 wrote:
Secondly, I know that I am a huge fan of the ZX2, but without being biased, I am sure the ZX2 was far more popular than its smaller/bigger brothers...
e.g. If you look at London the popularity of the ZX3, ZXU1 and ZX2 are as follows:


Just to strengthen your argument that the ZX2 is more popular than the 3, you're actually wrong about Barnet - they no longer use ZX3s. I mean if they do, it would be a spare one lying about from the depot; they haven't bought any new ones since the mid-'00s.

To further back up what you say about the popularity of the ZX2/12, there have been recent sightings of the ZX12 (black, flat glass) in use outside the Houses of Parliament. It is also worth mentioning the London Overground network uses them at most stations (white, flat glass)


Top
 Profile  Personal album 
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:15 am 
Offline
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:48 am
Posts: 6227
Images: 1729
To be honest, the ZX range is knocking on now - and younger lantern designs do outperform them in terms of optics. In about 1998, York installed a shed load of ZX2s and ZX3s... on the A1237, ZX3s at 10-12m high running 250w-400w lamps were used whilst in the city centre it was ZX2s at roughly 8m high running 150w lamps; compared to Holophane QSMs and QSSs installed nowadays (some have been bulk replacements, other as casuals on the A1237).

If a QSM has replaced a ZX3 it will run no more than 250w but these are rare, more often 150w; whilst QSSs can only take lamps up to 150w and some of these have popped up on the A1237 whilst at 8m and 10m height in the city they are often running just 100w... and this is because the superior optics mean a lower power lamp can be used.

_________________
Tesco brings all the mums to the yard...
and they're like "do you have your club card"
Image


Top
 Profile  Personal album 
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 1:37 am 
Offline
Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2012 9:42 pm
Posts: 24
Don't get me wrong, I fully understand and appreciate the ZX2s setbacks, although it was released in 1986 and is now 27years old, so of course it was outclassed in certain areas. Whats more, ever since the mass replacement of ZX2/3, Rivieras and Iridiums to WRTL Arc 80s in Camden borough during 2011-present, I was expecting the demise of the ZX range, after all, it was about time. However whilst Bromley Council was busy retrofitting LED WRTL Lumas to replace its aging SOX/SON lighting stock, neighbouring Bexley was still retrofitting ZX2s to the few remaining 10m SOX streets (the latest road of ZX2s was only installed last week, not bad for a 27 year old lantern  :) ).

Personally, what really irritates me is that Urbis only killed off the ZX2 in a bid to improve sales of the ZX3/Saphire 2/Evolo 2 (surely, if any Urbis lantern needs a sales boost, it would be the Evolo 3, hence killing off the ailing ZX3 would make more sense), plus I personally don't like the ZXU1, it is a ruined ZX1, and that should have got the axe instead. Not only should the ZXU1 and ZX3 been axed instead of the ZX12 and ZX2, but now all ZX12 and ZX2 days will be numbered as there is no newer casual replacements for them.

At the moment, it appears that WRTL are making huge strides in terms of quality and designs  ;)  , so fingers crossed, lanterns like the Arc 80/90, Luma and Stela (even the MRL6 and SRL8) succeed of the back off this Urbis mistake.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 1:46 am 
Offline
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:48 am
Posts: 6227
Images: 1729
Also the WRTL website is easier to navigate, whilst the Urbis one is on the verge of falling into the trap of being like the Philips website - which is done to look professional and smart but operates in an amateurish way.


To be honest, I would have thought the entire ZX range is due to be retired now. The light grey refractor bowl ZX1 looks like something a council has gone into a Wilkinson store and bought a few of!

_________________
Tesco brings all the mums to the yard...
and they're like "do you have your club card"
Image


Top
 Profile  Personal album 
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 5:15 pm 
Offline
Member
Random avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2011 7:31 pm
Posts: 612
Images: 36
I could be wrong but I would give the MRL6/SRL8F another year until Indal pulls the plug as it is limited to SON lamps in a time when LED/Cosmo is taking over the market. They have been  great lanterns but unfortunately I think it has had its day as they are still generation 2 SON lanterns and do not allow for post top mounting without an additional adaptor. Apparently the MRL6 was quite popular in Australia but with an Aluminium canopy, but I imagine either the Arc or Airtrace will have/take over from this.


Top
 Profile  Personal album 
 
 Post subject: Re: New Urbis Products
PostPosted: Sat Apr 06, 2013 9:53 am 
Offline
Member
Random avatar

Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 7:47 pm
Posts: 182
Images: 1
IMHO, to pull the plug on the ZXU1/3 and retain the ZX2/12 would not really make any sense at all. The ZX1 was redesigned to include the popular and more efficient post top mounting method, so to remove that from the range would be ridiculous. And to keep the ZX2 while not the ZX3, and so limiting your wattage options would be similarly restrictive.
The ZX1 was for side roads and the ZX3 was suited to major roads all the way up to 400w or more. Now I never really saw the need for a ZX12 which seemed to basically do what a ZX1 does but was uglier. As for the ZX2, of which we used loads here, they seemed to be slightly unnecessary as the ZX3 can go down to 100w.
Be interesting to see everyone else's thoughts...


Top
 Profile  
 

Display posts from previous:  Sort by  


Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 129 posts ] 

All times are UTC



You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests



Search for: