Some of the older products don't appear on the UK catalogue via a search but do appear on the Global catalogue. However, when you click on some of the links for products a "page not found" type message pops up.

Philips really need to have a good tidy up of their website, as it is a real mess. It's always been bad, and there have always been products disappearing and reappearing. It is highly likely that the SRS201 and SGS203 will be discontinued soon, with the SGS203 most likely to die out soon given the number of alternatives available plus its larger and smaller siblings having already been discontinued.

Philips is splitting its company into two: Philips HealthTech and Philips Lighting. In essence, these two divisions of Philips will be legally separate companies.

Philips has announced that compared with last year, lighting sales are down 1%. There has been a 14% decline in conventional lighting sales and a 28% increase in LED lighting sales, and LED lighting now accounts for 40% of sales.

It goes to show the complexities of Philips' business. The company has a large legacy. Whilst LED is showing considerable growth and makes up a substantial part of sales, Philips has got to try and promote LED at the same time as not alienating existing customers using other light sources. Customers are free to choose their suppliers at their own free will, but forcing decisions by discontinuing product lines has the potential to backfire. Nevertheless, Philips has gone on a binge of releasing new products, and their global product range is franky ridiculous and far from streamlined.

Here's a couple of scans to give the enthusiasts of Philips SOX, something to recall with a bit of affection.

The first is from the Philips Comprehensive Handbook circa 1985. Amongst the various "case study" photos is this one illustrating how the obsolete SLI lanterns on the M5 had been replaced by the Philips MA60 lantern.

Interestingly, although the text implies that these are the new replacements with their glowing credentials, the picture quite clearly shows the original Alpha 6s with integral gear (the giveaway is the position of the PEC on the RH lantern).

The Alpha 6s were employed in vast numbers on the motorways in the North west, especially the M63 and the Stockport portion of the M56. All were replaced by MA60s in the late 80s. More recently however, SOX domination has been radically challenged in favour of SON and even LEDs in some areas such as slip roads.

The final scan dates from 1986 and was from an issue of "The Lighting Journal". Mercury lighting back then was still a major player in this country's highways. Interestingly, a quick glance at GSV shows the location hasn't changed much at all in the intervening years and the 35W SOX is still on duty. Might have been switched to part-time operation by now though!

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"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.

Interesting scan - thank you for sharing it!

I wonder when the promotion of the energy-saving qualities of SOX(-E) fell out of favour? I suspect it was more a case of the focus switching to the benefits of 'white light' as Philips started to promote the wonders of SON.

As time goes on, continued checking of the Philips website (both old format and new format!) suggests that perhaps it really is the beginning of the end for SOX lantern offerings.

It really doesn't look good for the legendary SRS201, which based on searches on their website would suggest that it has been discontinued. Same goes for the standard Residium, but not the Residium LED. The SGS203 is clearly still available.

If the SRS201 really has been discontinued this really is the end of an era. Not just the end of one of the most legendary street lighting lanterns ever produced, but also the end of 135W and 180W SOX lanterns being available on the European market.

In terms of SOX offerings, it's pretty much their inheritance from Indal keeping SOX alive now, such as the Philips Kegel (Industria 2000 series) and Philips/Industria Iris, plus also the likes of the WRTL Delta which does not appear to be making its way onto the Philips website unlike the most popular and up to date Indal products.

I suspect the SRS201 is no longer listed but probably available for special order if ordered in sufficient quantities. It won't be a routine stock item (and as such the production line is probably mothballed - for the moment) although limited supplies may still be in the supply chain.

The same is probably true for other SOX lanterns (in this case listed for the time being but limited stock and no routine production runs), and who buys the CFL Residium in any quantity instead of the far superior Libra?

I could never understand why Philips dropped the original three sensible MA names for the three sizes of the lantern!

The generation with the gear in the bowl were dreadful - always looked like the lamp was not lit along the full length! The gear in the shoe model was vastly superior.

As for the Residium - one of the ugliest lanterns ever produced! - and yes the Libra is a clear market leader now - but that was yet another reason for Philips buying out Indal!

I don't think these are too bad during the day, but I agree that when it becomes dusk and they start switching on, one questions why only half the lamp is working!



While perhaps not the most attractive of lanterns (their form resembles an extruded Malaga/Streetfighter, which isn't a good thing on paper!), I have seen SOX versions across Hertfordshire at night and they do work a treat. The Libra does appear to have proved more popular in sales but, of course, is restricted to fluorescent lamps.

Philips`s MA is probably the best SOX lantern ever designed, I`m surprised they made the gear shoe version though, as a money saving exercise, its unusual that Philips didn`t realize early on that it was cheaper to fit the gear at the back of lantern, and cover it all with the same bowl in one go!