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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:17 pm 
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I've said this before,, and I'll say it again, the Thorn Alpha 2000 is a very good and very well made lantern, unlike those that followed. Despite being a little bulky, it seals well, and is a good weatherproof fitting. It's finish does not go to a powdery state like most current offerings, it's a good solid fitting and does the job. It's only let down is the Thorn control gear within, had it been fitted with Parmar gear, and if engineers remember to clip the top down correctly, it will go on for decades.

The only version of this lantern that I think looks wrong is the deep-bowled variant. My favourite A2000 is the flat glass cut-off version of which I've saved several over the years, some ending up in other people's collections.


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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:29 pm 
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Hear, hear! Claire, I couldn't agree more RE: the A2000. I still have the one I received from you via Mike a while ago, despite it taking up a lot of space!

It is a robust lantern that has inspired popular designs from other manufacturers such as the Urbis Evolo. It's the Riviera and its weak canopy that should be receiving all the stick IMO.


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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:47 pm 
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I think the Alpha 2000 was a great lantern, some think of it as bulky but no more than a Sapphire or Arc in my opinion. They are used in numerous places in County Durham and as said by Claire the only think letting them down is the gear, although the 2000s seem to be one of the only run of the mill lanterns which are re-ballasted when they fail.  There is a good number still installed around Consett which lies 1000ft above sea level in a green or normal aluminium finish and most have stood the test of time with most replacements due to bad drivers rather than lantern failures. Baring in mind they do get a battering up here. The flat glass versions which run SON also have a good coverage of light too, better than that of ZX3s or Iridiums I would say.


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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sun Sep 01, 2013 9:49 pm 
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Alex wrote:
Hear, hear! Claire, I couldn't agree more RE: the A2000. I still have the one I received from you via Mike a while ago, despite it taking up a lot of space!

It is a robust lantern that has inspired popular designs from other manufacturers such as the Urbis Evolo. It's the Riviera and its weak canopy that should be receiving all the stick IMO.


I agree with the both of you, a very strong and sturdy lantern. I think another problem is councils not tightening the grub screws up enough when installed on brackets and as they are very heavy, they have the tendency to droop and then fall off the brackets as I've seen near Bath. But they are so much better in design and quality of other lanterns, such as the Riviera. I think Riviera 1s are okay but the larger ones look bulky and I've seen a fair few taped up examples.

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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Mon Sep 02, 2013 1:30 am 
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I have both an Alpha 2000 (from Claire) and a Riviera, and of the two I prefer the 2000. I even tried selling the Riviera when it came to moving house, twice (6 months before and 1 month before the move), and it didn't shift. The canopy is a bit tilly-willy, it doesn't open far enough, trying to access both lamp and control gear is tricky, and I just hope I never have to fit a new photocell socket in it as there is no way I'll be able to access the terminal screws without breaking something.

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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Fri Sep 20, 2013 6:49 pm 
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Quote:
> Which 5 lanterns would you save from the grim reaper?
> Which 5 lanterns would you happily throw into the arms of the grim reaper ?
> Which 5 lanterns would you resurrect?
> Which 5 lanterns would you keep dead?


UK

Save -
1) GR100s - Been a lifelong favourite of mine, they always look worried to me (Grim Reaper eh?), unlike all the other ones which look vicious , and it is probably my favourite for Up North. Believe you me, if I could I would have these scattered all around Ayton and Scarborough if I could!

2) Thorn Alpha 9 - Another one close to the heart, because whenever I went to visit my relatives at Christmas you could always find them in the Main Street, especially Ferryhill.

3) MA60s on Concrete Columns - These are the perfect pair for me. A classic lantern attached to a classic column. There are still some left in Leeds, but probably deleted by the Cybermen and in their place a heap of SGS 253s.

4) Any Libra - Not so much one that's in it's grave just yet, but it might be that they build even better lamps and these Libras are wiped out.. nnnnooooo!!

5) WRTL SRL8 - Another lovely one that thankfully still exists in my area and village, but only around 6 examples remain.  :|

Throw

1) This is a hard list for me. Whilst I don't want to throw away any lantern, if I had to, my 1st would be the WRTL MRL6. There are too many of them in Scarborough and just are annoying now.

2) Eleco HW846 - Whilst I am in favour of these oldies, this one just doesn't mix with me.

3) Last one before you all set me alight or call me the devil - GEC Z8381.

Resurrect

1) The REVO Candle - Looks totally awesome as I type, I can see it behind the blue and purple

2) Thorn Alpha 1 - I remember seeing a few of these when out and about. Sadly can't find anymore.

3) Thorn Civic - I found some of these in the main cities recently, think the SGS 253 have pushed them into their grave

4) Thorn Alpha 2000 - These were on the A19, I don't know because it's been 2 years since we last needed to use it.

5) WRTL MRL8 - I used to think of these as Tuesday lanterns. Still some around Marton and Guisborough.

Keep dead

1) Thorn Alpha 3 - There are still some on North Street Scarborough rusting away.

These are my opinions.


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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 1:19 am 
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The closest Thorn Alpha 1 that used to exist in this corner of the world was up in Middlesbrough by South Bank rail station and the Dorman Long works... replaced a few years ago by a green column and WRTL 2Tone. Now you'd have to go to Derby/Nottingham area to find any, or Tipton near Birmingham.

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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sat Sep 21, 2013 9:59 am 
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I doubt that'll be happening then, but thanks anyway.

These days train rides always end up going to York, even if we do a long ballot to decide which destinations we will have 2 days out at, one of them ends up as York.


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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 10:48 am 
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For me it is:
Save:
1. Philips SGS203/SGS204 -some of my favorite SON lanterns.
I mostly prefer them with a PC bowl (if Philips did a glass bowl for high wattages so it does not go yellow it would be even better)

2.Philips SRS/MA SOX range - one of the only main road SOX lanterns still made, they are a very nice design.

3.WRTL ARC - nice modern curved look and all aluminium for durability and strength (I prefer curved glass)

4.WRTL Airtrace -  same reason for ARC (I prefer flat glass)

5.Philips XGS 103/104 - This is the only side road SOX still commonly used.

Kill:
1.Thorn Triumph - at least it still used magnetic gear but it is still nasty.

2. Thorn Gamma Basique - not nice, unlike the gamma 6, also lets water in due to new canopy securing screws.

3.Philips SGS101/102 - not my favorite lanterns, The SGS101 is not too bad, but the 102 looks ugly.

4.Holophane QSS

5. WRTL Harmony

Resurrect:
1. Thorn Beta 5 & Beta 2 - With deep canopies, deep bowls and a metal clip.

2. ELECO GR range - Nice angular shape

3.AC Ford AC 850 and GEC Z8896 both very nice side entry mercury lanterns

4.GEC Z5590 - these look good on swan necks, but would be better with an acrylic bowl

5.Thorn Alpha 1

Stay gone:
Not really any I want to stay dead, but I dislike LED.


Last edited by Beta 5 on Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:47 pm, edited 6 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Dying Lanterns
PostPosted: Mon Nov 10, 2014 9:24 am 
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Beta 5 wrote:
For me it is:
Save:
1. Philips SGS203/SGS204
...

5.Philips XGS 103/104


The Philips SGS204 has been 'dead' for about a decade now. The XGS103/104 appears to have been recently killed off by Philips too, now that they have the Residium and Iris as alternatives.


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