Well, let's continue where we left off with another selection of images. Let's start at the N18 junction with the E34 motorway at Oud-Turnhout.
Schreder GSO 180W SOX lanterns on curvy concrete columns on the motorway slip road, with 15m concrete columns and quad-Schreder GSO lanterns on the central reservation in the background. Since installation in 1971 there have been hardly any casual replacement lanterns or columns.
Close up of the lantern and bracket.
Whilst the motorway and slip road has concrete columns the N18 over the junction has octagonal steel columns, also fitted with Schreder GSO lanterns. These lanterns may be fitted with 135W SOX lamps rather than 180W SOX lamps, as the large size catered for both wattages. These also date from 1971 and are largely unspoilt.
Double bracket curvy steel columns on the central reservation of the N18.
Close up of a double bracket, showing the Schreder GSO lanterns well. These have aluminium reflectors inside their Thorn Alpha 1 style lamp compartments.
A younger installation dating from the 1980s just off the A18/E40 motorway near Dunkirk with Schreder GZM 135/180W SOX lanterns on curvy octagonal steel columns.
A fine view of typical Belgian slip road lighting on the A18/E40 slip roads at Nieuwpoort. In the foreground a Schreder VTC has replaced a Schreder GZM. The VTC is the successor to the GZM, and the GZM was the successor to the GSO.
A close up of the lanterns on the slip road, showing the Schreder GZM lanterns and a casual replacement Schreder VTC. On the central reservation of the motorway are quad-Schreder RX/TXS lanterns running 180W SOX lamps. In plan view, these lanterns are mounted in a 'H' configuration on the columns.
Possibly slightly younger, these slip roads near Dunkirk are lit with post-top Schreder RX/TXS 135/180W SOX lanterns.
So there we have a brief overview of some of the sights of Belgium. Most of Belgium's motorway network is lit, and most of the lighting is still SOX. They have a policy of keeping their lighting for decades before replacement, and it is not uncommon to see lots of 1960s and 1970s lighting on motorways and slip roads in addition to younger 1980s and 1990s lighting. Even though lighting is often very old, there are relatively few casual replacements of columns or lanterns, and lots of stretches of lighting are unspoilt. Sadly, whilst casual replacements still appear to be with Schreder VTC SOX lanterns, replacement schemes use post-top SON lanterns, typically Philips Iridiums on galvanised octagonal steel columns. Quite a few slip roads are starting to get their first replacement schemes.