Here is an example of a road in Scunthorpe that mostly uses SOX lamps and has a recently installed lamp post with an LED, with the old lamp post still there and featuring an SOX lamp.The Holophane VMAX lantern looks surprisingly good on this 8m sheet metal column. In terms of aesthetics, I think this column looks better than the tubular steel variety usually used. At least with this type, uniformity of the installation can generally be assured, even if individual columns are replaced due to collisions etc.
Back in the mid 80s, the sheet steel column found favour with my LA, mostly being used to replace 1950s Eleco concretes. The photo was taken during one of the major renewal schemes in about 1985.
In recent years however, tubular steel columns have been the standard choice, both for new schemes and replacements. Even the "new" column pictured below has had some of its neighbours removed in recent times!