Anyone happen to know of any SOX lanterns - any model - in the Fylde region and its surroundings? (Blackpool, Fleetwood, Preston, etc.)It has been a little while since I was in the Lytham St Annes area, however I do recall there were quite a few pockets of SOX lighting, usually on the side streets. The majority were on surviving cast iron gas / 1920s electric columns, often retaining their top entry swan neck brackets. Beta 5s were the staple lantern here although I have noticed there did seem to be a programme a while ago to eradicate SOX with SON. Many of these columns went as a result. Not all bad news though, a quick look at the current GSV indicates that Lowther Terrace in Lytham still has cast iron columns in situ, with both side and top entry beta 5s. Whether this is still the case right now would need further confirmation.
Following a short break in the Fylde area recently, I can now report that the remaining SOX lighting in Lytham plus a lot of SON has since been replaced by LED (unless any of you know different).
The street I mentioned on my previous post - Lowther Terrace did have a few cast iron swan necked columns with Beta 5s, however these have now gone. The new scheme seems to be using Thorn CiviTEQ lanterns on the replacement steel columns. They aren't as obtrusive as other types commonly fitted and blend in to the tree lined streetscene quite nicely. CiviTEQs have become quite widely used in the Fylde area along with a couple of other designs.
SON has also taken a battering on the main roads, with Lytham's MRL6s, ZX2s and surviving mk2 Alpha 8s having been replaced. In most cases though, the red toned Stanton 8D columns still survive, including a few still with their original bracket.
Side streets in nearby Ansdell, have in an earlier scheme been lit by WRTL Stellas. Interestingly, their output at night is reminiscent of the old fluorescent lighting which was popular in these parts.
In Wesham, SON is still around in some quantity although LED is slowly gaining a hold via casual replacements. There are also some IR industria 2600 lanterns used on the side streets which were presumably SON burners, however these appeared to have been relamped recently for LED retrofit lamps. The colour is remarkably similar to MBF, although I would suspect the lantern optics are under utilised.
At the local Aldi supermarket, the access road has been lit with an unusual combination. Swan necked Albany style lanterns fitted atop what look to be 8m columns! The same combination albeit on more appropriate sized posts can be found in nearby Wrea Green village.