wimbledon #1
From the 1930s through to the 1980s, a huge part of suburbian south London was lit with ESLA
and REVO lanterns on swan-neck brackets. Installed and maintained by the London Borough of
Merton, this huge installation survived a remarkably long time, with the final pockets of incandescents being
removed in the late 1990s.
When Lee Gale mentioned finding some ESLAs lurking in the back alleys of Wimbledon
then I was hopeful, but suspected that he'd found one of the three remaining small installations I'd found. And
as it turned out, he had.
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Three-Way on REVO column with Lucy swan-neck
A classic example of ESLA's specialisation, a three-way was required to direct flux
down each spur of a T-junction. The original lighting engineer should've selected a 195 82½ 82½
fitting, which I believe he has, given the symmetry of the lantern.
The Lucy swan-neck is without decoration; typical of Merton council who tended to pick
brackets with no, or minimal, scrollwork. The fuse box was redundant as the REVO column had
its own gear box - no doubt fitted with timeswitch and fuses.
The distinctive black and white colour scheme is typical of Merton council. I will use this scheme for some
of the streetlights in my collection.
© Picture: Lee Gale
REVO Lodestar on cast-iron column with Lucy swan-neck
I'm at a slight loss to explain why this particular lantern was selected. As a symmetrical reflective lantern,
it offers no light control (other than an attempt at non-cut-off vertical distribution) and yet it stands at
the entrance to a footpath where the a directional lantern (i.e. ESLA) would've been far more effective.
Again, a minimal no-fuss Lucy bracket is supported on a cast-iron fluted column.
The whole ensemble is in very good condition (with the metalwork looking freshly painted).
© Picture: Lee Gale
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-AL Two-Way on Lucy Bracket
It's amazing how some lanterns survive, and this one has probably survived only because it's been mounted on a
Thames Water stink pipe (to see a similar one, see the Beckenham installation.)
So it probably belongs to Thames Water by association and therefore has been forgotten.
It appears to be a large 2-way ESLA and the curved bracket and box are by Lucy.
© Picture: Lee Gale
P. asked where the stink pipe ESLA was and then sent me this moody snap.
© Picture: P.
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two-Way on fluted column with Lucy swan-neck
As P. was in the area, I asked him to check out some ESLAs I'd remembered in
back from the late 1990s. To our amazement, they were still there; albeit with replacement columns in place,
and the fuse boxes of the Lucy brackets showing signs of tampering (has the supply been isolated?)
I was also pleased to compare these originals with a bracket in my collection
which I believed was from this area. At first glance, they both look very similar except: slightly different flower finials and
the scrollwork is lower on mine.
Apart from these minor differences, I believe my bracket was from this area and will be restored in the white-and-black
scheme shown here.
(Pictures all by P.).
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two-Way on REVO Moseley Column with REVO swan-neck
This doomed street lighting using was found by Lee Gale. It currently stands
on Spencer Hill Road in Wimbledon, but as can be seen, it's probably the last
part of the road still standing.
It further allows identification of Wimbledon's older street lighting installation:
it's a REVO Moseley column (with the short base compartment),
REVO swan-neck and ESLA Bi-Multi Group 'A' Two-Way
fitting.
The mirrors on the ESLA are in excellent condition and it's a pity that it'll
probably end up in a skip.
(Pictures © Lee Gale)
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-AL Two-Way and Three-Way
I told Lee about these two lanterns and so I'm delighted he found and
photographed them.
Kingswood Road roundabout is hidden in a sleepy Wimbledon suburb. The whole neighbourhood is a Conservation Area,
which is probably why these two ESLAs have survived.
There are four roads entering this roundabout at odd angles, with a public footpath making
a fifth spur. Therefore a two-way ESLA and three-way ESLA
provide the five main beams required to light the exits of the roundabout and alert
oncoming traffic.
The lighting is from the 1930s, contemporary with the suburb, and very crude. Wiring
is provided to the units via a pipe with a hooked top (this prevents rainwater entering
the pipe). Then the exposed wire is threaded into the pole-mounted double bracket. Then, notice
how large lengths of pipe are required to screw the ESLAs onto the ends of
the brackets - it's a very ad-hoc arrangement.
The ESLAs aren't standard for Wimbledon, being of the much larger
Group "AL" type. They are also both highly specialised; probably hand-picked to suit the
angles of the roads entering the roundabout. The two-way is very angled and is probably
120 degrees or less - the three-way also looks to be a rather rare and exotic angle.
Hopefully this lanterns will remain in-situ!
(Pictures © Lee Gale)
|