The Lamp Room

Because it's kind of one of my Holy Grail level "to find" items.

...vehicularly speaking a Merc T1 van was, and I've just pulled that off, so let's see if luck is on my side!

Was outside the front door to my primary school (maybe even still is - but I ain't going to go wandering around there to find out in this day and age!). Roughly the size and shape of a 13W T5 Fluorescent bulkhead. I reckon based on my memory of the shape that it's based on a Thorn Escort body. Opal diffuser.

One end of the fitting housed an 18W SOX lamp which ran overnight daily. It struck me as odd that there was such a huge dead space in the fitting though, until one day I saw that there was also a normal incandescent lamp in there. I have to assume intended for when you just needed light briefly and quickly.

I've never even seen this in a catalogue, never mind come across another in person.

Anyone got a clue?

Sounds like a local schools authority special. Some had a particular liking for Coughtrie, who did a range of twin BC fixtures - but I don't know about that combination.

That's a really cool idea Zel. I've never heard of that fitting. What there is in Plymouth is a small industrial estate with business units, each of which has a couple of Thorn Escort bulkheads on the back. These incredibly are 18w SOX! The majority are still in place but never used. Occasionally you see one lit presumably when an internal switch is flicked in error! I think Kev and myself need to launch a 2d swap mission!
The weird thing is I've never found mention of an 18w SOX Escort anywhere either. ...

The thought of it being a special is one that I'd not considered. Hmm...

Don't know for certain it was Escort based - last time I was in there was 1998, so take my .Emory with a pinch of salt.

The thought did occur that it may have had external gear, saving space. So you'd just have had a double B22 lampholder offset from the centre in the fitting...though in the same breath, the ballast and if it for an 18W SOX aren't really big...

Sounds like those SOX Escorts need saving!

That's certainly a combo I've NEVER seen in use anywhere! I'd be interested to see a picture if you do ever find out who made it and what it was!

Have you Google Street view'd your school to see if it remains?

Yes, but sadly it's set back too far from the road to really make out.