GEC Z5580

Todays unexpected and amazing acquisition to the collection is this GEC Z5580 dating to 1965. It came from Pershore, and up to recently was one of two that survived in a small service road, both on GEC swan neck concrete columns. I believe this got removed due to spalling at the bracket/lantern join, allowing the steel tube inside to rust almost through, as what was left inside the lantern was very thin in places.

Any work I've done so far has been minimal, the glass bowl only needed a quick scrub to remove the dust built up over its 56 years of service. I also cut the remains of the threaded tube to allow me to crush and remove it. Immediately after, I fitted it to my display swan neck and got some power to it. Unsurprisingly, it fired straight up, the lamp fitted at the time still working, however rather dimly. I put a fresh new lamp in which immediately brought its light output back up to scratch. The glass refractor bowl has to be the most impressive one I've ever seen, due to its immense clarity the light output is extremely well controlled.

The only thing that lets the lantern down is the hole drilled in for the P42 photocell, so restoration will include filling said hole in before I respray the canopy inside and out.