History of Street lighting in Leeds
Selby Road A63 from M1 Junction 46, East Leeds
Old Revo lanterns have been on Selby Road since 1961 but in the past they were replaced with Philips MA 60 remote gear SOX 180W with extension from 10 metres to 12 metres with brackets. When the new M1 motorway junction roundabout was built , all new Urbis ZX3 with flat glass were installed. All the old concrete columns have now gone and you cannot see any old Revo lanterns and columns left on Selby Road.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1962
URBIS ZX3 FLAT GLASS SON-T 250W, SELC 841 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Moor Road A61, South Leeds
When the M1 was built in 1972, new high mast lantern with Philips SPS 343 2x 400W of SON-E were installed, a total of X8. In 1995 they were replaced with new WRTL High Mast Lanterns to reduce the wattage which is only 4 X SON-T. All the same columns are still in use, but now M621 has taken over from M1 which is new M1 and A1 link since 1999.
PHILIPS SON-T 400W X 2, GEC Photocell.
Photo taken 1972
WRTL HMLD400G Complex area Lantern) SON-T 400W, RTE Part 2 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Motorway M621 Junction 3
Same as above, you can see the motorways are busier than in the past!
PHILIPS SON-T 400W X 2, GEC Photocell.
Photo taken 1972
CU PHOSCO P555 SON-T 400W, SELC 841 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Motorway M621 Junction 4
Same as above, the trees have matured now.
PHILIPS SON-T 400W X 2, GEC Photocell.
Photo taken 1972
WRTL HMLD400G Complex area Lantern) SON-T 400W, RTE Part 2 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Wellington Street, Leeds Central
There are many changes the lanterns at Wellington Street!, the first picture is an old GEC (I think ) with 5ft Fluorescent, they were replaced with Thorn Alpha 3 SON-T of 250W with new columns and also new photocells first time fitted on that street. About 1996 they were replaced again with new Philips SGS306 SON-T 400W with new SELC 841 photocell fitted. You cannot find any old columns in that area.
UNKNOWN FLUORESCENT
Photo taken 1960
PHILIPS SGS306 SON-T 400W, SELC 841 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
City Square, Leeds Central
Leeds City Square, before old GEC (I think ) with 5ft Fluorescent, with old columns since 1956. About 1974, three High Mast Lanterns with Philips SPS 343 2x 400W of SON-E were fitted, all total X8. They did not look very nice so now they are gone. City Square has been refurbished and new Urbis Systems 2000 with SON-T 150W X4 have been fitted. You can see in the background that the landmark horse still same as present.
UNKNOWN FLUORESCENT
Photo taken 1960
URBIS SYSTEMS 2000 SON-T 150W, SELC 842/2P Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
The Headrow, Leeds Central
Old Post Top from CU Phosco P222 with three SON-T of 250W. About 1996 they were replaced with new Philips SGS306 SON-T 400W with SELC 841 Photocell, they use the old column now. But I think that all street lighting will be removed when new Leeds Supertram is built in 2006!
CU PHOSCO P222 SON-T 250W X 3, Old Fisher Karpark Photocell.
Photo taken 1977
PHILIPS SGS306 SON-T 400W, SELC 841 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Ring Road Adel A6210, North Leeds
Old Revo Lantern with concrete post, I think made by Stanton and Staveley with long bracket. When I was young I saw many columns still same but some lanterns fitting had been changed to GEC, Eleco and Philips SOX 135W. In 1999 they removed all the old concrete columns and install new columns from British Steel, new Thorn Alpha 8 post top SON-T 250W with group switching. I haven’t seen any old concrete columns around the Ring Road at Adel now. The junction has traffic lights I think they were installed there about 1984 (old style traffic lights) but when they installed new Thorn Alpha 8, at the same time they changed the Style traffic lights. There is national speed limit here! A bit of further after the traffic lights it is very different, there are Urbis ZX3 SON-T 250W with flat glass which have been installed since 2000,on the old concrete columns with Philips MA50 SOX of 135W. So the cable underground had been cut off but cannot find any fault, Council just put new cable and fresh columns with Urbis ZX3.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1962
THORN ALPHA 8 SON-T 250W, No Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Ring Road Weetwood A6210, North Leeds
Same as above, you can see a lot more of Alpha 8 SON-T 250W than REVO.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1962
THORN ALPHA 8 SON-T 250W, No Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Otley Road A660, North West Leeds
Many of the columns are still the same at present and all the old long brackets have been removed a long time ago but I cannot remember it. All REVO had gone and now install Philips MA50 Internal Control Gear SOX 135W with Royce Thompson OASIS 1000 Photocell. I think they removed the brackets about 1985. You can see many old columns on middle of dual carriageway, before old Leeds Tramway cable post but I never saw that when I was younger I think they removed it before I was born.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1961
PHILIPS MA50 SOX 135W, RTE OASIS 1000 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Otley Road A660, North West Leeds
Same as above, you can see three columns and the bus stop in exactly the same place.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1961
PHILIPS MA50 SOX 135W, RTE OASIS 1000 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Ring Road West Park A6210, North West Leeds
I cannot remember the old single carriageway but the old school, I don’t know what the name is, has been demolished and a new business park has been built as you can see in the present picture (red brick). Philips MA50 SOX 135W, I don’t like the columns at the moment because they look different than British steel.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1962
PHILIPS MA50 SOX 135W, Zodion SS3 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Ring Road Seacroft A6210, East Leeds
I remember the old columns when I was younger with old Revo, Eleco, and Philips MA50 Less gear with SOX 135W. But Highways Agency has taken over from Leeds City Council, and they have removed all lanterns and columns due to underground cable faulty and installed new columns with Urbis ZX3 flat glass with SELC 841 Photocell. But now Leeds City Council look after whole Ring Road in North Leeds area again.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, Group Switched.
Photo taken 1962
URBIS ZX3 FLAT GLASS SON-T 250W, SELC 841 Photocell.
Photo taken March 2004
Unknown in Leeds
I really don’t know where it is but if anyone can help to identify it I would appreciate it. Old Eleco twin lanterns with SOX 35W, you can see there are no photocells and Leeds City Council who control with Rythmatic switching system was almost exclusive to Leeds. From a central control point in Whitehall Road We were able to send a pulse on the YE main to sub-stations that then sent another pulse out along the mains to each column which had a contactor (bulge door) which pulled it and lit the lamp.
Superimposed on the live main so we could switch area on early or late if weather was bad or good. They are not like as 5th Core cable or group switched. From 1975 to 1980 the Council fitted photocells on all columns around the City area and they don’t use the Rythmatic switching system anymore.
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, No Photocell.
Photo taken August 1961
Thanks to Andrew Paulson about the Switched information.
Gipton, East Leeds
The old Revo Solumbra IV with SOX 35W post top lantern are gone now and replaced with Thorn Gamma 6 SOX 35W, maybe control gear was faulty. There are many REVO Solumbra IV still in Leeds for footpath and council estate area; they use the photocell which is Royce Thompson P9 and an extension column to put under the photocell to post top, still working ok after a long time (about 30 years).
REVO HYPERION SOX135W, No Photocell.
Photo taken 1962
THORN GAMMA 6 SOX 35W, ZODION SS3 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Park Row, Leeds Central
Unknown Fluorescent Lantern with 3X 5 foot tubes with suspended cable since 1950 or before I think but after that old Eleco Silver Ray SR305 with SON-E 400W less gear which I remember when I was younger. About 1995 all old Eleco were replaced with Philips SGS306 with SON-T 400W, SELC 841 Photocell. The same columns are still in use.
UNKNOWN FLUORESCENTS
Photo taken February 1957
PHILIPS SGS306 SON-T 400W, SELC 841 Photocell.
Photo taken February 2004
Thank to Leeds City Council for the Photography and Some Information