GEC Z8526 Lantern Installations

Intended for mounting heights of 8m or above, the GEC Z8526 was the last GEC Turtle design produced. They were side-entry only. The enormous lantern ran 250W-400W SON-T or 250W-400W MBF/U. The Z8526 was the remote-geared version of the Z8536, and the cut-off version is known as the GEC Z8524/34.


Birmingham

Watery Lane Middleway still has a considerable quantity of Z8526s left in action, despite many of them being damaged.

The first example is rotated on it's bracket, which must be quite glary to the card driving towards it at night!

The next example along remains in the correct position:

The third example is missing it's bowl. Notice a modern Milewide lantern in the background; to the ordinary person, this appears to blend in with the Z8526s, but I wasn't fooled!

The missing cover reveals what appears to be a 250W SON-T lamp, likely he same lamp-type as all of the other Z8526s on this road.

It's not known what happened to the next Z8526, but I would have to guess a RTC. A chopped-down column stump was all that remained in it's place.

Another Z8526 (column 21) on the other side of the carriageway:

Although there were fewer Z8526s on the other side of the carriageway, a few did still exist:

The last Z8526 to be photographed:

Despite it's age, the lantern is immaculate!


Crewe

Numerous Z8526s are used to light a Unipart Rail site off Gresty Road.

This next example appears damaged, missing it's bowl:


Leicester

Leicester Railway Station Car Park is littered with Z8526s, running 150W SON-T lamps.

They aren't in particularly good condition, with numerous spot-replacements to be found around the car park. The remaining ones often utilize tape or cable-ties to keep the bowls closed.

This example is badly damaged, with tape holding the bowl together and a cable-tie chain keeping the bowl closed!

Another installation showcases one of the spot-replacement lanterns, an Urbis ZX2.

Some of these lanterns at night:


Lichfield

A true survivor, this GEC Z8526 exists in Shaw Lane Car Park, Lichfield. The car park also used to support a Thorn Beta 8, however this was later removed and replaced with a 6m Stanton column and a post-top Holophane V-Max.

This installation was visited at night, running it's 250W SON lamp.

A few Z8526s also exist around Lichfield City Station. The first example seems to have adopted the ability of camouflage; I actually walked right past it, only spotting it when my train was coming into view. I had to run to grab the photo!

Some more examples are present on the tracks, visible from the station: