GEC Z9538 Lantern Installations

The GEC Z9538 was the integral-geared, side-entry, 55W SOX version of the GEC Nightwatch. The canopy could be made from aluminium or GRP fibreglass, and the bowl either acrylic or polycarbonate. They were fairly popular throughout the UK, often being used on main roads and side-roads. A security light version was also produced which could be identified with the inclusion of a wall-mount-bracket. The lanterns declined in popularity through the 1990s and early 2000s due to other 55W SOX lanterns competing with them, and the gradual removal of SOX lanterns from British roads.

Burntwood

New Road has some privately owned GEC Z9538s. Due to the inclusion of the wall brackets (being used as pole brackets here!) we can deduce that these are the security version. There were three here previously, but now only two remain. They have been disconnected, notice the cable feeding the halogen floodlights on the columns.

The first one is in good condition, the GRP has aged like milk, but the internals look intact.

The second lantern is missing something quite significant! As a consequence, the gear-tray has rusted.

Notice that the clip remains in the closed-position, so the bowl was likely smashed off rather than falling off on it's own.