My Collection: WRTL 2500

WRTL's 2500 was a 36W-55W PL-L or 2x18W MCF (UK and Europe) or 35W-90W SOX lantern (Netherlands). They were a common sight throughout the UK, with 36W and 55W PL-L versions found about-the-place. The lantern itself was side-entry only, but could be purchased with a post-top adaptor, which is why most were found post-top mounted. This lantern came from another collector, so it's original location is not known.

The lantern is 73cm in length (about the length of a remote-geared MA90) but is much narrower. Adding to it's length is the post-top adaptor spigot which is on the back of the lantern.

The cell can be twisted and removed for access to the NEMA socket's date code: November 2004.

On the underside is a June 2004 date code, making the bowl of this lantern just one month older than I am.

The rest of the lantern was assembled in 2005, evident by what I presume to be a January 2005 date code on the sticker (to the right).

To open the lantern, the iconic WRTL clips can be pulled to release the bowl.

The gear tray can be removed completely by loosening two screws, at which point the tray simply slides off the canopy. This allows access to the gear, in this case it's a Philips HF-Performer HF-P 136 PLL 220-240.

The cell socket was unsalvageable, the clip-in mechanism had cracked and the inside couldn't stay in, so I had to disconnect it.

After disconnecting the old socket, the lantern was given it's first test-run.