The advantages of fluorescent tubes was immediately apparent. The fluorescent tube was ideally suited for road lighting, casting a wide beam across the road surface and was relatively unaffected by wet conditions (which lead to streaks from more compact light sources). It's non-dazzling white light (due to the low surface brightness of the tube itself) made it an ideal solution for the lighting of high streets, promenades and civic areas, with smaller units used for residential streets. The only problem was the size of the tubes, which in turn lead to large lanterns.

The first fluorescent lanterns were huge, bulky affairs, their size dictated by the bulb lengths, the enormous gear and the limitations of the raw materials of the late 1940s: the lanterns consisted of plate glass panels and metal frames. The optical system was also complex treating each lamp as individual source and concentrating its beam in one area using parabolic polished metal reflectors. Their large size, and equally large capital cost, made lighting authorities hesitant to use these lanterns.

Fluorescent's popularity increased as new aluminium alloys allowed lighter one-piece canopies to be cast, which in turn supported new plastic moulded bowls. The optical systems changed again with all the tubes contributing to the whole: a primary system of lightweight plastic refractors directed the flux onto the road surface and fashioned the main beams; whilst a secondary system (comprising of white over-reflector) directed light above the horizontal back to the refractor plates.

Therefore the lanterns became simpler to manufacture and, in turn, their purchase price decreased. They were still an expensive option, but authorities could justify their use due to their excellent white light (as compared to the more "artificial" coloured mercury and sodium lanterns). Fluorescent lighting was especially popular in new town developments and many manufacturers pointed this out in advertisements.

The lantern's large size was still a problem and manufacturers took a tip from European practise and angled the lantern slightly to disguise its length. Whilst this threw the light further across the road, it was usually done for cosmetic reasons alone.

The 1950s and 1960s were the age of the fluorescent lantern: it's white light seen as an energy efficient replacement for ageing tungsten and gas lighting. As gear sizes were gradually decreased, the manufacturers took advantage by streamlining the lanterns further. Optical systems became simpler until they eventually consisted of no more than the tubes themselves with a small over reflector.

The energy crisis of the 1970s prompted a rethink. The complex white light fluorescent lantern, usually burning multiple tubes, was seen as an expensive luxury: a unit burning two 40W bulbs could be replaced by a single low pressure sodium lantern burning a 35W bulb. The idea that orange light was unsuitable for residential areas and high streets was swept away by economic necessity. Therefore, as an energy saving measure, the tubular fluorescent lantern was gradually removed, to the extent that hardly any exist on public streets anymore.

The use of the tubular fluorescent lamp for street lighting was over. (Although the future looks bright for the compact fluorescent lamp but that's another story...)

Name: REVO Junior Sol-Etern C15161
Date: Circa Late 1950s - Early 1970s
Dimensions: Length: TBA, Width: TBA, Height: TBA
Light Distibution: Non Cut-Off (BSCP 1004:1952)
Lamp: 2 x 40W MCFE/U

The Sol-Etern range was well established in the early 1950s, but by the end of the decade it required modernising and redesigning. Having produced a 'conventional' new Group-A lantern (called the New Sol-Etern) REVO could've just rested on their laurels; their lantern was equal to competing models from the GEC and the AEI group of companies.

It would appear that someone in REVO was influenced by the design of the Atlas Alpha One, particularly the Opticell which was a revolutionary one-piece bowl which attached to the lantern's body. Therefore REVO designed a range of fluorescent and sodium lanterns, modelled in part on the Opticell, in which the bowl and canopy became a completely removable part of the lantern (which REVO called the 'envelope'). These lanterns shared the same styling with their white plastic canopies and unique daytime appearance.

The sodium range was called the Sol D'Or (the Golden Sun) whilst REVO reused the Sol-Etern name for the fluorescent lanterns. This lantern, the Junior Sol-Etern was designed for Group-B installations, whilst an enormous scaled up version (known to collectors as the REVO 'Tube') was made for Group-A lighting.

Unfortunately despite this (now) classic design, the new ranges never really took off. Perhaps they were simply too complex when the other manufacturers stuck with the standard design of bowl and hinged canopy? It appears that by the end of the 1960s, REVO had ditched their fluorescent range completely and replaced the unpopular sodium Sol D'Or range with the Lucidor.

Therefore, it's believed the Junior Sol-Etern was the last fluorescent lantern designed by REVO.

It was installed in huge numbers around Cambridge (where it was used as the city's Group B lantern) and sizeable numbers existed in Blackpool. No other large installations are known.

The secondary system consisted of a small white over-reflector which simply reflected some of the flux emitted above the horizontal back down towards the ground.

The bi-pin fluorescent connectors are earthed, suggesting the lantern could also use MCFA/U lamps.

Whilst the REVO Junior Sol-Etern was confined to the juristriction of Cambridge City Council, three escaped the city boundaries and lit the car park of the Trading Standards Offices in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire. Two were mounted on the walls of the building, whilst the other stood in the car park.

Demolition started on the site in 2007. Of course, I was on holiday at the time, so missed the two lanterns on the building, but rescued the third after obtaining permission from the demolition company. Unfortunately, after collapsing the column (a flimsy AEI Leader 15ST which had already been partly sheered) and leaving the lantern to get more tools (no more than half-an-hour), someone smashed the canopy.

Despite its complete appearance, the lantern was sellotaped together for this picture. Its full restoration is documented here.