The Thorn Alpha 5 lantern was originally popular, being Thorn's SLI/H lantern of choice. However, with the advent of SOX, and the gradual disappearance of SLI, the Thorn Alpha 5 gradually disappeared as well. Either the lanterns were replaced with SON, or converted to SOX.

However, this lantern is the SOX varient, different from the SLI version by having a deeper bowl. These can still be found in isolated places, but it's a big, bulky lantern, and most are now disappearing.

Obtained from Claire Pendrous, this lantern originally stood in Finchfield Hill, Woverhampton, and was removed as part of a traffic safety scheme when all SOX was replaced by SON.