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merton park #1
Whilst I'm familar with the older installations around Wimbledon and Sutton but never really ventured into
Merton Park, Lee Gale has and has found evidence of an old ESLA
installation which has survived partly due to actions by the locals.
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two Way on cast iron column with Lucy swan neck bracket
A familiar configuration and one that was extremely common in South London. It should be of no surprise
that this old street light should match the specification of the Wimbledon examples - they all shared
the same council, namely Merton Borough Council.
This street light was obviously rescued by residents of this bungalow which is on Dorset Road.
© Picture: Lee Gale
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two Way on cast iron column with Lucy swan neck bracket
Twenty yards down the road and there's another. Again, this shows the great diversity of these
older installations: the column is slightly different, the fuse box is larger (to cater for a time-switch
as well as fuses) and the swan neck bracket is slightly larger.
The first street light could've been purchased from a reclaim centre and not be representive of the
original lighting in the street. But to find two very similar street lights within such a short
distance seals the deal: these are the originals.
© Picture: Lee Gale
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two Way on cast iron column with Lucy swan neck bracket
And here's another example rescued from becoming scrap. This lantern stands in the front garden of a house
on Erridge Road.
This lantern has been fitted with a large, modern CFL bulb.
© Picture: Lee Gale
LPS lantern on CU Byway 'X' Column
At first glance, these look like fluorescent lanterns. The canopy and clips are very similar to
GEC fluorescent lanterns, but I would've expected a much deeper bowl.
I believe they're SOX lanterns, the precursor to the popular Z9536 range. I believe
these are the 55W SOX versions.
The columns are classic concrete columns made by Concrete Utilities.
© Picture: Lee Gale
LPS lantern on CU Byway 'X' Column
Finally, a day-burner to verify they're SOX lanterns.
These lanterns can be found on Poplar Road.
© Picture: Lee Gale
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two Way on Needham column with Lucy swan neck bracket
The next two street lights are part of a small installation of five which light the grounds of Merton
Mansions, a collection of Art Deco flats just off the A298 Kingston Road.
Whilst they are perfectly in keeping, and contemporary, to the 1930s architecture they're not original. The
Needham columns are modern reproductions fitted with embelishment kits. However, the brackets and
lanterns are original, being made by Lucy and ESLA respectively.
© Picture: Lee Gale
ESLA Bi-Multi Group-A Two Way on Needham column with Lucy swan neck bracket
This ESLA is almost triangular, and therefore of a smaller angle than the standard. I suspect it's a
120° version, especially designed for tree lined roads or bends.
© Picture: Lee Gale
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