Relite 'Diadem' restoration
Before and after, rebuild of an early 1970s Relite 'Diadem' 80w mercury street light.
Made in Tipton, West Midlands, these diminutive lanterns found favour for side-street lighting and use in rural locations. The type would have been installed during the period from the mid 1960s until the late 1980s.
The 'Diadem' was originally designed and manufactured by the Revo Electric Company of Tipton, and from 1967, by its successor Relite. The Diadem was originally offered with a pressed-glass bowl (Shade), but later, the plastic bowl was offered as an option.
During the 1970s, the lantern underwent a slight redesign, when its manufacture switched to the Simplex Lighting Company. The redesigned version has a deeper canopy. The opportunity to improved the design was likely taken when the original tooling became worn out and needed replacement.
Birmingham was a big taker of these lanterns, and despite a massive replacement program for modern lighting in the early 2000s, a handful of Diadems exist in a few of the city's back streets.
The lantern pictured is an ex South Staffordshire example, and had suffered the indignity of a late life conversion from 80w MBF lamp to a 100w SON lamp. A botched in-service conversion, the hot running 100W SON lamp had burned through the badly browned bowl.
After storage for well over a decade, the lantern was unearthed, and rebuilt as originally intended; complete with a new old stock bowl to set it off.
Relite 'Diadem' restoration
Before and after, rebuild of an early 1970s Relite 'Diadem' 80w mercury street light.
Made in Tipton, West Midlands, these diminutive lanterns found favour for side-street lighting and use in rural locations. The type would have been installed during the period from the mid 1960s until the late 1980s.
The 'Diadem' was originally designed and manufactured by the Revo Electric Company of Tipton, and from 1967, by its successor Relite. The Diadem was originally offered with a pressed-glass bowl (Shade), but later, the plastic bowl was offered as an option.
During the 1970s, the lantern underwent a slight redesign, when its manufacture switched to the Simplex Lighting Company. The redesigned version has a deeper canopy. The opportunity to improved the design was likely taken when the original tooling became worn out and needed replacement.
Birmingham was a big taker of these lanterns, and despite a massive replacement program for modern lighting in the early 2000s, a handful of Diadems exist in a few of the city's back streets.
The lantern pictured is an ex South Staffordshire example, and had suffered the indignity of a late life conversion from 80w MBF lamp to a 100w SON lamp. A botched in-service conversion, the hot running 100W SON lamp had burned through the badly browned bowl.
After storage for well over a decade, the lantern was unearthed, and rebuilt as originally intended; complete with a new old stock bowl to set it off.