Topic: Frame blown lighting...........

[Patrick]

Hi,
 Having just read Ian's fascinating post on prism street lighting I thought this would be of interest.  a topic by Stan J who is an avid collector of Powell / Whitefriars http://www.whitefriars.com/bb_orig/viewtopic.php?t=2995

Regards, Patrick.

[Patrick]

Hi,
 Well collecting prisms for pavement lighting may be obscure but how about 'ROAD STUDS'..........

I remembered seeing this May 1954 entry in Harry Dyer's workbook for road studs. The quantity made is not shown and it may well have been a trial run. 
 A silly question, but does anyone collect ' Road studs' ( cats eyes )??

Regards, Patrick

[Bernard C]

Patrick — Someone's bound to collect them.   You've got me thinking of Percy Shaw.  

I can't help thinking that they were unlikely to have been for cat's eyes, more likely for some special or experimental purpose.

... and you've got me thinking street furniture.   At the old end of Buckingham Street in Wolverton are set cast iron studs that are road surface level and profile indicators.   As all the rest of the street furniture there is by Roberts of Deanshanger, these probably are as well.   I think they are the tops of rods attached to plates set some distance below in the foundations of the road.

Obviously they are extremely vulnerable, and almost certainly would disappear should the road be resurfaced.   However if everyone was aware of these and their rarity, they could be preserved in situ.   They need the oxygen of publicity.   I will take my camera on my next trip there.

Does anyone know of other examples?

Bernard C.  

[Ivo]

no need to reminisce. They have not departed or gone - they have just been brought up to date.

http://www.astucia.co.uk/

[Frank]

  More light pollution, plus unnecessary polluting batteries! Cat's Eyes were a stroke of genius, a simple piece of glass set in rubber - the car powered the light reflection and tires driving over them kept them clean. I did do a study of these a long time ago, my notes remain in packing crates. But there are a few collectors, I sold my collection a long time ago to one of them. There were quite a lot of very different designs as these things were heavily patented having a high income potential.

[Ivo]

More light pollution, plus unnecessary polluting batteries!

I see why you retreated to dark recesses where you have no need for traffic safety, Frank.

[Anne]

For anyone who doesn't know who Percy Shaw was... http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/cat_eyes.htm

For those like me, who have never seen a road stud out of a road.... http://www.roads.com.pl/rs/eng/rs/360_index.html (these are Holophane studs - links to earlier discussion about Holophane shades.)

And for those who just like those odd websites about unusual interests... http://www.highwaysmaintenance.com/Markdata.html 
 

[Patrick]

Hi,
 Well exciting times............................   Today I found this reflective stud in Hungerford. It is 21mm dia. and 35mm long. High quality amber glass and it reflects beautifully as can be seen from the image with flash.
 The patent number is 270574 but the last number may not be 4 .
 The chap I bought it from thinks he can find me an original metal road fitting from the 1950's
 Regards, Patrick.

[krsilber]

Nice!  Do you have a place in mind for it on your barge?