The 'Difractor' was a popular 1950's mercury lantern whose design was based on GEC's former Wembley range of lanterns. Like some of the earlier Wembley's, the 'Difractor employed a large Prismatic Glass bowl to refract and distribute the lamp light from either a 250w or 400w  MA type mercury vapour lamp, which was held in a vertical attitude within the lantern. Earlier examples of the 'Difractor are easily recognisable by their parallel sided glass bowls, while the later versions used a taper-sided glass bowl. Many towns and cities in the UK at one time used the 'Difractor, which formed part of GEC's 'Clearmain' range of main road lanterns; the 'Main' in 'Clearmain' indicating its use as a main road lantern. The Market Town of Farnham in Surrey still employs quite a number of taper-bowled, side-entry 'Difractors' to light the roads in the town centre.

There are currently two GEC 'Difractor' held in the collection. The first is a Z8228 'Yoke' mounted lantern that originally came from New Haven Docks, and was obtained through fellow collector Bob Cookson. It is a little unusual in that it's a yoke mounted lantern, rather than the side-entry lantern normally associated with the GEC 'Difractor' The second example is another taper-bowled version, but of the side-entry variety. This Z8128 lantern is also in very original condition and came from an industrial site in Staffordshire, along with a very nice GEC Dioptrion.

The Z8228 GEC 'Difractor' mounted in its GEC 'Yoke' bracket. This is a big lantern, made heavy by its large prismatic glass bowl.

A side-entry, early GEC 'Difractor' with a parallel sided Di-fractor bowl. This example still has its original copper-wire netting around the bowl.

A later Z8128 GEC 'Difractor' with taper-sided bowl. This example was photographed in Farnham, Surrey. The 'dirt' in the bottom of the bowl is actually the remains of 1000's of slow-cooked insects! 

 The Z8128 side-entry GEC 'Difractor' lantern in the collection came from an industrial estate in Staffordshire, and is in original condition. The reflector plate has come loose inside, but that's easy to put right. The Biro pen gives an idea of the lantern's size.

GEC Z8228 'Difractor' rescued from Burton-upon-Trent (10th May 2007)

Left: Despite the on-going demolition around it, this lovely old GEC Z8228 'Difractor' complete with its original 'Difractor' bowl and copper wire netting was still standing at the former 'Silvertown' factory at Burton-on-Trent in December 2006. Right: On Thursday 10th May 2007, this lantern along with its GEC control box, joined the collection having been saved by Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd' who are the contractors responsible for the ground works at the former 'Silvertown' factory site. My sincere thanks go to the efforts of David Collin and Jonathon King of Buckingham's for saving this lantern for me.

Unfortunately, the prismatic Di-fractor bowl is cracked and judging by the discolouration of the factures this appears to have happened sometime in the distant past. However, the copper wire netting has held the bowl together, so I'm hopeful that a repair can be made using special glass adhesive; at least until a replacement bowl is found.

The heavy GEC cast iron control box came complete with its original GEC control gear to operate the lantern's 400w mercury vapour lamp. Unfortunately, the weather proof cover that was cast into the top of the control box (see picture above of lantern in situ) appears to have been broken off either during or after it was cut down by the contractors.