GEC Z8831/80 80w MBF Lantern. Likely to date from 1987, this Z8831 is the mercury lamped version of the Z8832 SON lantern (Later Siemens/WRTL SRL8). The lantern was available in two wattage sizes for MBF/U lamps: the Z8831/80 for 80w MBF lamps and the Z8831/125 for 125w MBF lamps.

The lantern is unused and was acquired about two years ago from Broxtowe BC in Nottinghamshire, where it was discovered languishing on a shelf in their stores and was subsequently rescued for the collection. Broxtowe BC don't run mercury lighting, so I can only imagine that it was acquired for either experimental purposes, or had been receieved from GEC in error and not sent back?

The lantern is in A1 condition and keeps good company with a SRL8 SON lantern and Z8830/35 SOX lantern also held in the collection.

A side view of the Z8831/80 illustrates the lantern's clean lines.

An underside view of the Z8831 showing its well proportioned overall dimensions, but the dimutive eliptical MBF lamp looks lost inside.

A single stainless steel sping clips clamps the bowl  to the canopy.

The Z8831/80 with an Osram 80w HQL (MBF/U) 3-pin lamp fitted in to it. It seems odd seeing a mercury lamp in one of these types of fittings.

The words '© 1981 GEC (street Lighting) Limited' are moulded into the inside of the canopy.

View of the gear compartment access door. This is hinged on the same hinge-points as the bowl, and is secured at the other end by a single retaining screw for easy access. The notice by the securing screw reads: 'Disconnect supply and refer to instructions before servicing'.

The incoming supply wires would be fed throught the spigot mounting receptor, and then the positive and negative wires are each separately fed through the through the 'clamped' heat resistant sheaths to the terminal block. However, the incoming earth wire would run directly to the earthing point situated close to the terminal block. Note that the Z1641P 80w ballast is attached to the plastic lid, but has an earth wire connected to the earthing point in the compartment.  Dated 12/86, the Z1674 8uf capacitor is attached directly to the bulkhead of the lantern lamp compartment and is held into place from the other side with a 'capped' nylon nut.

The ingress protection rating for the lantern's lamp compartment and gear compartment are given on the lables, as is the lanterns model number. The Z1641P ballast is stamped 'B87'; and thanks to fellow collector Colin Fowler, we now know this to mean that it dates from February 1987.

The Z8831 being powered up, with the 80w Osram HQL (MBF/U) lamp giving off a nice healthy pink glow as it blinks into life.

After a few minutes the mercury lamp aproaches full brightness.

No image is currently availble of an in-service Z8831/80, but this view of an almost identical Siemens SRL8 (SON) lantern gives an idea as to what the lantern would look like if mounted to a column.