Designed for the lighting main roads, and amenity areas, the ZD10517 was one of a series of large post-top lanterns to be manufactured by GEC from the the late 1960s until the mid 1980'. These lanterns could be ordered from GEC for use with three 250w or 400w MBF/U mercury lamps, or three 250w , 310/360w, or 400w  SON high-pressure sodium lamps. There was also a SOX version of this lantern that used either three 90w or 135w SOX sodium lamps. The lantern spigot cap is designed for fitting to 10cm X 15.2cm column spigot. The lantern's body consists of a cast aluminium spigot cap and acrylic diffusing bowl, with a 114cm diameter spun-aluminium top canopy.

The ZD10517 rescued for the collection dates from the 1960's and was one of at least 7 of the type that lit the access roads and car parks of the former 'Metal Box Company' in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Luckily on 12th June 2007, I happened to be passing the site on the very day that contractor's, Wilson Bowden Developments were about to fell the column. This was the the last example still standing on the redevelopment site and it is with my sincere thanks to Tim Huber and Roger Leivers of Wilson Bowden, for taking so much time and trouble to get the lantern safely to ground level, and removing it intact from the column for me; thank you so much guy's.

Left: Mounted on this 10-metre Abacus hinged 'Raise and Lower column', the GEC ZD10517 is pictured standing at the gates to the former 'Metal Box Company' in Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire prior to the rescue. Just behind the fence, Tim Huber and Roger Leiver assess the job of bringing this very large lantern to the ground in one piece. Prior to this resuce, the other columns on the site had simply been bulldozed to the ground, as they'd been considered to be scrap metal. Right: A close up of the lantern.

A large Komatsu excavtor was brought over from another part of the site to bring the 'Abacus Raise and Lower column' safely down to ground level with the ZD10517 perched on the end of it! With the machines earth moving bucket removed, Roger Leivers attaches a strong chain sling on to the column from excavator's huge hydraulic arm, while Tim Huber looks on.

The moment of truth! everyone holds their breath as the column is gently brough down by the skillful driver of the Komatsu excavator. Well done you lads.  This type of rescue was only successful because the lantern's bowl is of integral construction and is made of strong acrylic plastic, and that it was mounted on a hinged column. Had this been a more delicate lantern, such as a large side entry fluorescent or sodium lantern mounted on a rigid column, then the lantern would have almost certainly shattered and been destroyed under the forces needed, and generated by this method of rescue. This is the first time I've ever witnessed such a large machine, sucessfully bring down a lantern intact. (take a look at the results of the last attempt I was witness to)

Safely down and supported by blocks to prevent the lantern being damaged by the weight of the column, the lantern awaits seperation from the column. In the backgound, and with the excitment over, the Komatsu can be seen trundling back to the far side of the site to continue with its construction work. Btw, If you look carefully, you can see two of the lantern's Philips mercury choke units in the base of the felled column, there was a third, but further down the column out of view (all were saved). The two black circles on top of the ZD10517's canopy are two Nema sockets, but no photocells were present.

Roger Leivers (right) get to work removing the lantern from the column top, while Tim Huber steadies the column for Roger. Just a few miuntes later, and the lantern was free from the column for the first time since being fitted in the 1960s. The lantern is very large, so special arrangements through a work colleague (Ricky Youd), allowed the lantern to be transported from the site in a transit van, and stored at Ricky's house for a couple of weeks until space could be made for the lantern within the collection's storage unit.

To give an idea of the size of this lantern, I took the opportunity to photograph the ZD10517 along side this push bike before placing the fitting in to store.

A picture taken in Stoke-upon-Trent showing a ZD10517 on double-doored rigid steel column.

Update: This lantern is no longer in the collection, it was disposed of to fellow collector John Thompson in 2009.