Road Works Lamps

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Dorman-Smith
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Road Works Lamps

Post by Dorman-Smith »

Good Evening
My first post here, I am a collector of road lamps, but have an interest in street lighting, time switches, switchgear etc. basically... a bit of an anorak :-)
Anyway.. have road works regs changed over the past few years, once upon a time all roadworks and even pavement works had flashing warning lamps, nowadays where I live you just don't see anything other than on some scaffolding and skips?
I don't know if there are any road lamp collectors on here or am I in a very small minority :-)
If there are, I am desperately looking for 1970s plastic Dorman Smith Trafilamp parts, mainly I need the innards with the bulb, switch etc. but even a complete lamp would be great as I have an Ex PO lamp I am restoring.
If there are any ex GPO engineers here maybe you could tell me if these early lights flashed or were static, I know later BT lamps were static.
I look forward to participating here and appreciate in advance any help.
Thanks
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traffic-light-man
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Location: Liverpool, UK

Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by traffic-light-man »

Hi there and welcome to SABRE!

I have a large collection of warning lamps, though they're not to hand. I have a complete blue and a complete amber Dorman Smith 1970s TrafiLamp. I've never tried, but is it possible to fit the late 90s style TrafiLite innards to the older TrafiLamp bodies? Might get your lamp working again if they do!

As for regulations, I agree, the lamps are not as prominent as they once were, but the Traffic Signs Manual Chapter 8 still states the following:
TSM Chapter 8 wrote:O4.7.1 The outer boundary of the works site, temporary fences, barriers etc. should always be marked by
the addition of warning lights during the hours of darkness; refer to Part 1: Design, Section D3.12. The full
width and length of the obstruction shall be clearly indicated by lights. It is important that the lights are placed
correctly on top of the cones with the lens facing the oncoming traffic. On a dual carriageway, if distraction
of drivers on the other carriageway is likely to be a problem then uni-directional warning lights, and not bidirectional
or omni-directional, should be used.
Simon
Dorman-Smith
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Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Dorman-Smith »

Hi Simon
Thanks for your post.
Another lamp collector :-)
I would like to keep mine as original as possible, I think the later Trafilite inserts are too different from the Trafilamps unfortunately. I will keep looking, I just need clarification on whether the 70s PO Trafilamps were flashing or static, as I know the later BT branded were static.
As for road works warning lamps, the regs look quite clear from your post, it is strange not many, (if any locally) adhere to them.
All the best
Rob
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Conekicker
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Location: South Yorks

Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Conekicker »

The Traffic Signs Manual, Chapter 8, Part 3, specifically Section U2.14, has changed the requirement for warning lamps. Although almost all of the industry simply reads it as, "You can just omit the lamps", without actually reading carefully what U2.14 says, which is most certainly not, "You can just omit the lamps".

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... art-03.pdf
Patience is not a virtue - it's a concept invented by the dozy beggars who are unable to think quickly enough.
Glenn A
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Location: Cumbria

Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Glenn A »

I used to like the red oil lamps that were used into the eighties and once took a damaged one home. Also I can remember when a generator was used to power temporary traffic lights( Hydrovane seemed to be the main supplier).
Dorman-Smith
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Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Dorman-Smith »

Hi
I am still looking to buy road lamps to add to my collection, I thought I had some lined up but the deal sadly didn't happen. If anyone has any battery lamps they don't require, please message me with a photo of them. I am looking for red and blue lamps too.
Thanks
Sulzer:1999
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Location: Kincardine O' Neil, Aboyne, Aberdeenshire

Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Sulzer:1999 »

I received an old red oil roadworks lamp from my friend as a birthday gift the other day!

Murray Duncan
Warriortm
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Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Warriortm »

Dorman-Smith wrote: Wed Feb 20, 2019 11:53 Hi Simon
Thanks for your post.
Another lamp collector :-)
I would like to keep mine as original as possible, I think the later Trafilite inserts are too different from the Trafilamps unfortunately. I will keep looking, I just need clarification on whether the 70s PO Trafilamps were flashing or static, as I know the later BT branded were static.
As for road works warning lamps, the regs look quite clear from your post, it is strange not many, (if any locally) adhere to them.
All the best
Rob
Hi...I have been collecting battery lamps since I was a ten year old in 1979..I've had a large collection of lamps and manufacturers literature for many years, but I sold off a lot of lamps over the last few years...I know quite a bit about them and most traffic control equipment from the 70's to now plus road works set ups etc...any questions will be happily received..
All p.o battery lamps were static/steady..I spent a few days hanging around some engineers in the early '80s who gave me a bt hand book which I still have, I learned a lot from them, and other guys I've talked to over the years...paul
Dorman-Smith
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Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Dorman-Smith »

Thanks for confirming what I suspected. I have seen a couple on eBay since I posed the question and these looked to be static lamps.
Good to hear of another collector :-)
Thanks
Rob
karlallen
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Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by karlallen »

Hi Everyone,

I have a small collection of Dorman Smith Trafilamps. Ideally i'd like to sell them, would anyone be interested or could point me in the right direction to someone that may be interested? I have 7 in total, sadly no batteries. I can send photos upon request, however this forum wouldn't allow me up upload due to file size.

Thank you.

Karl
Dorman-Smith
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Re: Road Works Lamps

Post by Dorman-Smith »

Email sent
Thank you.
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