Philips MI26 Lantern Installations

The Philips MI26 (later sold as the XGS103) was perhaps one of the most widely-used 26W/35W SOX lanterns in the UK. The design was launched in May of 1986, taking over the role of 35W SOX side road lantern from the MI50. The design changed the aluminium canopy of the MI50 to a GRP canopy with an angled front, and removable rear cover to access the mounting-bar (which was previously two grub-screws on the MI50). The redesign also changed the reflector/gear-tray of the MI50 to a newer type of reflector-tray better suited for use in the MI26. They can still be spotted in all-kinds of locations, usually between mounting heights of 3m and 6m. The MI26 was designed for use on minor roads, hence the MI prefix. the 26 comes from the wattage of SOX-E lamps these were manufactured to run, though most accept 35W SOX too. Their small size and distinctive shape makes them easily identifiable.

Castle Donington

This is one of many 35W SOX lanterns along Hemington Hill Footpath, but it is the only side-entry example. There would have been a top-entry Thorn Beta 5 here originally, but the bracket was sawn and this placed on there as a spot-replacement.

Drayton Bassett

A red 5m column with an XGS103 exists off Drayton Lane in a private car park, and as such, is privately-owned.

The XGS103 uses a very short side-entry adaptor in order to fix to the column.

The "H1" numbers on the column indicate it would have been owned by the local authority originally, and its odd position in the middle of the grass could be due to the road and parking spaces changing shape over the decades around it.

Lichfield

This remaining MI26 is positioned behind Tesco Express, off Netherstowe.

Its purpose is to light the footpath, but I'd imagine it also does a good job as car park lighting! It appears to be fitted with a 35W SOX lamp.

This is column H2 of Hewitt Close, Lichfield. It is a similar installation to the last, but is a different type of 5m column, and is instead fitted with a curved outreach bracket which the lantern is mounted on.

Long Eaton

A privately owned Philips MI26 exists on Darley Drive, Long Eaton. The canopy looks to have suffered at the hands of the elements for too long.

The bowl has taken in some water, resulting in a dismal discolouration of the bowl.

This next MI26 is a privately-owned lantern located just off Lows Lane. Judging by the state of the lamp, it is very-much EOL. There was also a small flood mounted just-below on the column.

Loughborough

A large number of MI26 lanterns are installed along Schwäbisch Hall Way canal. Many are in poor condition, having been vandalised and/or left to their own devices for too long without maintenance. The first to be photographed (column 4) was actually in a good way.

It has an LED lamp in it, which was directly made for SOX retrofits.

Column 5 had sought shelter in the trees. It is still fitted with a 35W SOX lamp, but its bowl is cable-tied on.

But at least it can say it has a bowl! Column 6 is not so lucky. You can see the clip at the back has broken off - perhaps as a result of being clobbered by branches constantly during wind. The rust indicates the bowl has been gone for a long time.

The sticker is either gone or faded to white:

The next MI26 had lost pretty much everything it could! The bowl, lamp, lamp-holder, lamp-holder bracket and spigot cover were all long-gone. The (rather pointless now) reflector has been left hanging by a single screw.

The sticker on this one has basically rotted and rusted right off the tray.

Hat trick - three in a row! The next MI26 on column 8 had also lost its bowl. The lamp was intact in this one - judging by the rust on its tray, the loss of its bowl occurred within the last few years.

The canal water was reflecting sunlight into the lanterns here, which made for easier photographs!

Another column was spotted with an MI26 which still had its bowl, just about...

It appears the clip has failed - a mildly-common occurrence with MI26s. It is also worth noting that these MI26s (like the Drayton Bassett example) use short side-entry adaptors to post-top fit them. This is despite the fact that post-top ones were sold - and I don't imagine the slight upward angle is necessary here. It could be that there were lanterns attached here previously that were side-entry only.

More MI26s were photographed along Schwäbisch Hall Way, with varying degrees of grime in their bowls.

As expected, it didn't take long to find more with missing bowls! I'd imagine a lot of missing bowls, covers, and lamps ended up in the canal. Perhaps you could go fishing and build your very own mouldy MI26!

Stoke-on-Trent

Upon a rusty column that originally would have housed a Simplex Gemini 35, sits this aged Philips MI26. This installation is located on Cliff Vale Place.

A 26W SOX-E lamp is visible through the acrylic bowl.

Tamworth

This one was located on Juniper, Tamworth, on a 5m hinged column. It looked remarkably clean for it's age. You can also see the Zodion SS6 photocell unit on top. The faint features of a 26W SOX-E lamp can be seen inside the lantern.

The same lantern at night:

The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted another MI26 in the background. This one, too, is on a 5m column. Unlike the previous example, it is not hinged as access with an MEWP van is available here. This one doesn't look as glamorous as the previous example; lichen can be seen covering most of it's canopy.

The same lantern at night:

A recent example of an MI26 replaced a failed Simplex Aries (55W lantern with a 35W lamp) on Jasmin Road. It runs 26W SOX-E, evident by the black ring around the base of the lamp which can just-barely be seen through the bowl. An interesting fact about Jasmin Road is that it's a Google copyright trap street! While the street signs say "Jasmin Road", Google Earth & Maps spell it "Jasmine". This is to catch anyone attempting to copy Google Maps and claim it as their own authentic work. This MI26 was clearly in service before being installed here, evident by the lichen on the GRP canopy. The MI26, itself, has been replaced by a 7m column with a post-top Holophane S-Line lantern.

Abelia supported a rather awesome-looking installation: a Philips MI26 on a sleeved Stanton 10 series column, running 26W SOX-E (column T26).

Silica Road was home to a 26W SOX-E MI26 on old column T11. This was removed in June 2024. This column also acted as a feeder-pillar for this section of road.

This next lantern is a privately-owned, and is wall mounted on a short, corner outreach bracket, on the entrance to Seaton, Belgrave. I hope this stays in service for a long time! Given the increasing price of SOX lamps, the owner may be unwilling to replace the lamp once it kicks the bucket. Let's hope the lantern isn't thrown away, or better yet, I catch them removing it to save!

Located in the "SOX neighbourhood" (Blackwood Rd, Two Gates) is this MI26. It exists on a 5m column with a relatively short outreach bracket, and does work. It runs 26W SOX-E. Based on the condition of the signs attached to this column, I'm surprised the lantern hasn't been smashed to pieces yet.

There also exists a version of this lantern with an altered canopy (which now includes a large mounting spigot), meaning it can be mounted post-top as the version seen above is side-entry only. While not as common, I can think of a few examples of these lanterns, such as this one (Column T10 on Belvoir):

The post top spigot simply slides and screws on where the side-entry version's spigot cover attaches, leaving the main canopy identical to the side-entry version's.

This night-time image was taken of the 26W SOX-E MI26 on column T2 at the end of Tutbury, Tamworth.

Daytime images followed several months later.

The following (grubby) examples were located on side streets lining County Drive, Tamworth. They ran a mix of 26W SOX-E and 35W SOX lamps.

This is now the only example of a (non sleeve) steel bracket on a concrete column in Tamworth that I am aware of, after the recent removal of a Philips SGS201. It is situated on a footpath behind houses along Wandsbeck.

It is fitted with a 26W SOX-E lamp. I would imagine the unusual bracket pairing with the column was due to the MI26 being the only readily-available spot-replacement lantern at the time, and a bracket was needed to mount it on the column as something such as a Simplex Solumbra was positioned here previously.

More MI26s existed on Alexander Mews, Tamworth. They ran 26W SOX-E.

These installations were replaced in early 2024. The columns now support Holophane S-Lines.

An example running 35W SOX was spotted not far off Albert Road.

It would likely have replaced a Simplex Aries 55 fitted with a 35W lamp.

Off Brookside Road is a Philips MI26 on a pole-bracket, attached to a wooden telephone pole. This is one of the last remains of an old side road that used to lead to Tank Park Farm. You can see the route of the road still on maps today, in the form of a footpath.