Urbis ZX3 Lantern Installations
The Urbis ZX3 is the second-largest in the Urbis ZX_ series of lanterns. These massive fixtures are designed for use on "A" roads, dual carriage ways and motor ways. Lamp options include: 100W, 150W, 250W or 400W SON-T plus. These can be complimented by different bowls, such as: flat-glass bowl, curved-tempered glass bowl, low-profile bowl, deep bowl or deep zebra bowl. The canopy is made from UV-stabilized polypropylene, with the lantern's main body being aluminium.
Birmingham
These Zebra examples are located along the A47:
They are both equipped with radio-nodes to control the lantern's switch-on and switch-off times.
And next, probably one of my favourite pictures I've taken, it was while I was photographing the closer-lantern that I got photobombed!
Some more Zebra ZX3s are present on the opposite side of the carriageway.
The same crossing pictured at night, the image highlighting their unique light-distribution pattern:
I believe these examples run CityWhite lamps, in contrast to the other crossing which I confirmed to run SON lamps.
Some more Zebra ZX3s are present on the entrance to Printing House Street
With the sun shining and a clear bowl, the asymmetric reflector can be seen inside:
Notice the off-centre lamp inside:
Another set of Zebra ZX3s down Printing House Street:
Even more Zebra ZX3s are installed on Weaman Street. The first of these is missing a large portion of it's canopy!
The second lantern is intact:
A close-up of the damaged lantern:
Nearby, these 250W SON examples exist along the A38.
These ones have been installed on a column that's newer than the others on the road.
The remains of the old column are situated just behind the new one. It has been like this since at least 2008, and likely wasn't removed as there wasn't much need, especially as this would require the closing of a section of carriageway.
The ZX3s continue to line the road:
A plethora of flat-glass ZX3s are mounted along Smallbrook Queensway. This is column 11.
More examples of the ZX3 Zebra are present along the B4137.
These ZX3s are all located on the grounds of The Fort Shopping Park, off Fort Parkway.
More ZX3s on the same site. The ZX lantern at the bottom of the image is a ZX2, not a ZX3.
Burton-upon-Trent
These ZX3s line Derby Road through Burton-upon-Trent. They run 250W SON-T at 12m.
Dordon, Warwickshire
Dordon, Warwickshire is littered with Urbis ZX3s on-and-around Watling Street.
Maintenance was being conducted at the time, so all of the ZX3s (minus faulty ones) were day-burning. These all run 150W SON-T, but I believe the ones near-to the M42 roundabout ran 250W SON before their replacement. Below is column 63B21:
The same lantern at night.
And (although I forgot to set my camera's exposure settings properly) this was followed by column 63B19:
The golden glow of the 150W lamp is best seen from a close-up.
Just opposite the previous two examples (on Danny Morson Way) are three twin-arms on 10m Stainton steel columns, but the twin-arm brackets make the columns between 11 and 12m tall. On each twin-arm are two ZX3 lanterns.
These columns are not numbered so they might be owned by the industrial estate. The column closest to the junction was pictured first.
The columns have an octagonal profile, with the company name on the door.
Close-ups of the two lanterns:
The column in the middle was pictured second:
And finally, the third column (furthest twin-arm from the junction) was photographed.
Mile Oak
A mix of white-canopied and black-canopied ZX3s line Roman Road.
Rugby
This image provides quite a nice comparison between the ZXU1 and ZX3. I had originally thought that the lantern was a spot-replacement, but oddly it was installed when the column was put up.
The ZX3 itself looks relatively new, despite having been installed around November 2009.
Stafford
This Urbis ZX3 is a recent addition to Gaolgate Street. It was put up at some point past 2018 to replace a failed GEC Z8536.
A few ZX3s are dotted along Newport Road. This one is a low-profile bowl version.
Notice both the bracket and lantern are a bit out of place against the column. These were both put up together, replacing a Philips MA50 on an older bracket.
Another installation along the same road:
This one showcases the type of bracket that was employed on the previous column before the ZX3.
Stoke-on-Trent
These Urbis ZX3s are located along Wolstanton Road. They all feature deep bowls.
The roundabout that joins Wolstanton Road to Dimsdale Parade W is also encircled by Urbis ZX3s, but this time they are the flat-glass variant.
They are fitted with 150W SON-T lamps.
This one is located on a slip road to the A500, and it is one of many around this area.
They have low-profile bowls.
In the middle of the carriageway are twin-arm columns. Most lanterns on these are also Urbis ZX3s.
Some of these ZX3s have what appear to be dummy-link cells on them, meaning they are likely group-switched.
A nearby bridge allowed me to get some good shots of the ZX3s (as well as the Phosco LEDs that replaced some). The ZX3s farther back are on longer twin-arm brackets, which I would guess is to throw more light onto the slip roads, but I'm unsure why this is needed given the slip roads already have their own lights.
This ZX3 is fitted with a Zodion photocell.
I also photographed the column closest to the bridge, as the height advantage allowed for some good close-ups.
Tamworth
The Urbis ZX3 was most commonly used on the A5 (Until the lanterns were replaced) however I have stumbled upon some. This one is located on Column 48, Mariner, Lichfield Industrial Estate. It looks to run 150W SON. It was installed during 2021, taking the place of a failed Philips MA50. It looks huge even from ground level! It is mounted 8m above the road's surface.
Some deep-bowled ZX3s exist along Lichfield Street, all running 150W SON-T lamps. A decent portion of these are not actually working as of 01/2025.
A close-up of the lantern on T1:
On a roundabout outside of Tesco Express, Amington, are several Urbis ZX3s running 150W SON.
This one has a chunk of canopy missing!
