WRTL Vectra X Lantern Installations

The WRTL Vectra was one of the UK's most iconic lanterns. It could come in three sizes depending on the lamp-type and application. The small lantern has a unique variant which appeared on the UK's zebra crossings in the late 1990s and early 2000s; The Vectra X was a variant of the smallest Vectra which was designed with an asymmetrical reflector and off-centred lamp in order to distribute light onto zebra crossings.

Birmingham

These examples are located on Wheeler Street in the Newtown area of Birmingham.

This lantern actually has a deeper bowl, as opposed to the usual flat-glass.

Tamworth

In Coton Green, on Fontenaye Road, are two small WRTL Vectra Xs with flat glass bowls. They run 70W CDO-TT lamps and they light up a pedestrian crossing.

When the road was lit with SON, the white light would have made the Zebra crossing stand out, but with the installation of LEDs, not so much anymore...

A similar set of installations is present on Crowden Road.

The lanterns are showing their age, but are still holding up well!

From underneath, the lamps off-centred position is clear, along with the reflector's asymmetric shape. Unusually, the first example has a 70W SON-T lamp installed...

...whereas the second example has a 70W CDO-TT (CityWhite) lamp fitted. This is likely due to a lamp failure in the first example. Due to it's importance of lighting a crossing, they may have used whatever lamp was available to keep it going.