Lighting, other than electric

On my visit to the Mid Hants last weekend, it was good to see that Alresford station had gas lights in the buffet - they might have others but I didnt look.

Also of course there are the lamp huts for everything to do with oil lamps along the line.

So these days where do heritage railways use 'non electric' light?

I assume tail lamps and loco lamps are still oil(?)

@Robin Moira White has pointed out that the HSE dont like people climbing ladders so certainly on the WSR signal lamps are mains electric but what illumination do heritage lines have that isnt electric these days and where?

 

Rothley Station on the GCR is still gas lit and there is a nice article about it in the current Trackside magazine (#9).

 

Kidderminster platform is gas lit but the concourse I believe is electric.

 

Isn’t Haworth/Oakworth still gas lit?

Are any of the signals still oil lit? I have a vague memory of some the S&T department about 20 years ago climbing the gantry at Kiddy to light lamps one dark Saturday during Santa season.

 

Just think of the heroes who used to service these signals at Dalston Jct. 82ft high!

Dave

 

Gas lighting in abundance on the Worth Valley.

 

Plenty of gas lamps on the station at Alresford and inside as well, as noted

Southern Lights by Stephen Morley, on Flickr

 

Alresford retained it's gas lighting right up to closure by BR in February 1972 and it has been increased over the years by the MHR.

 

I'm open to correction, but I believe that Sheffield Park has gas lamps on the platforms. If I'm correct in this then it is a "modern" installation - in my day as a volunteer there the platform lamps were paraffin ones. And very pleasant they were.

At the same time my local station in North London (Oakleigh Park on the GNR main line) was gas lit and the waiting rooms heated with open fires up until electrification, whereupon the whole lot got replaced with bus shelters.

Steve B

 

40 foot high signals were bad enough! Especially when you reached the platform at the top and most of the wood was rotten or split.

Cheers, Neil