Tiptoe thru the tulips by Tiny Tim ?    All I can think is "RUNNING THRU THE TULIPS , THRU THE TULIPS , WHY DON'T YOU COME ALONG AND RUN , THRU THE TULIPS ,WITH ME !!!! 

WOW !!

Quote from: Ria on 30/07/2024 23:28:15We can only hope he stays there and keeps giving his wonderful light for as long as possible

The lantern was still there on the 17th of September, but as it wasn't dark we don't know if he still works...

Well said that man.!

Apart from the bit about that which must not be mentioned...

It's appreciated. I do understand why it's not easy for you, but you did your best, and that's all anyone can ask.

Thank you

Well if you insist
Communication isn't exactly my first language. So I keep to my own little world that is my gallery unless something persuades me to come out of my hidey hole

It's too common to fall entirely out of favour. It's time as the primary street light source might be over. But its steadfast service is sorely missed. A vanguard of high intensity lighting. Arguably the first energy saving lamp. A capable design, whose success was ensured by mass production at a low cost. When its useful service expired, it found a new lease of life in collections. And forged a legend anew. The mercury lamp: Classic light bulb. Durable. And always working well.


From households, to factories; cinemas, or streets. Classrooms, dentists, offices, shops. Floodlights, spotlights. Accent lights, nightlights. Oven lights and lava lamps. Plane, car, or boat. Domestic. Industry. Retail. Sports. No other light source fills such a broad role; nor is any other engrained as deeply into human culture. It's such a simple thing. And yet, its effect could not be more profound. The filament lamp: Elegant. Effective. Eternal.


It may not enjoy a decisive victory over its rival, but its bold design certainly made an impression. An evolutionary step for lighting. And notice to the incumbent kings   , that their reign had come to an end. The LED: Future vision. Exotic operation. King slayer.


Over a century and a half of service, and ready for 100 years more. A classic without compromise. The perfect intersection of ergonomics, reliable operation, and pure paraffin power. The light source that forgot to become obsolete. It's lost its exotic edge. No longer is it the windproof wonder that changed outdoor nightlife the world over. But it's matured into an iconic antique; that may just outlast us all. The hurricane lantern: Simple. Universal. Perfect.


It has a distinct, but subdued charm. It makes a bold statement, but is never brash. Its legacy may never live up to the filament lamp. But it shares many attributes of the GLS design. Just a regular light source. No showing off, just showing up, and getting the job done. The fluorescent tube: Classic. Retro. Reliable.


It is an important historical light source. And one that helped shape the future of energy efficiency. While its time in service was short, during its reign it was state of the art. And gave those who used it a distinct advantage over the older lamps. The perfect blend of technology and availability. The CFL: Cool. Composed. Competent.


It's not the most efficient light source, nor the most practical. But, it simply doesn't have to be. It's good enough. It excels where it's needed most. It is the perfect large area light source. Designed for duty, but destined for fame. An imposing presence that has garnered great acclaim. from classic 80s high mast lighting to modern agriculture today. Its use spans decades; and yet it remains a favourite. The SON lamp: Neutral. Ubiquitous. Quality.  


A whole new class of energy efficiency. The very definition of cheap to run. From all the other lighting technologies, nothing delivers more. The antithesis of colour. Perfect for streets. Completely impractical to use indoors. But it gets a pass; by virtue of being, absolutely awesome. The SOX lamp: Unbelievable. Unmistakable. Unforgettable.



Short statements about each lamp technology I have used. No 'standard' poetic structure, but how I choose to write about things.
Written 2022-2024
compiled 20-09-2024

The gallery uploads page has now been modified to allow inclusion of the technical details associated with the lamp or fixture etc.

The additional fields have been copied from Lighting Gallery so those of you who are/were members there will be familiar with them. However there is always room for improvement, so if anyone has any ideas for additions/changes here, please let me know and I'll tell you why it can't be done

One addition that has successfully been made is the addition of a field for lamp burning position, which I have always felt was missing from LG. I'm sure this will be found useful.

Once again thanks are due to Patrick for his invaluable assistance.

A man in Aberdeen calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve and says "I hate to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 45 years of misery is enough."

"Dad, what are you talking about?" the son screams.

"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Leeds and tell her."

Frantically, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like hell they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this!"

She calls Aberdeen immediately: You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there. I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Sorted! They're coming for Christmas - and they're paying their own way."

Hi all,

We're more than a little disappointed that not much seems to be happening on the forum, the last post before this was 2 weeks ago

So come on you lot, the photos are great, but it would be nice to see some activity on here as well..!

We're currently in London, having been down for a gig (which was great, more later) but we'll be home tomorrow.

Take care,


Ria & Sammi