GoingUnderground Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I recently acquired 2 LT cylindrical hand held oil lamps. Both have a rotating inner screen attached to the top which when rotated changes the colour of the light cast by the lamps. One has a 4 position screen with red, amber, blue (for green) and no filter. This one was clearly used for signalling. It has been restored before I bought it and is painted black with the handle and rotating head painted yellow. The other has a 3 position rotating screen with red, blue (for green) and no filter. I believe this one was used by guards and platform staff to signal to the driver that the train was ready to depart. It has not been restored, and is painted all over in what looks suspiciiously like Train Red. Where some of the red paint has chipped off it is possible to see black paint underneath on both the body of the lamp and also on rotating top and on the handle fixed to the top. The locking mechanism is partly brass but where the paint has come off that there is no evidence of black paint underneath. So it looks like it started life painted black all over, and at some point has been repainted red, possibly to distinguish it from other lamps with a different number of screens? The lamps are both of LT origin as the restored yellow topped one has L.T. stamped into the sidewall whilst the other red one has L.P.T.B. so is clearly the earlier of the two. They are obviouslyy of the same design even though the diameter of the two lamp bodies is slightly different. The only siginficant difference apart from the colour is in the design of the cover over the central vent hole in the top. The yellow one has a fluted vent cover with the cover fixed to the top at each corrugation, whilst the other has a mushroom vent cover fixed to the top with 3 legs. I would like to restore the red one, but wondered if anyone knew if there was a colour code for the hand oil lamps. If there were colour codes when were they introduced, and what were they? I've tried searching the 'net but so far have not come up with anything. Any help would be much appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
London cambrian Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Hi Keith I cannot give you an immediate answer but i may be able to help at some point. I have good friend who was a london Transport signal engineer for a long time who has since then does a large amount of research on the old LT, mostly Met railway working practices but may well know the answer to your problem. I'm bound tobe in cnmtact with him soon and i'll ask him then. Even if he doesnt know hes down at acton depot every week or so, so may be able to turn something up. As an asid, I also have an LT handlamp, but mine differs again, and is much like the many ones in my friends care! Mine, like your red one has a mushroom top to it, but is painted in overal black, no yellow top, like the first one, but like the first one, has a four aspect rotating filter. the catch on mine is brass, which i suspect is how they would be in service. I'll do my best to answer your question Cheers Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Mark, Thank you very much indeed for your offer of help. I've contacted Brian Hardy, editor of Underground News, in case he could help. He replied that he personally doesn't know if there was a colour code, but is going to publish my e-mail to him in Underground News in the coming months. But in the interim any help will be most welcome. The more information the better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
London cambrian Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Hi Keith. I spoke go my ex LT signaller friend today and he assures me all hand lamps were in black as standard. there's the possibility that colours were changed by individuals to their personal taste, but as standard rules they are br pattern lamps in all over black. As to each ones uses, the four aspect (which is one I have as well) are signalmens lamps. Usually kept in the boxes for hand shunting manoeuvres. the three aspect from what I gather is one for more general station and yard use. do I think in general lamps are black, no official exceptions. just if a shunter or signalman has his own he may well change it. hope that helps Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Mark, Thank you for your help. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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