Seeking parts for an historical refurbishment

Sun, 15 Apr 2007, 02:28 pm

Logos6 posts in thread

Hi folks: I collect old lighting equipment and where possible restore it to as close to original working condition as possible. I am currently working on two old ground rows. I have no date on these items and the only manufacturer label I have is SEECOL London pressed into the tin of the casing. They take a standard Edison screw 150w incandescent lamp (domestic style) and they have a glass reflector. Why glass I hear you cry? That is exactly my point. There are twenty reflectors on these two ground rows and 4 (only 4) are broken. On the back of the unbroken ones it says "Sunray" S.E.E.C.O.L London Patent No 142961. I am wondering if anyone out there has anything similar. I will try and post a photo when I've worked out how. If you have a unrepairable SEECOL ground row with 4 undamaged reflectors I would love to hear from you. e-mail: jotony@internode.on.net I live in Adelaide but am interested in hearing from people interstate as well. Whoever thought of putting glass reflectors on ground rows!

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LogosSun, 15 Apr 2007, 02:28 pm

David AshtonSun, 15 Apr 2007, 08:13 pm

refurbishing groundrows

You almost certainly have Strand 's' battens, the secol is probably Strand Electric Company of London or similar.If you go to strandarchive.co.uk you will find details.Glass reflectors are more efficient than aluminium and as the battens usually stayed in one place it was fine, but the main reason for using glass was that 50 yrs ago aluminium was very expensive and only high purity aluminium has good reflectivity, so glass was a cheap and tried material.A 6ft 8 section batten cost 14 pounds 1 shilling and 6 pence (1954)

LogosSun, 15 Apr 2007, 08:25 pm

Sorry

I already checked the Strand Archive as well as growing up on S battens and having a couple lying around awaiting refurbishment. I also do not think they are the A1 or "Sunray" disappearing footlight which I have never seen as they were a permanent install and appear to have died in the early sixties. They were also by Strand. The glass reflectors may have come from the Strand company. There are a few Google references to SEECOL but there doesn't seem to be a connection even with early Strand. I am quite willing to be corrected though. The big difference between these and "s" battens are the number of cells these have ten the s batten had eight in all it's versions that I can find. But thanks anyway. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

LogosSun, 15 Apr 2007, 08:32 pm

Also

Having had another look at the Strand archive. The reflectors are a different shape than the "s" battern ones. These are sort of square dish shapes the "s" batten ones are round. I must try and get a picture on here. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

David AshtonMon, 16 Apr 2007, 12:18 am

refurbishing groundrows

the Seecol Theatre was Strands demonstration theatre 1932-35 and as Strand sunray battens were the main product it cannot be coincidence that the name is on your battens.They are sunray battens which are the predecessor of the 's' batten.

LogosMon, 16 Apr 2007, 07:48 am

That is Highly possible

And makes them even more interesting as it certainly makes them pre 1954 and they are working (as long as I can continue to get 150w edison screw clear lamps). I still need four replacement reflectors. I may end up getting them moulded out of fibreglass and silvered. Not original but nonetheless a working example of the historical item. I have had to rewire anyway because the wiring was a) unsafe and b) certainly even if in good condition not up to the required standard. I am not a purist I like to see this stuff work. Is that all there is? Well if that's all there is my friend, then let's keep dancing. www.tonymoore.id.au

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