Staverton Bridge Mill

The mill at Staverton Bridge in the South Hams is now closed and laying derelict. Redevelopment is the future for the site, but at present there are no signs of any work proceeding, and gypsies had taken advantage of this fact. The site is now blocked by boulders to prevent their return, but in their wake they have left a scene of devastation- burnt out cars, vandalised buildings and piles of rubbish...

The site plays host to a number of GEC Z5581 B mercury lanterns, which are thankfully still intact following the mill's closure and dereliction.

The first column to be found, which is a Concrete Utilities Avenue 2D & Arc 2D bracket, has unfortunately lost its lantern.

The second installation to be spied is a Z5581 B, and this one is mounted on a simple pipe wall bracket. The GEC gear and Sangamo time-switch for this lantern are mounted on a board which is inside the building.

The next column to be found still retains its lantern, showing how the first column should have looked. The gear and clock are still contained within. Here, the door has been opened, someone taking advantage of its looseness to try for electricity!

Yet another complete setup of column, lantern and control gear. Here I managed to acquire the Sangamo clock, although it has been damaged by water ingress and is failed.

The final column has not been so fortunate, the glass outer globe is missing, and the lamp smashed. Judging by the condition of the lantern interior, it has been in this state for a number of years. Luckily its control gear and clock is still intact.

I discovered the feeder point for these "Street Lights" inside the building amongst the switch gear. A 15A GEC Double-Pole isolator switch. A word scrawled across the isolator sealed the fate of these lanterns- "DEAD".

I will certainly be keeping my eye on the site, as I'd hate for these examples of the Z5580 with glass bowls to be lost, and I'll endeavour to save them from demolition.

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