Engineering:Bardic lamp
The Bardic Rail Signalling Lamp was the original name of a particular type of battery powered railway signalling handlamp made from 1962 by Bardic, Ltd.[1] for use by rail and trackside workers.[2] Around 1965, British Rail made an initial order of 42,500 Bardic lamps to replace the older paraffin-lit handlamps in use across the railway network.[3][4] In 1966, the design was patented in the United Kingdom, Spain and France.[2][5][6] Today, the term ‘Bardic’ has become a common term in the UK for almost any battery operated handlamp used for hand-signalling.[7][8]
Most Bardic lamps allowed red, green, yellow and white lights to be shown for hand-signalling purposes, although some were not equipped with a yellow aspect. Due to their size and solid metal construction, bardic lamps were sometimes used by traincrews as makeshift self-defence weapons.[9] Bardic lamps were fitted with a bracket at the back which allowed them to be used as headlamps or tail lamps in an emergency.[10]
Bardic lamps are still in use today on the British national network and on heritage railways, although newer versions have been developed and smaller pocket torches have become common for handsignalling by traincrew and platform staff. Network Rail have now approved a smaller, more convenient lamp that uses super bright LEDs.[8][11] The trade name Bardic has been owned by Honeywell since 2004, when they took over Novar plc.[12][13]
The lamps were used on the London Underground network until they were phased out in the years 2000–2001.[14]
They were also used by the British Army,[15][16] the National Coal Board and other public services, with special airtight versions being developed for use in gaseous conditions. The lamps were used by police services as emergency warning lights at the scene of traffic collisions.[3]
A version of the bardic lamp was developed as a portable emergency light. It would sit on a static base and charge from mains electricity while not in use and was locked in position to prevent theft. In the event of a power failure, the locking device was automatically released and the fully-charged device could be used for portable lighting.[17]
References
- ↑ "Signalling News". Modern Transport 93: 22. 1965. https://books.google.com/books?id=S1VDAQAAIAAJ. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 , Vernon Walter & John Barker"Hand Lanterns" GB patent 1042127, published 1966-09-14
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "A Useful Signal Lamp". MotorSport Magazine: pp. 50. November 1965. https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/november-1965/50/a-useful-signal-lamp/.
- ↑ "Bardic Lamps". Modern Transport 93: 22. 1965.
- ↑ "Un dispositivo de linterna electrica" ES patent 331638, published 1967-10-01
- ↑ "Lanterne électrique portative de signalisation" FR patent 1428727, published 1966-02-18
- ↑ "Bardic Lamp" (in en-GB). 2015-06-22. https://safety.networkrail.co.uk/jargon-buster/bardic-lamp/.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "What is a Bardic Lamp?" (in en-US). 2019-12-10. http://www.whiteknight.uk.com/blog/what-is-a-bardic-lamp/.
- ↑ Lumber, Liz. "People, Pride and Progress - Oral Histories". https://www.railwaymuseum.org.uk/research-and-archive/people-pride-and-progress/people-pride-and-progress-oral-histories. ""So a Bardic Lamp is a pretty big metal lamp...but it was really heavy...I can remember sort of walking and picking that up, and just being ready to bash the person. Because...he might have had a knife.""
- ↑ "Specialist Railway Lighting" (in en-US). 2014-12-12. http://www.whiteknight.uk.com/blog/specialist-railway-lighting/.
- ↑ "LED Bardic Lamps" (in en-US). https://ticknallsolar.com/3-and-4-colour-led-bardic-lamp/.
- ↑ "Hostile bid for Novar flushes out Honeywell". 17 December 2004. https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/17-12-2004-hostile-bid-novar-flushes. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ↑ "Honeywell Completes Acquisition of Novar plc". Business Wire. 31 March 2005. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050331005328/en/Honeywell-Completes-Acquisition-Novar-plc-Final-Clearance. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ↑ "Lamp; London Transport Bardic (3 aspect) hand lamp as used at Green Park Underground station, circa 2001" (in en-gb). https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/equipment/item/2001-51951.
- ↑ Potter, John (2001). Testimony to Courage: The History of the Ulster Defence Regiment, 1969–1992. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 9781783379842. https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Testimony_to_Courage/PPubS8JGOngC.
- ↑ Wharton, Ken (2011). Bloody Belfast: An Oral History of the British Army's War Against the IRA. History Press. ISBN 9780752475981. https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Bloody_Belfast/p1I7AwAAQBAJ.
- ↑ , John Scott Netherwood"Improvements relating to emergency electric lighting installations" GB patent 1229419, published 1971-04-21
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