The thorn alpha 8 is a lantern that can come with a aluminium or GRP canopy. The aluminium ones are the older ones, and the GRP alpha 8s are the newer ones. The GRP ones were also sold as the WRTL MRL8.

M4

These thorn Alpha 8s are on the M4. I believe they were installed between 1983 and 1984. Most of the old lanterns on the m4 were replaced with Philips luma 3s, but these ones weren’t replaced for some reason.

This column has the newer GRO Alpha 8s on it, they were most likely a replacement for failed aluminium canopied Alpha 8s. One of them has lost its bowl.

Windsor, berkshire

This thorn Alpha 8 is in windsor, berkshire. It’s a GRP-canopied Alpha 8, and it’s mounted on a wall bracket.

Hatton Cross underground station carpark

These GRP-canopied thorn alpha 8s are in the Hatton Cross underground station car park. Half of them are Dayburning, which means the photocells are probably not very good ones. Also, the lantern in the background is a 3-chevron holophane V-MAX.

Here is a interesting double-armed column. One of the lanterns run on a SON lamp, but the other one runs on a MH lamp!