I bought this lamp some time ago as part of a job lot, at first I thought it was a standard early 300x which had been badly resprayed mid grey by the previous owner, on closer inspection I noticed it was stamped AM Ref No 21C/2503 1949 and bore the crowd foot stamp. Although not uncommon this made the lamp a bit special. As bought: The restoration was fairly standard and started with a full strip down. The tank and cage were stripped of old paint and re-finished in BS381c RAF Blue/Grey semi gloss finish which I consider very appropriate given the lamps history. I then let the paint fully harden for a few days, a few days turned into a week as life got in the way of my lamps! Finally got round to re-assembling this lamp using a new viton seal kit. A blue flame test to prove the vapouriser and burner before final re-assembly and fitting a mantle, I also fitted the correct plated spirit cup as the lamp had gained an incorrect aluminium type at some point in its life. Note the brass work, cleaned up but not highly polished which is how I like things. Final re-assembly and a new mantle fitted. I fitted a good Bialaddin marked glass to this lamp and lit it for the first time, it is running very well. Another completed lamp for my collection and one that I am very pleased with, I might treat it to a reproduction black hood cap as the original is missing much of its enamel.
A good fettle giving a really nice restoration of a fine lantern. You’ve documented the fettle very well @DP2. Well done. Cheers Pete
I just found one of these, in pretty rough condition, but complete, at Bungendore, a little town in New South Wales (Australia). @DP2 Was the original glass on your lantern marked? Cheers Tony
Thanks, @DP2. I thought that the glass in the first two photos could have been the original glass. The glass in mine is unmarked. Cheers Tony
No, the glass came from a very rusty 305 that I bought cheaply for the glass and other useful spares.