Just once in a while....

Got this as described for spares, mainly for the ventilator as it looked in superb condition. I paid far less for the whole lamp than what the ventilators normally cost. I also collected it local.
Well it's a cracker! Once in a while You get a lamp that surprises you, and this is one of them. No leaks, good pump, needle and vaporiser fine, i just rinsed the tank and here she is!
It's an Early Bialaddin 305 with an M320 ventilator, and original Glass by the looks.
I got lucky with this one.

 

Nice lamp and working well.

I always thought that ventilator was correct for the military 305..

 

@Gary Waller You may be right, It's no secret that these military lamps confuse me!

 

That does the job!

 

@Johnny19 well it looks correct to me, green logo on the glass, large filler cap, bialaddin stamp on the control cock. Are there any markings on the font / frame?
@M.Meijer may be able to answer?

 

Its running well

 

@Gary Waller This is on it....

 

Well it looks to me to be an early military 305. Nice find...
I have a 1955 marked Bialaddin 300X, it’s predecessor, so just shows the over lap in lamp models.

 

I seem to recall being told (on this forum) that the 305 was the MOD reaction to not liking the changes to the 300, namely riveting not screwing the frame on and the smaller filler cap ?
also that about 54/55 the frame moved over to the alloy one (like the M1), but there seems to be some with those dates in either format. However they did like the cheaper hood, so again to be found with both notwhistanding what happens in MOD repair depots.
I am sure I will be put right if I have "misremembered" or ?

 

@Fireexit1 Yes, I have two other Military 305's with the alloy frame, one with Vapalux stamped on the collar, and the other Bialaddin, both identical. Thats 3 Military in my collection now.

 

54 is the year the alloy frame was introduced, according to received wisdom because the War Office wasn't keen on the 310 that W&B had just introduced to replace the 305. It's also apparently the year that they replaced the cast "cogwheel" filler cap with the straight knurled one you have (In the11/4"size that is- the 1" version stayed in use until maybe 57).
Gary; intriguing that you have a 300X marked 1955, as that's 3 years after that model supposedly ceased production.

 

@steerpike451 apologies just checked the 300X I was alluding to is marked 1950 not 1955....I lose track of the dates with these things...

 

Looks like a 300X tank because of the larger filler cap but the angle makes it hard to be certain.