Hello All, I’ve been lurking around here since repairing my first lamp back in 2020 during lockdown. I’ve read in various posts to be careful as lamps breed, and true to type they do as I now own several. Most I’ve repaired and they are up and running but I’ve yet to have a go at a full restoration job. That brings me on to the purpose of this question. Recently I came across what I think is a Tilley FL6. I’ve googled this model of lamp and searched around a bit and can’t find any with a paint job like the one I have. Parts of the front glass have been overpainted but I can’t be sure whether the lamp has been touched up using a very similar colour to the original or the whole thing has been repainted. Having a quick look I can’t see evidence of a second different colour underneath the top coat. Also, as can be seen it’s stencilled “AEI” across the tank. No clue what this is. I’ve seen pictures of several with a fuel gauge set into the tank whereas mine has what looks to be a screw in brass blanking plug. So I suppose the first questions that needs answering are, does anyone know the history of this lamps livery, if that’s what it is, or it is what I think – a badly repainted lamp stencilled with a long forgotten mark or owners initials perhaps. If it has been repainted what would it have looked like originally? Thanks in advance for any info.
Welcome aboard! The tank is the later style, so it may have a date code stamped on the bottom, those floodlights were used by many different railway companies who often used their own colours, they were also used by other types of companies for emergency lighting, the fuel gauge was probably damaged at some point and was then blanked off, your lamp should restore well enough.
Hello Jeff and thanks for the welcome and the info. Just went and had another closer look at the bottom of the tank. It's stamped "Made in England" unfortunately can't see anything else. Interestingly, i got the lamp off a bloke who is a railway buff. your info regarding railway companies has got me thinking. I'm going to get back in ouch and see if he can shed any light. Cheers, Simon
Be interesting to see a picture of what you mean by the fuel gauge is blanked off. On mine it is missing the outer gauge dial part and the inner part could possibly be described as 'blanked off'. And welcome.
@Sedgman. See what you mean. Did i read somewhere that the inside part operates the outside part magnetically? The two are not joined. Is that right?
You are welcome Simon and not all of that style of tank have a date code, in my opinion, the undated tanks are the first batches of that style of tank and the link below shows my ex railway FL-6. Many years ago the ship yards in Shetland used Tilley floodlights. EX-railway FL.6.
Jeff, Thanks for that. Interesting info. and interesting looking lamp. When you say first batches of that style tank. What year would that be?
Yes to magnetically linked when the outer part is present. @presscall did a good post on this. Tilley FL6 floodlight fuel gauge bodge But if you chase the compass solution in the above post be careful to check the postage. I had one where the compass was a few dollars but the postage was a few hundred dollars. I haven't worried about the gauge. I know how full it is.
Times ago i made a research on the forum posts about the age of such a tank without date stamp. That was my result: Tilley FL6 Regards - Steven
Thanks to all contributors some good info there. Dates are particularly interesting. The bloke I got the lamp from has got back to me. Apparently AEI stands for Associated Electrical industries. They have a wikipedia entry, and were electrical engineers eventually swallowed up by GEC. Makes sense that when the power goes out you need alternative light to get it fixed.
