My understanding is that the brown font version of these lanterns dates from the start of Vapalux production (somewhere between 1938 and 1940 depending on who you believe) and 1942 when the Tilley-type pressure 'tit' was discontinued. This one has a steel tank which I presume is later, after the use of brass was discontinued due to shortages when that metal was diverted to the production of ammunition...
You can date these pretty well to 1942. That was when the steel tank was introduced and also when the pressure tit was discontinued. Not sure the shortage of brass is the whole reason for changing to steel. It is quite possible of course but there is also the possibility that the army wanted a stronger tank. The stronger tank is why Tilley began steel tanks and that was in 1938 when there was no brass shortage. ::Neil::
Up until the middle of 1944 the standard paint colour used by Willis and Bates was a grey/blue colour called rapidal grey which was supplied by Griffiths Brothers of Bermondsey. Difficulty in obtaining the above paint and a desire for a more suitable and fashionable colour led them to test two types of chocolate enamel, one air drying and one stoved. The stoved chocolate colour made by McPhersons was adopted as the new colour on 4th July 1944. A time when the steel tanks were still been used. Towards the end of the War brass tanks were again used in production. Vapalux 300s are also found in what appears to be an original cream colour. There is no mention of that colour in the factory records.
Hi, I recently acquired a scruffy lamp like these shown, all steel with a warning label "This reservoir is made of steel and must be drained weekly to avoid condensation damage." It is dated 1945 with the MOD arrow and is grey, grey, grey! It is marked "Willis and Bates Vapalux". The font is pitted but shows some grey paint whilst the top is an enamelled blue-grey. The cage and lower glass supports are rusty with no sign of colour. Within a couple of hours I had it lit despite a serious leak from the control cock (which is brass). New seals have been fitted now! The filler is the larger 1 1/4" type. It has a glass marked "Phoenix Bi-Aladdin" which may or may not be original. The leather cup washer fell apart when I removed it and had two steel washers fitted. A new leather was soaked in castor oil overnight and it is pumping fine now. The vaporiser seems to have had little use with the lower 1/2" or so still bright steel. The question is do I rub down and restore the font, cage and surround for the control cock which are all steel, or do I just rub it over with oil to preserve the patina? It works very well. About 5 cc of methylated spirit on the ignitor will get it going in about a minute and the result is good. It joins my collection of a 320 I bought new in about 1974, a 310 bought off ebay a few weeks ago and this one from a local railway shed where it has languished for at least the last five years. The other rogues in the gallery are a series of Tilleys: 1 x 246, 1 x 246a and 3 x 246b, and a variety of Aladdin 12 ( x2 ), 14 ( x 1), 21c (x1) and 23(x1) plus a dual fuel, dual sock Coleman of about 2008, several hurricane lamps and 1 duplex table lamp from about 1980. Add to this a Monitor Roarer burner stove(Ex MOD 1956) and an Optimus quiet stove, a Valour 14 heater, and you will see that I quite like paraffin powered things. As a bit of a downer I also have a Camping Gaz flint ignition lamp, normal stove and piezo ignition stove, but I don't usually mention them!
