1950s Grey Enamel Thorlux Industrial Pendant Light

This rare, one-off grey enamel Thorlux industrial pendant light spent more than half a century illuminating the vast turbine hall of Fawley Power Station — one of Britain’s most distinctive energy landmarks. Installed in the early 1950s during the power station’s initial development phase, the light served through decades of operational change before being salvaged moments before the site’s demolition.

Manufactured by Thorlux, one of the UK’s most respected industrial lighting makers, the lamp reflects the brand’s post-war engineering approach: robust, precise, and built for environments where equipment had to survive heat, vibration and continuous use. Thorlux, founded in 1936 by Frederick Thorpe, became known throughout the 1940s–60s for its exceptional build quality and the pioneering use of spun aluminium in industrial fittings. This ceiling light is a classic example Thorlux mid-century designs.

The original spun aluminium shade has been sensitively restored, retaining the subtle signs of its working life while bringing back its clean, functional silhouette. Above it sits an oversized polished aluminium gallery, complete with mid-century venting designed to release heat and create a gentle element of uplighting — a hallmark found on Thorlux’s heavy-duty fittings of the era. All components remain original, preserving both the authenticity and the architectural character of the piece.

As a reclaimed survivor of Fawley’s turbine hall — a space once filled with steam, machinery and the hum of enormous generating units — this vintage light carries genuine industrial heritage. Now reimagined for modern interiors, it makes a striking statement over kitchen islands, dining tables, bars or counters, offering not just illumination but a story: 70 years of British engineering and a piece of a power station that no longer exists.

A true one-off: built in the 1950s, salvaged from history, and ready for its next chapter.

Rewired with new CE certified or UL listed electrical components and supplied with ceiling hanging kit that allows for 100cm drop length from ceiling to the base of the fixture. Please get in touch if you need longer drop length.