When I was offered a lantern as a gift from my Uncle, who was a retired CPR man, he had mentioned "mantles" twice while telling me about the lantern. I was curious, as I was not aware of any duel mantle lanterns manufactured for either Canadian railroad, other than perhaps a civilian model bought & marked "CPR". I visited him today, and this is what was gifted to me: Mystery solved. This Canadian Coleman Model 247 R, dated 8/64, has a unique bail, most likely made at the tin shop or Blacksmith shop, where my Uncle worked. the ball nut has been replaced by a wing nut, and the globe is a Red-lettered No. 550 replacement made in England. The cleaning lever is of the loop-type as opposed to the bent wire form. It has hung in his garage for over 25 years and is still fueled from the day it was last serviced and brought home. He also mentioned that at the time "they were just throwing them all out", so they serviced some and he took 2 of them home. This image was just taken, showing the lantern graced with over 2 decades of dust. A very nice way to receive a lantern such as this - as a gift, and from a family member with a direct connection to the Canadian Pacific Railway. Chris W - Winnipeg, Canada
HE SHOOTS HE SCORES!!!!! The crowd go's wild. You Sir just won the Stanley cup! I am rolling on the floor I am so jealous! What a Beauty! Go ahead and do the happy dance. That bail looks like a Bernzomatic propane lantern bail. Check it out on Terries site. Dan
I'm not even sure what to say. I am fully aware of what this lantern represents to people such as ourselves. There was no hunt, no bargaining, only a very pleasant and very overdue visit with my Aunt and Uncle, and given a gift that people strive to find for years, or pay huge amounts of money for. I don't even want to restore it, but I most likely will. Thank you for your reply - I think I'm still just a bit numb. Chris
According to Mackburner and others in the community, there may be only several hundred of this Canadian-made model, divided into two forms, based on their specific uses. Some were hand-held, while others were mounted in a special manner to Cabooses, with certain features added to the lantern, to protect from vibration or breakage. Yesterday I encountered another 247R in person, which is destined for some lucky person's collection out there. That example is also from Manitoba. Being located along the CPR Lines on the Canadian Prairies, there are most likely more of them in my vicinity. In the last two years, I have met 2 other people who each have one, here in Winnipeg. Chris W - Winnipeg
Very nice find. The Canadian Pacific Railway lanterns are rare but there seems to be a few around me from time to time. Cheers, Jeff
