Heat and Light the room with a Tilley Lamp!

echelon · Post by **echelon** » 10 Jan 2009, 10:07

My husband has a penchant for these things and he lit ours a couple of days ago and took it up into the attic, which is usually freezing cold.

When I went up with a cup of tea, the room was fairly warm and the light that these things give off is quite impressive. As soon as he switched it off the temperature in the room began to fall and we needed to hide under the duvet.

They run on paraffin and you have to change the mantle from time to time or they can get smelly.

bookbinder · Post by **bookbinder** » 10 Jan 2009, 11:28

Not trying to pretend I am very young! but do seem to remember these from my childhood... could it be the same thing that my gran used to have in her outside toilet?

spudley · Post by **spudley** » 10 Jan 2009, 13:04

we had one in our outside loo to stop it feezing up. We have two old ones now that i put in the green house

Sunny B · Post by **Sunny B** » 13 Jan 2009, 09:39

echelon wrote:My husband has a penchant for these things and he lit ours a couple of days ago and took it up into the attic, which is usually freezing cold.

When I went up with a cup of tea, the room was fairly warm and the light that these things give off is quite impressive. As soon as he switched it off the temperature in the room began to fall and we needed to hide under the duvet.

They run on paraffin and you have to change the mantle from time to time or they can get smelly.

OK, now I'm curious as to why you would both want to be hiding in the attic under a duvet....

Post by **Richard** » 13 Jan 2009, 10:52

I seem to recall that my Grandfather used to have one under his car in the garage, maybe a variation.

That would have been mid 1950's. The smells of petrol, leather, wood and the lamp will remain with me always.

Lots of 'old ideas' are cast aside nowadays which is a shame.

I'm impressed with my daughters Calor Gaz Heater and went to look at them. Great financial savings to run one - but high cost initial outlay I thought.

stace · Post by **stace** » 13 Jan 2009, 10:54

We had one of those years ago Richard!

You have to purchase the bottle then its yours you just go to get it filled!

Was always warm and lasted ages as i remember!

Stace

Post by **saint-spoon** » 13 Jan 2009, 12:29

Actually own a tilly stove, you fill it with paraffin, pump up the cylinder and light it. You have to use some meths to get the initial flame established but apart from that it works pretty well. It is however not nearly as easy as a gas fired camping stove and as paraffin seems to be harder to get hold of these days the stove now lives in a box in my loft.

Sunny B · Post by **Sunny B** » 13 Jan 2009, 17:12

We used to have one of the heaters that use a calor gas bottle, I do remember that it seemed to cause an awful lot of condensation, I don't know if that's normal.

echelon · Post by **echelon** » 13 Jan 2009, 17:29

OK, now I'm curious as to why you would both want to be hiding in the attic under a duvet....

===========================

Well, hiding from the kids of course! *lol*

RoomandKitchen · Post by **RoomandKitchen** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:45

Oooh the tilley lamp lovingly tended by my Dad during power cuts..I remember the smell and the sound. Also going to my Aunts house who didn't have any electricity... Happy Days

I think I saw it in the shed the last time I was home I may have to liberate it!!!

Does anyone remeber the old pariffin heaters you used to get the cylider shaped ones my mum used to cook stew on the top?

Lilo-Lil · Post by **Lilo-Lil** » 13 Jan 2009, 21:45

During the 70`s when there were lots of power cuts, my mum used to cook our meals on a parafin camping stove!

We used to have beans or poached egg or soup, with toast done on the open coal fire in the sitting room, all done by candle light. As a young kid I remember it as great fun, huddled round the fire to keep warm and being allowed to eat tea on our laps in the "best" room rather than the cold kitchen.

We were the only ones in our street who had the means to cook hot meals, so often had the neighbours in too for tea.

I still have fond memories of heinz tomato soup from these days, with doorstep white toast dripping with real butter. You cant beat it when it`s cold outside.

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 13 Jan 2009, 22:18

That sounds so nice to remember - I cannot remember what we did, I was a teenager in the early / mid 70s and totally self obsessed I suppose

Teasal · Post by **Teasal** » 14 Jan 2009, 00:05

I remember my Uncle having Tilley and storm lamps at the farm. They had no electric, so I suppose it was an essential thing to have. Pity they are not still here. I tried to buy a Tilley lamp at a collectable sale a while ago, and it went for big money.

We have a couple of the calor gas heaters, and they do heat the room ok. Just paying for the big bottles of gas to go in them.

vyxxn · Post by **vyxxn** » 14 Jan 2009, 00:14

Tilley are still making the storm lamp - its 110 quid !!!!!!!!!!!!! but looks extremely well made - Coleman do a similar thing for camping which you can fill with fuel out you petrol tank if you run out of parrafin :-D

Ninja1 · Post by **Ninja1** » 19 Jan 2009, 08:40

I've been thinking of getting a camping stove just to keep for power cuts (or for when I'm feeling really, really mean) so I can heat up soups etc., instead of using the electicity.

I love to light a room with candles, they can be had very cheaply from pound shops, but no good if you like to read a lot.
Ninja1