Yorkshire’s white rose floodlights

Headingley Cricket Ground will soon be playing cricket late into the late night, with four 56-metre floodlights situated in the four corners of the venue ready to be erected in time for the new season.

The floodlights, developed by lighting company Abacus Limited, have been created with a uniquely designed head frame - with a very special Yorkshire design.

Each head frame will be shaped to resemble the Yorkshire White Rose, an image that is synonymous across the county and a first in the world for any sporting floodlights.

David Ryder, Operations Director at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, said: “This design process started back in March 2014, when the idea was first established. We didn’t think such an intricate and uniquely shaped head frame would be possible, but Abacus just looked at the challenge and took it on.

“The sight of these four white roses standing proud above the ground as a permanent light to shine on Headingley will be really symbolic.”

Four trenches have now been dug out around the concourse at Headingley, each measuring around 15ft by 10ft, filled with 80 tonnes of concrete to stabilise the installations in all weathers.

Each head frame is made up of 15 different separate components and once assembled, the structure of each floodlight stands at 11 metres, which will be attached to the 45 metre masts.

The head frames will each be equipped with 108 Abacus Challenger 3 floodlights, each one weighing 20 kilograms.

The 108, 20 kilogram floodlights will heavily contribute to each mast’s final weight of an impressive 26.5 tonnes.

Different lighting beams will be used on each head frame, to ensure the light will only reach areas that are required and not reflect out towards residential and commercial areas surrounding the stadium complex.

The process at Headingley started in January 2015, with trenches being dug and structural development works in place to relocate storm drains, sewage pipes and reinforce any barrier walls underneath the concourse. At Abacus’ headquarters, the metal was being shaped and galvanised as early as October 2014 in preparation.

At Headingley, meanwhile, the main aspects of the floodlights have been delivered and preparations are in place to raise the first shaft during the first week of March, with the unique head frame to be installed shortly afterwards.