Lynchburg Insulators

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Lynchburg CD 306 NO. 181 or 140 High Voltage Top Groove

CD 306, High Voltage Power, Saddle Groove

Colors: Blue Aqua

The CD 306 was reworked from Lynchburg's CD 281 to create a Top Groove High Voltage Power insulator from the outdated Side Tie style. The CD 281 had a single production run of 11,230 the week ending February 22, 1925. However, it is reported that most of the CD 281s were melted down and recycled when they did not sell well. Ever sensitive to market demands, Lynchburg then adapted the CD 281 to create the CD 306 in an attempt to compete with the increasingly popular Saddle Groove power insulators being produced by Hemingray.

The adaptation would be fairly simple, retaining the two side halves of the original CD 281 molds and then reworking or creating a new one-piece crown top to make the groove to replace the original rounded top crown. The result was a style unique to Lynchburg.

Style number on top of left ear.

The CD 306 was made during a single two week production run between April 6 and 18, 1925. During that time Lynchburg made 4,205 CD 306. While these are scarce due to their low production numbers, the original CD 281 is far more rare, likely due to the fact that not many of them actually made it into the market.

CD 306 along with CD 281 are the only Lynchburg insulators that have the style number located on the crown. On CD 306, the style number NO. 181 is located on the top of the left ear of the saddle groove. It is interesting that in a Lynchburg Price List published April 1, 1925, a little over a week before their two week production run began, this style is listed as No. 140.

All lettering on the molds is hand engraved, with the exception of a few mold numbers that are die stamped. Lettering is fairly consistent, differing largely in the spacing of the reverse lettering and some corrected engraving errors.

I have confirmed 5 molds of CD 306. CD 281 exists in at least three additional molds (Molds 1, 3, 8), suggesting that CD 306 was also made in those molds. Since Lynchburg tended to make molds in sets of 12, there may be 12 molds. However, several styles were made in sets of less than 12 molds (CD 112, 9; CD 145, 9; CD 251, 6; CD 252, 8). Also, it is uncertain whether examples of all molds still exist, or ever existed. It is possible that not all CD 281 molds were converted to CD 306. Molds below in gray are assumed but have not been confirmed; they may or may not exist. Underlined molds exist in CD 281 but have not been confirmed in this style.

Additional Information

Related pages

Mold 2

Mold 4

Mold 5

Mold 7

Mold 10

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