Villiers headlamp switch

[33d6]

I understand your lack of concern over lighting. Who does expect to go riding one of these beastliest at night anyway BUT, (there’s always a but) you do occasionally get caught out. Country town rides and rallies have caught me out a few times, somehow you end up at a local riders home or a different pub and bingo, it’s got dark quicker than you expected. I also like to have a brake/stop light fitted. I have little faith in the road users    following behind. Many only react to brake lights and never think beyond them.
You can fit a battery powered total loss system but then you’re always faffing around charging up batteries. Fit a basic direct lighting set up and you always have no hassle lighting but the brake light set up is iffy. There’s never an easy and simple 100% satisfactory solution is there.

I smiled at the 4.5v battery chatter. They can be sheer frustration. I don’t know exactly when they went off the market and I have mucked around making them up from two ‘D’ cells but eventually I got fed up and stopped bothering. I don’t know how many hours light they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.

[R]

I also like to have a brake/stop light fitted.

I VERY much agree with this.
Almost entirely the reason for this exercise.
From previous experience, batteries can go for months without needing a recharge if this is their sole purpose in life.
With led varieties, the voltage can go even lower before they cease to show a brake light.

I smiled at the 4.5v battery chatter. They can be sheer frustration. I don’t know exactly when they went off the market and I have mucked around making them up from two ‘D’ cells but eventually I got fed up and stopped bothering. I don’t know how many hours light they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.

This thought had crossed my mind.
From the totally pristine battery carrier, I suspect the original battery was removed and never replaced. ?
I looked into these batteries, and they are still available. 
https://au.rs-online.com/web/p/speciality-size-batteries/7904697

Just powering it off the small 6v battery, with suitable bulb, would be simpler.
Opportunities for requiring a parking light are few and far between these days ?

[Rex]

they originally gave but wangling a replacement in and out of that headlight clip every month or so would drive me nuts.

You and everyone else, so after the one BSA supplied (if they ever did) went up the swanee doubtless they were never replaced. Just park off-road or where a copper isn't going to visit.
If someone was poor enough to be riding a little two-stroke in the 1950s, wasting money on dry-cells would have been well down the list of necessary expenditures.

[33d6]

We're going around in circles here. I think the best solution is that of Jferg also occasional forum visitor. When necessary he uses a clip on LED bicycle rear lamp that he has slightly modified to come on with the usual m'cycle stop light switch. This can be easily removed or changed from bike to bike with minimal mucking about. That's an idea worth exploring further. Go and have a look in your local sweatwheel shop, R. You might come away much happier.

[R]

I'm set !
A Bantam ? tin bracket and later (?) Lucas lamp seem made for the job.
And that aforementioned small 6v battery.

Have a few bicycle ones. Decided there was no mileage in them = dry cell batteries again.
A better quality of rechargeables might work, but have proved elusive.
And look notably modern.

I'd still be curious what the model of this light switch is ??