Front of the bubble [DotD 10.4.2020]

[whole diary]

[grahame]

This brings back memories though the picture is only 9 months old.  It's the cab of a bubble car - though the layout looks just the same to me as other first generation units.

Anyone car to describe what each of the controls and displays does?

[martyjon]

This brings back memories though the picture is only 9 months old.  It's the cab of a bubble car - though the layout looks just the same to me as other first generation units.

Anyone car to describe what each of the controls and displays does?

Left side handle power control (Accelerator)

Blob with the button cancel AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System)

Next gear selector

Far right brake control handle in fixture on windscreen

Large dial speed

Middle dial vaccum brake and reserve

[Western Pathfinder]

At the base of the windscreen central pillar,is the AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) Sunflower indicator, in front of that to the slight right is a round black object ,which is the train brake control,missing its operating Handel.
Which would lead me to think that the unit is being driven from the other Cab.

[bobm]

You mean Graham wasn't driving at the time?

And I suppose the white circular thing at the edge of the shot is the steering wheel   

[martyjon]

This brings back memories though the picture is only 9 months old.  It's the cab of a bubble car - though the layout looks just the same to me as other first generation units.

Anyone car to describe what each of the controls and displays does?

Left side handle power control (Accelerator)

Blob with the button cancel AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System)

Next gear selector

Far right brake control handle in fixture on windscreen

Large dial speed

Middle dial vaccum brake and reserve

Having looked more closely the 2 large dials are as I said speed and engine revs

Key equivalent to ignition key

Switches front lights, cab lights, 1st gen DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) had oil tail lights responsibility of the guard

[rogerw]

The big white wheel is the handbrake

[martyjon]

This brings back memories though the picture is only 9 months old.  It's the cab of a bubble car - though the layout looks just the same to me as other first generation units.

Anyone car to describe what each of the controls and displays does?

Left side handle power control (Accelerator)

Blob with the button cancel AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System)

Next gear selector

Far right brake control handle in fixture on windscreen

Large dial speed

Middle dial vaccum brake and reserve

Having looked more closely the 2 large dials are as I said speed and engine revs

Key equivalent to ignition key

Switches front lights, cab lights, 1st gen DMUs^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit) had oil tail lights responsibility of the guard

Somewhere there is a press button to acknowledge the guards instructions

Can't remember what 4th dial was

Starter button on left side not shown on piccy which started all engines on unit together. Individual engines were started alongside the unit from ground level

No fuel gauge in cab all tanks had a gauge on the tanks themselves

[martyjon]

Oh I forgot there is a switch for the windscreen wipers which also had a variable speed control and that reminds me that the 4th dial was the air pressure dial for the cars engine needed to operate the windscreen wipers

[martyjon]

Finally for my two pennyworth there is a toggle switch for the two tone air horn

Have I missed anything ?

[Witham Bobby]

What you cant see, to the left, is the stack of blue lights.  There were three vertical columns of lights.  The columns to left and right indicated, when lit, that the engine it reported was running.  The central column of lights indicated that the final drive was engaged correctly.  In a single car DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), only the top three lights across the stack would be relevant.  A 3-car, with two cars powered, would show the top two rows.  There was a limit (six power cars??) on how long a DMU train could be.  I don't know if this related to the number of lights, or whether some technical limit decided the length of the train and this in turn affected how many lights there were.

[grahame]

Many useful bits of information and reminders there.  Looking to correlate that ...



A Accelerator
B AWS^▸ (Automatic Warning System) Cancel button
C Gear Change
D Vacuum Brake
E Manual Brake
F Rack for gear brake handle and gear level handle
G AWS - most recent status indicator
H Speed indication
I Engine Revs
J Vacuum pressure
K Air pressure
L ?

Now ... a little lost as to which switches are which ...
M
N
O
P

[martyjon]

I think the red button (P) is engines stop

[grahame]

I think the red button (P) is engines stop

Yes - that makes sense. 

There are two switches just above "P" (part of the "P" group).  Lots of switches mentioned - which were those?

[grahame]

What you cant see, to the left, is the stack of blue lights.  There were three vertical columns of lights.  The columns to left and right indicated, when lit, that the engine it reported was running.  The central column of lights indicated that the final drive was engaged correctly.  In a single car DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), only the top three lights across the stack would be relevant.  A 3-car, with two cars powered, would show the top two rows.  There was a limit (six power cars??) on how long a DMU train could be.  I don't know if this related to the number of lights, or whether some technical limit decided the length of the train and this in turn affected how many lights there were.

I've looked through my pictures and found an image that went a bit off to the left - please excuse the awful quality as I've had to play with the colour profile to get it to show at all.  Also the rest of the control panel - the bit the driver can't reach from the driving seat.

[Electric train]

What you cant see, to the left, is the stack of blue lights.  There were three vertical columns of lights.  The columns to left and right indicated, when lit, that the engine it reported was running.  The central column of lights indicated that the final drive was engaged correctly.  In a single car DMU^▸ (Diesel Multiple Unit), only the top three lights across the stack would be relevant.  A 3-car, with two cars powered, would show the top two rows.  There was a limit (six power cars??) on how long a DMU train could be.  I don't know if this related to the number of lights, or whether some technical limit decided the length of the train and this in turn affected how many lights there were.

I've looked through my pictures and found an image that went a bit off to the left - please excuse the awful quality as I've had to play with the colour profile to get it to show at all.  Also the rest of the control panel - the bit the driver can't reach from the driving seat.

Top photo are the engine and control air indication lamps 3 per power car outer ones are engine run

The lower buttons outer ones are engine start the centre (black) i think was the lamp test.

Fault finding this was a challenge given to us apprentices at Reading DMU

Second photo

Red device the emergency vacuum brake

the single silver control is the car and train light control, buttons for car lights only centre leaver train lights

Next are the Smiths Heater control for this car, each car had its own set.  Smiths heaters used diesel fuel for combustion and were very effective at filling the car with smoke