Norms Restoration - 31 Seater Projects & Leyland DT 5 Project

1939 Leyland TD5 [1635 DD]

2020

Electrical April

Norman Julian 2nd Apr
I have finally finished the last thing in the engine bay that I wanted to check out, clean and put back on.
The starter motor with it's freshly painted back cover.
I would have preferred not to paint it but the galvanised coating had given up and rust had started to rear its ugly head so painting was in order.
I didn't do anything with the 2 locking straps except give them a thorough clean.
I will clean around the area of the engine where these straps go back on but when the engine is back together and running I will be giving the whole engine and front axle area a good steam clean.

Charles Shipway
Norman again Well done and is worth it
Norman Julian 3 Apr
As I have told you I have finished all the engine componets.
I'm going to clean/inspect the damaged area of the head that you all have seen etc and then I have to wait for the block to be repaired by someone that has done that sort of repair before.
I wont put the sump back on till I have had that job done and then a good flush of the block, crankshaft and pistons first.
For a change of pace I'm doing a few small jobs that have to be done eventually.
The small one is the rear tail light/number plate light and the other is the rear nearside destination inside cover that contains the lights.
These are 12 volt festoon terminals.
Anyone that is familiar with the later model post war buses would know that the entire system on those buses is 24 volt.
Unfortunately this prewar is 12/24 volt and the lighting system is 12 volt.





Robert Stevenson
Bloody festoons were the bane of my life when I was helping out mates with their coal trucks.
If the loader driver wanted to be nasty he could drop close to 20 tonnes of coal in the body hard, and just about every festoon clearance light would fall out.
There was an improved festoon lamp holder that made an appearance years ago.
It was a huge improvement.
The lamp clipped in much the same as a glass fuse does.
Solved lots of issues including falling out, and the poor contact area that would corrode easily on the old type.
Probably be difficult to find them now as just about everyone uses LEDs these days.
retinning the contact points for the lamps with a bit of solder will help them to work a whole lot better.
Norman Julian 4 Apr
I may have asked this question before.
Does anyone know if any of these prewar buses were converted over to a fully 24 volt system rather than the 12/24 volt system, or did they just perserve till they were withdrawn.
24 volt globes are common but 12 volt with the large bayonet fitting are hard to get.
Changing the lights over to 24 doesn't sound hard but wondering whether I should.
The reason I'm asking is that now that I am replacing this panel but still using the same connections whether it is worth the effort.
You can get 12 volt bulbs of a different modern style but I don't want that. The 24 volt system that was off the latter models still look period.
I hope the picture doesn't confuse you.
The festoon globes are still available, it's the internal passenger globes that are the problem.
David Wilson
stayed until withdrawn, Saloon globes may have to be converted to a different 12v fitting , unfortunately
Bryce Pender
I would seriously consider upgrading to 24v during restoration, even to the point of using LED bulbs in the marker/stop/tail/indicators, even upgrade the headlights to H4 bulbs rather than the Sealed Beams of old.
Just easier to get later if somethng fails
Norman Julian
I have plenty of these fittings.
I could use these and if I find 12 volt globes in the mean time I can go either way.
This door is already fitted to the very back route number box.
Pablo E. Laredo
You might have to lurk at the larger swap meets to find NOS globes or hunt on Ebay UK, although "converting" to LED's has its appeal, if you have hidey holes there are 24/12v 10Amp invertors the size of a pack of playing cards that you could add to the lighting circuits.
Pablo E. Laredo
You might have to lurk at the larger swap meets to find NOS globes or hunt on Ebay UK, although "converting" to LED's has its appeal, if you have hidey holes there are 24/12v 10Amp invertors the size of a pack of playing cards that you could add to the lighting circuits.
Norman Julian
You would think the poms would still have a supply of them somewhere!
Pablo E. Laredo
There is a truck wrecker near Adelaide on the western side that does a lot of old stuff.
I'll need to get onto my mate Grumpy (he has an affinity for TK/KT Bedfords) find out those details.
I'm thinking maybe an industrial electrical supply for the smaller wattage globes.
Norman Julian
The way these old buses were wired up is interesting. Ordinary electricians were used. That's why there were so many household fittings used.
Norman Julian
Pablo E. Laredo I was talking to a guy who restored a TD4 from Sydney some time ago and he said to me today that he can't recall where he got the globes for his bus from but the company was in SA. Might be the same place.
Brian Blunt
If you change to all 24 volt, wouldn’t you need a new generator?
David Wilson
The 1940 AECs (1648-1697) were all 24v.
I think the Department learned its lesson with the more complex split system
Norman Julian
The OPDY1 has the same engine but the 24 volt generator.
Bryce Pender
Then that is justification to standardise all the buses
David Wilson I'd definitely standardise the TS-7 but the TD-5 could be tricky
Norman Julian
David Griffith has come to the rescue with 14 globes.
That is a start.
Norman Julian
Another thing I have learned today is that the festoon globes went to at least 1952.
They were in the AEC 2547 31 seater.
Norman Julian 5th Apr
I like doing electrical jobs like this for something different.
Here I have replaced the old insulators with 2 the same from the AEC 31 seater.
Now the globes to go back in will be the same.
The terminals were cleaned and polished up so as to get any corrosion off.
The main body was stripped and the inside was starting to corrode so that was cleaned up and the whole thing was painted.
New wiring was also used.
I tested it out and works OK.
Very bright in fact. Shame I didn't have more bulbs.
You can see the way it originally looked.



Gregor Neil Robertson
Very tidy, Norman.
I’m working here on my ‘46 Rover 10hp P2.
My lockup garages are well isolated so I can carry on outdoors all day and nobody will report me to the police who are now issuing fines all over UK to folk who are outdoors without good reason.
The Rover is very original and sound, a really well engineered car, total pleasure to work on.
Rod brakes! A real engineer’s car.
I still have a stalled Riley RMF ‘53 project.
Think I’m running out of time.
Probably have to sell it.
All in bits.
Plus other ‘classics’
Charles Shipway
That’s our Norman Ge the finished work was worth the effort looks like they will last Avery long time
Norman Julian 8 Apr
Adrian Spencer
Hi Norm are you going to replace the old wiring?
Norman Julian
Adrian Spencer do you mean on this panel or the whole bus?
Adrian Spencer
Norman Julian that panel and the whole bus too
Norman Julian
Adrian Spencer only where necessary.
I'm not going to be as extensive as I did with the AEC.
Last updated
April 2020
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