Walsall Corporation double decker 1953

Qedelec

Qedelec

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This is a long shot.
I am restoring this bus at Transport Museum Wythall, and I’m struggling to understand how the electric door gear works.
I wasn’t expecting to start on this yet but with the side panel off it was too good a chance to miss.
There are two limit switches beside the motor which are Normally Closed as expected but the conductors button beside the door is also N/C, so how does opening a circuit open the doors.
I’m not ready to apply 24v yet just refurbishing the associated switches etc.
If anyone has experience of these I would be very grateful especially a diagram.
Regards
Andy
 
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A guess would be that the switches are operating a relay somewhere.
 
That would be my guess but I’ve yet to find one.
But consider the scenario, the bus is parked and the doors are closed. The driver presses the button which opens the circuit. This would presume the circuit was energised all the time it was parked.
 
my thoughts
in general buses, trains and other passenger vehicles will need everything up to operational levels as in air pressure and control circuits live with a key in
most doors are pneumatic with electrical control and sensors??
are you suggesting your doors have no air pistons just motors solenoids and sensors??
 
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Thank you Big All.
Yes, there is no pneumatic on the bus. It first saw service in 1953 so is neatly as old as me.
It’s not an instant project. It probably last moved 40 years ago, except for the inches we moved it for access to the rear.
I get plenty of advice, (unsolicited), to rewire it completely but so far the wiring looks and tests ok, so hope I can keep it original.
Andy
 
can you not contact the local bus company i am sure there will be a retired old fitter you can contact via news letter or social club that will both know the answer and be delighted to help and give history and anecdotes
 
1953 and automatic doors? I would not think so, at that time we still had the pole at the back and no doors at all, so I would assume some time it has been modified to comply with new regulations?

So it is likely an add on, in the same way as seat belts were added to cars.

The buses I worked on had two methods, one was a air valve on the floor, the other was the gear stick, it has 1, 2, 3, 4, R, and D, and D was not drive, it opened the doors.

I spent a night looking for why the air buzzer was sounding, only to find all the windows had micro switches to warn driver that the kids were trying to escape on a Wain school bus. That was an International load star wagon chassis and fully automatic gear box, but the doors were a massive handle and mechanical linkage.

But add ons are a pain, as there is no standard, from windscreen washers to seat belts, to reversing lights and rear guard fog lights, each auto electrician would decide how he is going to do it.

Some where I have the Lucas work shop manuals, but I do not remember seeing any standard system to work the doors.
 
ericmark said:
1953 and automatic doors? I would not think so, at that time we still had the pole at the back and no doors at all, so I would assume some time it has been modified to comply with new regulations?
Click to expand...

Even in mid 60s they were still opening doors manually. Our school bus was 1966 and Bedford based. There was a huge chrome lever next to the driver's seat that operated the front double bifold doors. Seem to remember it took a fair bit of effort to operate. But then I imagine most things on it took effort to operate.


Good luck to the op, restoring and maintaining British buses and coaches. Many from that era have interesting coachwork and are mobile works of art.
 
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