Anyone Know How Old This Is..?

[Brian246]

I was doing some work for small international student school today and in there plant room I came across the board attached, just wondering how old it was if anyone knew?
It’s still running some lighting and a boiler which we are currently running new feeds for to decommission this board. The whole installation is protected by an upstream RCCB and everything coming out of there is either in galv conduit or pyro so other than the dodgy ratings of the fuse wires and the later additions it’s all in pretty good condition!

 

[rapparee]

Early 70s at a guess

 

[westward10]

1950s. Is there a manufacture date stamp on the label inside the door.

 

[littlespark]

I know someone that would give his right arm for all that....

50’s through the 60’s

 

[Brian246]

1950s. Is there a manufacture date stamp on the label inside the door.

I’ll have a look tomorrow when I’m back there, all the writing is pretty faded but I’ll check, thanks!

 

[Brian246]

I know someone that would give his right arm for all that....

50’s through the 60’s

Things used to be a work of art! Cant beat a bit of tidy galv and pyro

it’ll be going spare once the projects done if you’re interested?

 

[MJPD29]

Late 50s I'd say. Wonder has boiler been spelt wrong that entire time

 

[Brian246]

Late 50s I'd say. Wonder has boiler been spelt wrong that entire time

Didn’t even notice that you know! Someone definitely spent a long time on that install, I’d like to think they’d have noticed that.

 

[littlespark]

Not me mate, our resident museum curator @Lucien Nunes takes a lot of old stuff.


watch out for asbestos if taking out

 

[James]

Not me mate, our resident museum curator @Lucien Nunes takes a lot of old stuff.


watch out for asbestos if taking out

It almost certainly contains asbestos, when you pull the fuses, it may be visible.
it was used as an arc shield.

 

[Brian246]

It almost certainly contains asbestos, when you pull the fuses, it may be visible.
it was used as an arc shield.

Maybe I’ll just isolate the remove the sub main, cut everything else out and leave the boards alone

 

[DefyG]

all in pretty good condition!

Bar the fuse carrier 4th from right. Take care pulling that one out, cracked in 2 by look of it!

 

[ipf]

It could be right through the 50's or 60's.....going off the fuse carriers.
Industrially, we were installing rewireable in the seventies but by the80's most had changed to cartridge.

 

[lozarus]

I'm desperately after one of those rocker switches with the jewel light in it if that ends up going spare. Beer tokens available.

 

[ipf]

I'm desperately after one of those rocker switches with the jewel light in it if that ends up going spare. Beer tokens available.

I know what you mean, I've just had a close up, it's a cracker.
I still can't understand why, even back then, someone couldn't use the full thread of a conduit end with a coupling, though.?.....reckon they were short with the conduit measurement. Poor!

 

[Brian246]

I'm desperately after one of those rocker switches with the jewel light in it if that ends up going spare. Beer tokens available.

I’m sure that’s possible, I’ll let you know once it’s been decommissioned

 

[MJPD29]

I'm desperately after one of those rocker switches with the jewel light in it if that ends up going spare. Beer tokens available.

Came across a couple in the past year will hold onto the next one

 

[lozarus]

I’m sure that’s possible, I’ll let you know once it’s been decommissioned

Came across a couple in the past year will hold onto the next one

Thanks a bunch guys.

 

[snowhead]

I'm desperately after one of those rocker switches with the jewel light in it if that ends up going spare. Beer tokens available.

Looks like someone lost the top right screw and replaced with non matching possibly bottom left as well.
Then at a later date someone found it and left it on the trunking next to the conduit, make sure you get the screw with the switch,? and if whoever recovers it could looks on the floor or in the Dexion behind the panel they may find the other screw.

 

[lozarus]

As a side note, interesting to see hemp covered VIR singles in galv fed from the MEM box. The IET seem to think this was phased out by the mid/late 50's, but we have plenty still in service here installed 1964 - same type of install - except someone has fitted newer Schneider Iso boxes with RCBO'S onto the old VIR. Sorry, bIt off topic.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Hi, I hear my name being called. I would be interested if you are taking out the controls, to keep the complete Satchwell control system intact for the museum. I have a boiler with similar controls but parts are broken or missing. I would like to get it operational one day as a demo of that era of industrial controls. I'll drop you a PM. Don't disturb the fuse carriers, just snip the cables off above. Yes, 50s, from the version of the MEM logo.