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Post by Sam from Kent on Jan 2, 2011 13:22:40 GMT -5
We were doing a 0.1 cable extension, had 4 labour plus me, the fitter and the overman. Had agreed a "job and Finish" with the overman so all working fast. Got the cable up in the hooks, two ends ready to couple up together - put my hand in my pocket - pulled out TWO pins - thats funny I could have sworn I had three in my pocket when I left the bank. I wasn't very popular!
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Post by John on Jan 3, 2011 13:38:15 GMT -5
We were doing a 0.1 cable extension, had 4 labour plus me, the fitter and the overman. Had agreed a "job and Finish" with the overman so all working fast. Got the cable up in the hooks, two ends ready to couple up together - put my hand in my pocket - pulled out TWO pins - thats funny I could have sworn I had three in my pocket when I left the bank. I wasn't very popular! At my first pit, being one of oldest in the area, one had to carry several different sizes of pins, including the old "step pins" Terry Lacey, afternoon shift chargehand Elec, had a couple of nicknames, depends who you were talking to at the time, "nine toes", "Bunker Bill" that one was because he tended to spend more of the shift at the inbye bunker, and the other "Two Pin" I'll let you work out that one... ;D But how on earth anyone can bolt up a coupler after missing a pin?   |
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Post by erichall on Apr 21, 2011 6:06:52 GMT -5
Jobs like this were often referred to as FOFOs 'Fill Out, F**k off'
The ideas of the pins in the pocket reminded me of the first weekend shift I did as a deputy. This was on a Sunday Evening and consisted of going down the main pit, inspecting the Training District, which consisted of a Double Unit Training Face with one side hand-filled, where there would be some shots to fire ready for the day shift, the second side a mechanised (trepan shearer) side. I then had to travell the 300yard drift to the pit bottom inset, get myself onto the chair in mid shaft, travel down into the actual pit bottom, then walk some two miles to the far end of the colliery, where we had a face, some way inbye of the PB,pre-shift and admit the electricity, then walk into the second PB and ride the shaft to the surface, where a van should be waiting to take me back overground to the Main Pit for shift end. Quite a trip for someone un-used to all the procedures, and often a lonely one.
Before descending the pit, we were talking together, when we were approached by a colliery electrician. The conversation went :-
'Who's pre-shifting 101's?' he asked.
'Me' I replied.
'Got a Baldwin key?'
'No.' said I, lying through my teeth, since I'd spent some time during training with the Elecs.and ever thereafter I carried one.
'Hang on, don't go without one, I'll be a minute'
Off he went, leaving a rather bemused and 'green' Deputy. He returned shortly and handed me a Baldwin key.
'Don't lose it. The second panel on the bank will trip when tha' puts power on, and it'll want resetting. Can tha' do that?'
'Think so.' says I.
Sure enough, about 4.30 in the morning, and underground some 3 miles from the surface at the main mine, I admitted the power. The second panel tripped, and needed resetting. It did this with no problem. For some reason, and it was always that box, no other, that tripped, and immediately could be reset. There seemed to be a 'gentleman's agreement' not to call the electrician just for that one box.
Funnily enough, whilst going through some old tools in the garage recently, what should emerge but a Baldwin Key. I've had that for nigh on 50 years.
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Post by John on Apr 21, 2011 7:48:43 GMT -5
Baldwin in my time had a cover over the test/reset buttons held in place by allen screws Eric, now Wallacetown, (WECOL) had a triangular key to loosen a triangular topped screw over their test/reset covers, you're not getting mixed up with the two makes of GEB's are you??
The Baldwin key was for setting the sequence postion, ie Master/Slave, and Test Switch, ie contactor test/pilot test/sequence test etc.
The Wecol was just for the earth leakage test/reset cover and the side cover for sequence select, ie Master, Slave or Normal.
First B&F I worked on was the old SM2/2X's with thyristor E/L protection circuits which dated from the late 1950's to early 1960's.
Cotgrave used the "Free Neutral" system using the B&F SM2/2x's. The system was a pig, if one box detected an earth fault, the whole bank tripped on E/L, going by the Act, we were supposed to test every outgoing circuit as the dreaded regulation, "closing on a fault was forbidden." Instead we just reset every box and hoped the fault was "locked out", rarely was though! So we took the risk of a "blow out" or we would know which cable/machine had caused the trip by asking the machine operators.
The "Free Neutral" was also known as the "multi point earthing system".
Restricted neutral was far safer and superior!
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Post by John on Apr 21, 2011 15:35:59 GMT -5
This was the Wallacetown, (Wecol) P70 550volt GEB.  And here is a B&F GEB.  |
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Post by John on Apr 21, 2011 15:39:27 GMT -5
And just to top it off an M&CS GEB, probably the last model they produced for the NCB in the early 1960's.  |
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Post by John on Apr 21, 2011 15:42:06 GMT -5
And one last photo for luck, a standard single NCB spec electricians bed, minus the mattress cover. ;D
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Post by dazbt on Apr 21, 2011 15:44:32 GMT -5
Baldwin in my time had a cover over the test/reset buttons held in place by allen screws Eric, now Wallacetown, (WECOL) had a triangular key to loosen a triangular topped screw over their test/reset covers, you're not getting mixed up with the two makes of GEB's are you?? The Baldwin key was for setting the sequence postion, ie Master/Slave, and Test Switch, ie contactor test/pilot test/sequence test etc. The Wecol was just for the earth leakage test/reset cover and the side cover for sequence select, ie Master, Slave or Normal. First B&F I worked on was the old SM2/2X's with thyristor E/L protection circuits which dated from the late 1950's to early 1960's. Cotgrave used the "Free Neutral" system using the B&F SM2/2x's. The system was a pig, if one box detected an earth fault, the whole bank tripped on E/L, going by the Act, we were supposed to test every outgoing circuit as the dreaded regulation, "closing on a fault was forbidden." Instead we just reset every box and hoped the fault was "locked out", rarely was though! So we took the risk of a "blow out" or we would know which cable/machine had caused the trip by asking the machine operators. The "Free Neutral" was also known as the "multi point earthing system". Restricted neutral was far safer and superior! It does get complicated for all us none electrickery orientated peons, but once again it highlights how important it is to get the facts right I suppose.  |
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Post by John on Apr 21, 2011 15:49:39 GMT -5
Baldwin in my time had a cover over the test/reset buttons held in place by allen screws Eric, now Wallacetown, (WECOL) had a triangular key to loosen a triangular topped screw over their test/reset covers, you're not getting mixed up with the two makes of GEB's are you?? The Baldwin key was for setting the sequence postion, ie Master/Slave, and Test Switch, ie contactor test/pilot test/sequence test etc. The Wecol was just for the earth leakage test/reset cover and the side cover for sequence select, ie Master, Slave or Normal. First B&F I worked on was the old SM2/2X's with thyristor E/L protection circuits which dated from the late 1950's to early 1960's. Cotgrave used the "Free Neutral" system using the B&F SM2/2x's. The system was a pig, if one box detected an earth fault, the whole bank tripped on E/L, going by the Act, we were supposed to test every outgoing circuit as the dreaded regulation, "closing on a fault was forbidden." Instead we just reset every box and hoped the fault was "locked out", rarely was though! So we took the risk of a "blow out" or we would know which cable/machine had caused the trip by asking the machine operators. The "Free Neutral" was also known as the "multi point earthing system". Restricted neutral was far safer and superior! It does get complicated for all us none electrickery orientated peons, but once again it highlights how important it is to get the facts right I suppose. If you'd been based underground at an individual pit Daz, the above would have been crystal clear, as fitters had to operate belts out of sequence sometimes to carry out their maintenance. Burradid post a couple of piccies just to 'elp...  ;D |
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Post by dazbt on Apr 21, 2011 16:07:24 GMT -5
It does get complicated for all us none electrickery orientated peons, but once again it highlights how important it is to get the facts right I suppose. If you'd been based underground at an individual pit Daz, the above would have been crystal clear, as fitters had to operate belts out of sequence sometimes to carry out their maintenance. Burradid post a couple of piccies just to 'elp... ;D Somethings are said 'tongue in cheek' John  |
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Post by shropshirebloke on Apr 21, 2011 18:02:40 GMT -5
Never a leckie, but I do remember "R1 boards" at conveyor transfer points.....?
...big brass knob (that you never, ever "pegged" with a bit of dirt so the belt started by it's self when the outbye belt started....)
.....it was thirty-odd years ago so I might be wrong.....
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Post by John on Apr 22, 2011 11:00:57 GMT -5
Never a leckie, but I do remember "R1 boards" at conveyor transfer points.....? ...big brass knob (that you never, ever "pegged" with a bit of dirt so the belt started by it's self when the outbye belt started....) .....it was thirty-odd years ago so I might be wrong..... A long time back, but I'm sure we used the R1 as an AFC control/signal circuit. The belts were controlled by a very simple signalling system at my first pit. In fact the signals didn't even stop the belt, the switch man did that, he was our sequence roller too!! LOL Later we did incorporate a better system so as when anyone pulled the signal cable, it did stop the belt, also about the same time, sequence rollers were fitted to belts to prevent too much spillage should the outbye belts stopped and the belt man wasn't close to his switch, stopped a lot of spillage. Last upgrade was to the main trunk belts, the Winster Manless Transfer System was installed. The last belt system I worked on in the UK was the Huwood Mk1A, it controlled sequence, signals and lockouts, had powered audio communications via a DAC set up, including pre start warning, belt align, belt slip, blocked chute and gearhead main bearing temperature monitoring. Those belts also had automatic loop takeup on them. |
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Post by John on Apr 23, 2011 10:21:37 GMT -5
Just for the newer elecs who only worked on 1.1Kv GEB's, "what was the difference between the P70 and A67 GEB's"?
Physical, the A67 could be set up as a 550/1100 volt GEB with transformer taps.
BUT the A67 was a little taller so as it couldn't be inadvertently banked up to 550 volt GEB's
Trailing cables could also be rated dual voltage too, just the "nose" insulator with pilot pin on the opposite side. The insulators in the receptacles of the socket, could be rotated, the one in the trailing cable had to be replaced.
Both models of GEB used the same E/L module, control modules if ordered with such. Many more features were identical too.
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Post by erichall on Aug 5, 2011 4:21:16 GMT -5
Baldwin in my time had a cover over the test/reset buttons held in place by allen screws Eric, now Wallacetown, (WECOL) had a triangular key to loosen a triangular topped screw over their test/reset covers, you're not getting mixed up with the two makes of GEB's are you?? The Baldwin key was for setting the sequence postion, ie Master/Slave, and Test Switch, ie contactor test/pilot test/sequence test etc. The Wecol was just for the earth leakage test/reset cover and the side cover for sequence select, ie Master, Slave or Normal. First B&F I worked on was the old SM2/2X's with thyristor E/L protection circuits which dated from the late 1950's to early 1960's. Cotgrave used the "Free Neutral" system using the B&F SM2/2x's. The system was a pig, if one box detected an earth fault, the whole bank tripped on E/L, going by the Act, we were supposed to test every outgoing circuit as the dreaded regulation, "closing on a fault was forbidden." Instead we just reset every box and hoped the fault was "locked out", rarely was though! So we took the risk of a "blow out" or we would know which cable/machine had caused the trip by asking the machine operators. The "Free Neutral" was also known as the "multi point earthing system". Restricted neutral was far safer and superior! The 'Baldwin key' we always referred to was approx 5 inches long, and was in fact a glorified Allen key. In fact, it was the 'Allen Key' end that we used to loosen the two studs on the Earth leakage cover. This allowed the cover to be moved to allow the test and reset buttons to be pressed - a simple procedure, even for thick Deputies like me - and thereby allowing power to be readmitted to the box. Definitely the Baldwin Gate End Box. Whilst I had heard of the wallacetown switchgear I never came across them. |
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Post by John on Aug 5, 2011 5:35:27 GMT -5
Baldwin in my time had a cover over the test/reset buttons held in place by allen screws Eric, now Wallacetown, (WECOL) had a triangular key to loosen a triangular topped screw over their test/reset covers, you're not getting mixed up with the two makes of GEB's are you?? The Baldwin key was for setting the sequence postion, ie Master/Slave, and Test Switch, ie contactor test/pilot test/sequence test etc. The Wecol was just for the earth leakage test/reset cover and the side cover for sequence select, ie Master, Slave or Normal. First B&F I worked on was the old SM2/2X's with thyristor E/L protection circuits which dated from the late 1950's to early 1960's. Cotgrave used the "Free Neutral" system using the B&F SM2/2x's. The system was a pig, if one box detected an earth fault, the whole bank tripped on E/L, going by the Act, we were supposed to test every outgoing circuit as the dreaded regulation, "closing on a fault was forbidden." Instead we just reset every box and hoped the fault was "locked out", rarely was though! So we took the risk of a "blow out" or we would know which cable/machine had caused the trip by asking the machine operators. The "Free Neutral" was also known as the "multi point earthing system". Restricted neutral was far safer and superior! The 'Baldwin key' we always referred to was approx 5 inches long, and was in fact a glorified Allen key. In fact, it was the 'Allen Key' end that we used to loosen the two studs on the Earth leakage cover. This allowed the cover to be moved to allow the test and reset buttons to be pressed - a simple procedure, even for thick Deputies like me - and thereby allowing power to be readmitted to the box. Definitely the Baldwin Gate End Box. Whilst I had heard of the wallacetown switchgear I never came across them. Sounds like what we leckos used to call a "Popeye" Brass, one end was a box spanner, other end had two small allen keys set into it. Was designed for removing the recessed nuts or allen screws on flp bulkhead lights. The allen keys were both the same size and fitted the B&F safety covers too, 1/4 inch if I recall correctly. B&F also had a test/sequence key, inside was the shape of an arrowhead. |
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Post by John on Aug 6, 2011 7:58:53 GMT -5
The 'Baldwin key' we always referred to was approx 5 inches long, and was in fact a glorified Allen key. In fact, it was the 'Allen Key' end that we used to loosen the two studs on the Earth leakage cover. This allowed the cover to be moved to allow the test and reset buttons to be pressed - a simple procedure, even for thick Deputies like me - and thereby allowing power to be readmitted to the box. Definitely the Baldwin Gate End Box. Whilst I had heard of the wallacetown switchgear I never came across them. Sounds like what we leckos used to call a "Popeye" Brass, one end was a box spanner, other end had two small allen keys set into it. Was designed for removing the recessed nuts or allen screws on flp bulkhead lights. The allen keys were both the same size and fitted the B&F safety covers too, 1/4 inch if I recall correctly. B&F also had a test/sequence key, inside was the shape of an arrowhead. I'll have a look around and see if I still have one and take a shot of it, the correct name of them was a Belmos light tool or words to that effect. Made for Belmos for accessing their U/G FLP light fittings. Was also handy on flit plug bolts, 5/16"?? Been a long time now. |
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;D