BTH C289 Controller

In our Museum collection, we currently have a BTH Traction Controller of type C289 which we know nothing of its origins - It came to use with a few other Controllers as part of a purchase of a single deck bus in the 1990's !

At the time, it was suggested that it came from an item of London Transport rolling stock, but it certainly doesn't tie in with the originally suggested '38 stock as it's much older than that, given it's actually manufactured in the USA ! It's totally the wrong shape for tramway use and I was wondering if anyone on here might be able to identify/suggest its origins.

A couple of photos are below.....




As it doesn't fall under our Mission statement, it's likely to be up for disposal in the coming months, but it would be nice to identify the thing first.

The other one is a lot easier as it's an original DC controller off the Liverpool St-Shenfield stock (Class 306).....





As the only 306 to run into Ipswich was the preserved one, that'll be up for disposal soon as well in case any Museums reading this are interested in them......

 

It looks like the ones i use to repair on the old DC overhead cranes in the Shipyard at Barrow in furness in the mid 80s , we had a load of BTH controllers in the engineering works on the overhead cranes in the machine shop bays

 

It doesn't have any "dead-mans" facility on the handle, unlike the one off a 306, so might be off some other form of electrical machinery, but I'd have thought something in more "mundane" use like that would have been able to be constructed at the Rugby plant.
If it is off an Underground Group train of some sort, it's got to be from prior to the introduction of the Dead-Man system which makes it very early 1900's (as does the fact it was made in the USA) and it would most probably have been replaced by a DM fitted one. The chap who originally owned it must have obtained it in the 1960's/early 70's so it must have been used for something else up to that point. It's got 4 series and 4 parallel notches marked on the casing so would a crane or other non mobile macinery have that configuration?

 

a lot of the early DC overhead cranes had no Dead man handle system in in place we even had some wet switch cranes the overhead cranes dated back to the 1890s , the series parallel configuration was used on the traverse which allowed the crane to traverse the bays or creep as and when required

 

I don't think we are ever going to identify what its off TBH, but it might come in handy (with the cover off) as an exhibit to show how a controller works to visitors, particularly when we have a fully restored electric tram on display in the Museum as well.
I did have the cover off it today to see if there were any markings inside but there is nothing, with nothing anywhere else either.

I've contacted a couple of other Museums about the Shenfield unit controllers and Mangapps have confirmed they will take one off our hands for display there, rather than being hidden away in our storage areas!

 

Now this is interesting, lots of possible sources for a BTH controller of this age and I would suggest that the button on the handle is the rudimentary’deadman’ which is something I’ve seen before on pre-war equipment. Could be from any early EMU, industrial loco or tram, or as others have suggested a piece of industrial machinery. I’d certainly be interested in finding out more as I’m involved in numerous old electric traction projects.

a word of caution about rooting around inside, early controllers of this type have asbestos arch chutes which may not be in the best of condition these days.

 

As the other 3 controllers that we obtained from the same source were all railed vehicle related - 2 x Shenfield 306 controllers and a BTH B510U one off a tramcar - I think it is more likely that this comes from a vehicle rather than anything in industrial useage as that was his interest (other than preserving an AEC Regal IV) and he was involved with the EATM at Carlton Colville from the early days.
I remember it being described as being off an "Underground Train" when it first arrived, but that is as far as we got with it at the time as his Widow hadn't got a clue what they were off!
Might have to follow up our contacts within the LT Museum to see if they know what it's from.........

 

K&ESR have a 1931 BTH diesel-electric (known as No.40 - 'Ford', because it was built for the Ford Dagenham factory). I wonder if @Fireline or any K&ESR members with knowledge of this loco are aware of this thread. Regrettably their website doesn't identify it as a BTH product.
Diesels Locomotives & Railcars - Kent & East Sussex Railway (kesr.org.uk)

 

I think the correct person to ask would be Alan Crotty, or alan-crotty as he is on here....

 

The traction controller in the KESR loco can be seen in this video from 2004, but only uploaded recently. I believe the loco is currently out of use but KESR intend to overhaul it next year.


And a better view of the controller at the end of this one. It's clearly not the same type as the one at the start of this thread but I hope it's of interest.

 

As an update, I still haven't been able to identify what this controller was originally used on, but it will now be going with the Shenfield stock one to Mangapps Railway Museum in the coming months!