Ex-BR Battery powered tail light

[jnjkerbin]

Hi guys,

I've just bought an ex-BR tail light at a heritage railway and at £5 it seemed a bargain. It doesn't work (wasn't expecting it to!) It is white, with a red lens and, once opened has a cone with what appear to be LEDs inside it, connected to a circuit board, which connects to a large battery in a cardboard box labelled:

"7.5 volts
L7.5-1604
Manf. by
CROMPTON VIDOR
MADE IN ENGLAND
BR CAT NO 54/8148
Date of Manf. 14 OCT 1988
Date Installed. .................(blank)"​

I'm no electronics expert but the circuit board appears to consist of a pair of capacitors, a few resistors, and a few blue cylindrical components, one about the size of the capacitors (which says "CA9" on it) and another that's about the size of a "D" battery.

Would this have been a flashing tail light or a steady light?
Would it be possible if I bought a 7.5V battery, to fit it and get the lamp working again, (presuming the LEDs are still functional which they should(/may?) be)?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Joe

 

[MetroDriver]

One of these by any chance?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Railways-Red-Flashing-LED-Tail-Lamp-by-Dorman-Traffic-Products-/231005293754?nma=true&si=ypmYKLYxgeiaIlqsRGno4N7Ea8Y%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[jnjkerbin]

Mine (externally at least) looks more or less the same, but as mentioned above came with a different voltage battery, but that one on ebay is in much better condition than mine, and appears to be more modern. However, the design seems to be more or less identical.


Thanks
Joe

 

[High Dyke]

Sorry i can't offer technical advice, but i can confirm that as a Tail-lamp it would be a flashing red aspect.

 

[jnjkerbin]

Sorry i can't offer technical advice, but i can confirm that as a Tail-lamp it would be a flashing red aspect.

Thanks, I suppose the steady tail light went out (no pun intended) when the electric light arrived.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures:






Thanks
Joe

 

[455driver]

Thanks, I suppose the steady tail light went out (no pun intended) when the electric light arrived.

Actually that lamp will show a steady red when the battery is running low, any driver that sees a train fitted with one of these lamps showing a steady red light should report it to the signaller immediately.

 

[MetroDriver]

If you're considering replacing that battery then you had better have deep pockets....

Available as a box of 8 batteries only from here:

http://www.rail-order.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=1318&category_id=34&manufacturer_id=54&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

I noticed others seem to have converted theirs to use a couple of much cheaper PP3 batteries - although I don't know the technical details...

 

[jnjkerbin]

Actually that lamp will show a steady red when the battery is running low, any driver that sees a train fitted with one of these lamps showing a steady red light should report it to the signaller immediately.

That's interesting. Is there any reason then, why units or locos have steady tail lights while freight/LHCS has a flashing light?

If you're considering replacing that battery then you had better have deep pockets....

Available as a box of 8 batteries only from here:

http://www.rail-order.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=garden_flypage.tpl&product_id=1318&category_id=34&manufacturer_id=54&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=6

I noticed others seem to have converted theirs to use a couple of much cheaper PP3 batteries - although I don't know the technical details...

I think I'll just use it as a doorstop then!

 

[455driver]

That's interesting. Is there any reason then, why units or locos have steady tail lights while freight/LHCS has a flashing light?

Units and locos have 2 tail lights on steady and they are fed from the on board supply that should never run out but the Freight/LHCS only has one on which has a limited (battery) supply so it is a way of extending the battery life, the flashing lamp uses less power than a steady lamp and it then going steady is an easy way for someone to see if the lamp is about to fail.

 

[9K43]

These tailamps were brought in for use on DOO/NP in the late 80/s.
They replaced the old parrafin tail lamp.
Before that oil trains had a bigger version of the one you have.
If you want to make up a battery, get some tagged nicad rechargeable cells and make up a pack suitable to the reqirements of your lamp.
I have a bardic hand lamp, and I use a pack of NicAd batteries to power the
6v bulb.
This will power the lamp for quite a time
When DOO was introduced the driver had to go on duty with 2 Bardic Hand lamps, the DOOlamp was painted yellow.

 

[jnjkerbin]

Units and locos have 2 tail lights on steady and they are fed from the on board supply that should never run out but the Freight/LHCS only has one on which has a limited (battery) supply so it is a way of extending the battery life, the flashing lamp uses less power than a steady lamp and it then going steady is an easy way for someone to see if the lamp is about to fail.

Ah, that makes sense, thank you
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

These tailamps were brought in for use on DOO/NP in the late 80/s.
They replaced the old parrafin tail lamp.
Before that oil trains had a bigger version of the one you have.
If you want to make up a battery, get some tagged nicad rechargeable cells and make up a pack suitable to the reqirements of your lamp.
I have a bardic hand lamp, and I use a pack of NicAd batteries to power the
6v bulb.
This will power the lamp for quite a time
When DOO was introduced the driver had to go on duty with 2 Bardic Hand lamps, the DOOlamp was painted yellow.

Thanks for your help

 

[455driver]

Ah, that makes sense, thank you

Pleasure, I am glad you understood it because as I was reading it back I started to confuse myself!

 

[Muzer]

Shouldn't it be possible to buy a battery box for 5 batteries (or for 6 and attach a wire instead of the final battery) and just connect that, or am I missing something?

 

[34D]

These tailamps were brought in for use on DOO/NP in the late 80/s.
They replaced the old parrafin tail lamp.
Before that oil trains had a bigger version of the one you have.
If you want to make up a battery, get some tagged nicad rechargeable cells and make up a pack suitable to the reqirements of your lamp.
I have a bardic hand lamp, and I use a pack of NicAd batteries to power the
6v bulb.
This will power the lamp for quite a time
When DOO was introduced the driver had to go on duty with 2 Bardic Hand lamps, the DOOlamp was painted yellow.

Just so I'm clear, are you saying that a bardic lamp (with its case painted yellow) had to be carried by the driver of class 313 etc, in addition to the usual grey-painted one? What was the extra one for?

Until now, I thought all yellow bardics were LU ones.

 

[broadgage]

Just so I'm clear, are you saying that a bardic lamp (with its case painted yellow) had to be carried by the driver of class 313 etc, in addition to the usual grey-painted one? What was the extra one for?

Until now, I thought all yellow bardics were LU ones.

The extra handlamp was for use as a tail lamp if the provided tail lamp failed.
It was considered that the driver should not use their own handlamp as a tail lamp since it would not then be available for use as a hand danger signal, or to light trip hazards etc.
Less of a concern with a crew of two since both gaurd and driver should each have a handlamp.

Yellow Bardic handlamps were not confined to LU, the ones sold to the public via any good electrical wholesaler were also yellow.