Bus Museum - Ticket Machines - Setright Speed
Back
Next
Ticket Machines
Index
Back
Next
Punches
Willebrew
Automacheckit
T.I.M.
Insert Setright
Setright Speed
Ultimate
Gibson
Almex
Bus Museum
Contents
Ticket Machines
Ticket Boxes
Change Givers
PSV Badges
Hants/Wilts & Dorset
After Hants & Dorset
Southampton
King Alfred
Winchester
Gosport & Fareham
Southern Vectis
Bristol
London Transport
Others
Bus Books
Uniform
Odds & Ends
Money
Links
 
 
W597
 
W777
 
R181
 
Mk1 - W597 - Serial 30843 - 1956   Mk1 - W777 - Serial 31023 - 1956   Mk1 - R181- Serial 38403 - 1958  
I have three unconverted Setrights from Wales. The tickets still print in shillings and pence. The money is recorded on two counters, one for the shillings in pounds and shillings, the other the pence in pounds, shillings and pence. The two are added together for the total. Most Setrights counted in shillings and halfpennies and were easily converted to decimal currency.
W597 and W777 come from Western Welsh. R181 has a blank serial number but is thought to have been new to Red & White. It then passed to Rhondda Transport. The back has the number 181 but not the letter R, although this does appear on the ticket.
SO36
 
SO36
 
Mk1 - SO36 - Serial 22510 - 1954   SO36 with its later style motor  
One of five motorised Setrights. This one was new to Southend Transport in 1954 and transferred to Eastern National when that company acquired the Southend routes. The motor is of the later type with a large button for extra speed.
The machine was converted to decimal money but appears to have been changed back. However, the word 'Shillings' is missing and the halfpenny dial still only turns to 9½ instead of 11½. It may be that conversion to decimal was limited to removing the word 'Shillings" and stopping the pence dial at 9½. Zero shillings or tens and zero pence are shown as stars while 6 and 9 pence are followed by the letter D for old pence.
679
 
744
 
1066
 
Mk1 - 679 - Serial 17568 - 1953   Mk1 - 744 - Serial 17633 - 1953   Mk1 - 1066 - Serial 17955 - 1953  
Three from Western National.
Like many Setrights, these have a ticket canceller on the front. A ticket can be over-printed without affecting the number of tickets recorded as issued. Cancelling in the main slot would increase the total counter.
E631
 
1120
 
BT1231
 
Mk1 - E631 - Serial 15328 - 1952   Mk1 - 1120 - Serial 18809 - 1954   Mk1 - BT1231 - Serial 34174 - 1957  
The second of my five motorised Setrights, E631 comes from Eastern National.
1120 came from Red Bus of Barnstaple and had Red Bus tickets jammed in it when I got it. The machine appears to be typical Western National Setright but somehow has a serial number allocated to London Transport. The ticket types are Western National and not London Transport.
New to Bristol Omnibus Co in 1957, machine BT1231 has been refurbished since withdrawal. The additional security plates fitted by Bristol have been removed. The dials are set to prevent zero value tickets being issued, another Bristol security feature. 1231 was acquired with the standard BOC green fibre box. The box is marked 13/54.
2180
 
2180
 
Mk2 - 2180 - (no serial number)   2180 with its older style motor  
From Eastern Counties, this motorised Setright was acquired with a motor, the older version with a recessed button.
The mark 2 is bigger and heavier than the mark 1. Mark 2s do not have a serial number and the year of manufacturer is not known.
308D
 
986D
 
1093D
 
Mk1 - 308D - Serial 46895 - 1960   Mk1 - 986D - Serial 45135 - 1960   Mk1 - 1093D - Serial 45242 - 1960  
 
 
 
These four were new to Hants & Dorset and later passed to the new Wilts & Dorset.
 
The letter D was added as each machine was converted to decimal currency in 1971.
1473 does not have this marking as it dates from after 1971.
The letter M indicates motorised but was not always applied.
All of these four were motorised but 1093 now has a fixed handle again.
986 is shown with a clip-on handle attached.
 
M1473
 
    Mk2 - M1473 - (no serial number)  
F473
 
Sling and backplate.
 
Handle for motorised machines.
 
Mk2 - F473 - (no serial number)   A conductor's sling and . . .   . . . and a driver's handle  
F473 is from Alexander Fife, in Scotland. The mark two Setright has a taller column with larger dials than the mark one. On this machine the hole punch is plastic, unlike earlier versions which were metal.
The last two images are of a conductor's sling to wear the machine over the shoulder(s) and clip-on handle, used by drivers when the motor failed or to take fares inside the bus.
SO36 R181 308D
SO36 R181 308D
F473 W597 E631
F473 W597 E631
679 744 W777
679 744 W777
986D 1066 1093D
986D 1066 1093D
1120 BT1231 M1473
1120 BT1231 M1473
2180    
2180    
These are the Setright ticket machines in my collection. The Setright Speed was the standard machine for both conductors and pay as you enter buses while I was on Hants & Dorset and definitely my favourite type. Ours had a hole punch mounted on the top, some had it on the side. Before 1971 these machines had a price range of 0s0d to 19s11½d in ½d steps. On conversion to decimal money, this became £0.00 to £1.99½ by changing the shillings to tenpences and preventing the halfpence dial turning beyond 9½.
 
Changing or inserting a ticket roll
 
Lay the machine on its studs and remove the ticket roll cover (1).
 
Turn the small wheel (2) anti-clockwise so that the groove in it clears the small catch (3). This releases the machine's grip on the tickets. Gently pull out any remaining tickets and set them to one side.
 
Position the new roll over the spindle so that the tickets feed off in an anti-clockwise direction. Feed the end of the ticket into the opening so that the side to be printed is facing away from you and towards the machine (4). It may help to curve (not fold) the tickets slightly in the direction as in the photo. Also, tearing the end at a slight angle may help. Gently feed the tickets into the machine. If you feel any resistance or believe that the tickets are folding, gently pull them out and tear off any folded section.
 
Once you have tickets coming out of the top of the machine, turn the wheel (2) clockwise so that the slot engages with the small catch. This prevents the tickets moving without the handle being turned.
 
Tighten the roll of tickets if necessary, replace the cover (1) and secure with the catch.
 
Carefully tear off the surplus ticket. Take the ticket between finger and thumb, pull down towards the top of the machine with a slight clockwise rotation, the ticket coming towards the back of the machine. This will cut the ticket. Do not pull tickets outwards (towards the handle) from the machine without cutting. This is the most common cause of ticket jams.
 
If the tickets become jammed, proceed as for changing a ticket roll, easing the tickets out from the bottom of the machine slowly to prevent them tearing. Discard any folded tickets before re-inserting the roll.
 
In the event of tickets becoming torn off within the machine, this will need to be cleared by removing the end (opposite end to the handle) plate and then the front and back plates. Note that this can result in ink on work surfaces, clothes and hands. Choose the first two carefully and invest in disposable gloves and/or a good hand cleanser.
 
You should be able to see the jammed portion of tickets. Carefully remove all pieces with tweezers, checking that nothing drops into other parts of the machine where it might cause further problems. Check that you can feed tickets through the machine before closing it.
 
You might also want to rewind the ink ribbon onto the front bobbin. The rear bobbin takes up the ribbon as it is used. Take care not to crease the ribbon. The ribbon can be rewound several times and will print thousands of tickets before needing to be replaced. If you only want to print an occasional ticket to show that the machine is working, you need not fully rewind the ribbon.
 
 
 
 
 
Opening the machine
 
As mentioned above, you are likely to get ink on your hands, clothes, work surfaces and anything else you handle. Choose a location where this will not be a problem and consider wearing disposable gloves.
 
Lay the machine down and look at the plate on the opposite end to the handle. (Note: never attempt to remove the plate at the handle end). The top of the end plate on your machine may look different from the photo. There may be one screw or two. If there is a lead or wax seal covering the screw, this will need to be removed and discarded.
 
Remove the screw(s). If the screw has no head in which to insert a screwdriver, it will need to be drilled out and replaced.
 
The end plate should now lift out out revealing the ink ribbon on its two bobbins.
 
Pull the front and back plates straight out towards the open end and set them to one side. Look out for the clear covers over the ticket counters, these sometimes become detached.
 
With the machine open, you can now clear jammed tickets and rewind or replace the ink ribbon.
 
Before closing the machine, look around the inside for any debris such as paper fragments which may get into the cogs or onto the ink ribbon.
 
 
Tip
 
When fitting a new ink ribbon, cut the old one so that you leave a section passing through the machine and hanging out on both sides. Staple the end of the new ribbon to the old one on the front (half-pence, slot,) side. Pull the ribbon through to the other (shillings, studs,) side.

Remove the old section and the staple(s). Fit the end of the new ribbon to the rear bobbin, push the bobbins in to place and tighten the ribbon. In use, the ribbon slowly unwinds from the front bobbin on to the rear one.

You will need to remove both front and back plates to change the ribbon.
 
 
 
Closing the machine
 
Once you are satisfied that everything is in order, slide the front and back plates back into place along their grooves, making sure that they seat fully into position at the handle end. You may need to guide them over parts of the mechanism as you do so.
 
Locate the bottom of the end plate into the groove in the base of the machine and then over the pin at the top. Secure the plate with the screw(s).
 
 
Mechanical problems
 
If the machine jams while the handle is being turned, stop immediately and do nothing until you have checked that the problem is not jammed tickets. Never force the handle, this can lead to major damage. Do not turn the dials.
 
If you can remove the tickets and the handle is still stuck, open the machine.
 
If you cannot see any obvious problem, try applying a small amount of oil to the cogs and give this time to work through. Try to avoid getting oil on the ink ribbon or areas where it will get onto the tickets.
 
If this allows the handle to turn, close the machine and re-insert the tickets.
 
If this does not solve the problem, you will need someone with mechanical knowledge to investigate further. I'm afraid this is outside my experience.
 
I haven't been able to find replacement ribbons recently nor a suitable ink for re-inking an old one. Water based inks may damage the mechanism and should not be used. Re-inking is a messy business but is likely the only alternative.
 
Top of the Page