Bush TV135LU

Looks more like a TV125 with Panorama CRT. It’s definitely an early one with having a valve UHF tuner. The next model with the same cabinet and CRT was TV135U, that was transistor signal circuits except the video and sound output.

Whats the valve line up on the IF strip? The CRT label is an early one too, you have what looks like a rare model.

 The LOPTX pitch looks like it’s been hot.

The line stability VDR looks ok, cannot tell with the PL36 screen feed resistor, those green WW can go O/C. The Frame output cathode resistor looks ok, nice big carbon 270ohm,.

Its an A336 chassis, I never got used to the chassis numbers, will have a look around the net and service sheets to try to find more info.

There is a page on the Radio Museum site that lists the A336 chassis used in the TV125 and Murphy A897 sets.

Hi Frank, I think I meant to say TV125 rather than 135.

Tested the CRT and it looks good, after being left on for a few minutes.

I've just scanned and uploaded the Bush manufacturers service manual for the TV135, hope its of some use.

Obviously an interim model, they had the cabinet and CRT but not the hybrid chassis ready.

The 125 was a nice set, a bit short on gain for UHF  but so many sets of that vintage were the same. Surprised they did not use the frame grid EF183/184 in this chassis but perhaps the design was in stone when those valves became available.

Anything could be wrong now but the IF strip gave me little trouble, valves and the video anode load resistor, 10K. I don’t remember many other faults with the strip.

At least the CRT looks good, always liked the Mullard tubes of that era, the Murphy sets with the same chassis fitted Mazda CRT’s, less said about those the better.

 Hi Andrew,

The set doesn't look bad and you can't argue with the B&K reading !

I have a 135 on the 'tuit' pile but I can't remember if it's a U or a LU

Thanks Marc, but I reckon the LOPT may require "the treatment" as the overwind has certainly been rather warm in the distant past. I have a feeling that this set has never been worked on or repaired before as it all appears to be factory fresh. No sign of the LOPT cover having been removed and it was quite hard to free it today.

Some more pics of the rest of the set, and the IF stage looks exactly like a 125 with a couple of PCF80's, EF85 and a sprinkling of EF80's. In fact, I will go as far to say this chassis is a TV125 but with a TV135LU label on the back cover. So, an interim model like Frank say's earlier ?

Ooh, yellow TCCs! ? I can't make any promises Andrew, but I plan to go to the store tomorrow to put my latest acquisition in there - a Bush SRG143 Mk. II stereogram. There are two large boxes of unsorted Bush manuals in there - I'll have a look and see if it's in there. In the meantime, a perusal of Stan's excellent work on PT in the library may yield results?

Thanks Mike  ? 

I remember my Murphy equivalent had several wax capacitors, this set has none which is rather nice. Yellow and red making the colourful cap count.

Presume you will be checking/changing the yellow TCC caps.

I've got a similar TV135 here but the end part of the model number has disappeared?. but it doesn't even have a valve UHF or VHF tuner they are both full of transistors  ? .

Cheers

Neil.

Neil,

Is the IF strip transistors? If so you have the later model, very reliable when in their service life.

Hi Chris,

The 135 manufacturers manual in the data library is the later hybrid chassis, there is another piece of 135 service info in the library from LLJ, this is for the R version of the 135, that one is all valve but with frame grid valves in the signal circuits.

I am intrigued to know what the L suffix was for, “ Last of the A336 chassis”?

regards

Hi Frank.  Yes the IF strip is all transistor apart from a PFL200. 

Cheers

Neil.

As was noted earlier, the LOPT overwind has clearly been hot and resembles the results of a barbecue at a wax-works museum. So, next step is to take some resistance readings and a ring test.

The sets has just been stored in a hot attic for a long while, just melted the pitch a little bit ? , grief it does look like it’s been cooked, makes me wonder how the line timebase valves stood up to it.

It looks like the LOPT will be serviceable as the overwind has a reading of 82 ohms (trader say's 81 ohms) so I'll have a go at a ring test...never managed it properly before, so could be fun.  ? 

I must just mention that after successfully re-forming the main electrolytics, I powered the set via a lamp limiter and achieved good sound on CH3 VHF, plus a very healthy line whistle with a good spark at the PL36 top cap. No EHT though and the overwind started producing a very faint whisp of smoke, so off with the power and out with the LOPT.

I've just scanned and uploaded Trader 1777 & 1779 covering the TV135R & TV138R. 1779 covers the UHV/VHF tuner and alignment.

Posted by: Chris

I've just scanned and uploaded Trader 1777 & 1779 covering the TV135R & TV138R. 1779 covers the UHV/VHF tuner and alignment.

I am on a nostalgia trip now, I have been looking at those other two manuals I mentioned earlier, realising how much I had forgotten.