Summary
Part of a large photographic collection of glass plate and film negatives, photographic prints and photo albums, relating to the development of the electric power supply industry in Victoria, operated by the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV) from 1919 to 1993 and various predecessor private and municipal power supply enterprises dating back to the late 1880s.
Description of Content
Man standing with switchboard panel inside the engine room of the A.U. Alcock Electric Light & MotivePower Co. Ltd., Burnley Street Power Station, Richmond,1899. The switchboard was situated against the eastern wall at the back of the power house, furthest from Neptune Street. A report of the new power station in the Melbourne 'Daily Telegraph' stated that: "The arrangement of the switchboard was designed by Mr. A,U. Alcock and all the machinery was erected under his personal supervision, with the assitance of Mr. W. Phillips, the company's engineer." The whole power station was designed to operate on the parallel system with each individual machine feeding its power into a single pair of mains, from which separate circuits for each district were supplied so that for light loading during the day or after midnight only one or two machines could be used, with the others started as required - consequently saving the machinery which would operate more economically. Power was distributed from the power station as alternating current at 2,000 volts, with the mains through the streets tapped at convenient places and feed through transformers to deliver electricity to customers at 100 volts. The works supplied electric power for the company's lighting contracts in the municipalities for Melbourne, Richmond, Collingwood, Hawthorn, and South Melbourne, replacing smaller power stations previously operated by the company in central Melbourne and South Melbourne.
Physical Description
Sepia toned black & white silver gelatin photographic print.
More Information
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Collection Names
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Collecting Areas
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Acquisition Information
Transfer from Public Record Office Victoria (PROV), Publicity Division, State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV), by Feb 1993
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Place & Date Depicted
Burnley Street Power Station, Neptune Street, Richmond, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1899
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Organisation Depicted
Burnley Street Power Station, A.U. Alcock Electric Light & Motive Power Co. Ltd, Neptune Street, Richmond, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1899
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Designer of Item Depicted
Mr Alfred U. Alcock, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, circa 1891
The switchboard depicted was designed by Mr Alfred Upton Alcock, founder and managing director of the A.U. Alcock Electric Light & Motive Power Co Ltd. -
Format
Photograph, Sepia
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Inscriptions
Handwritten in black ink on album page below photograph: 'Alcock & Co. 1899.'
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Classification
Energy technology, Electric power - generation, Power stations
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Category
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Discipline
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Type of item
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Image Dimensions - Photograph
205 mm (Width), 144 mm (Height)
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Keywords
Electric Power Generation, Electric Power Stations, Engine Houses, Switchboards