East Perth Power Station
First Floor - Turbine Hall A & C
P1 - 40t Overhead Crane
Servicing the turbine hall, this 40 tonne overhead crane was made by Babcock and Wilcox Ltd (UK).
Installed in the early stages of the power station's construction between 1914-1916, it served to assemble the machinery and plant, as well as the later extensions that were to follow.
Overhead cranes at the time were fitted with a mechanical braking system, seemingly a feature which is no longer as common, in favour of dynamic brakes. One of the biggest advantages of a dynamic braking system, is that there are no mechanical brake shoes to wear out. On the other hand, dynamic brakes are unable to hold a suspended load.
Whilst the crane is no longer operational, heritage studies undertaken of the East Perth Power Station has deemed it highly significant.
P6 - 2200D Switchgear No.7
These circuit breaker units, which were for the No.7 generating unit, are encased in heavy cast iron from the time they were originally installed. They enabled the No.7 generating unit to be connected to the system grid, which included the direct line to the Royal Perth Hospital.
This was something I had heard about some time ago, particularly as it was spoken in context of the tunnel that was built from Royal Perth Hospital to the East Perth Power Station. Photos held at the State Library show the tunnel being constructed under Wellington Square. Though very little information can be found on it (which is nothing unusual when it comes to history and its selective tendencies with recording or documenting), the story was that it was to give the hospital priority access to electricity during wartime and quite likely when the electricity system was overloaded and partially shut down.
