West Block (WB) Engine Houses and Chimneys

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Friday Facts & Fotos, Friday 2nd June ‘23

West Block (WB) Engine houses and chimneys

As mentioned previously, electric power was not available to the workshops for at least three decades, so most power was supplied to WB by steam from the two engine houses. Steam from these engine houses powered steam engines which drove line shafting connected to hundreds of machines.

These engine houses had brick walls and concrete floors and measured 30 x 50 feet. They were tacked onto the south wall of WB immediately behind bays 1 & 2, (2 & 3 roads), and bays 9 & 10. (10 & 11 roads). Both buildings still exist but are stripped of their steam equipment. The first photo is the engine house behind bays 1&2. Part of the pipework can still be seen at the top, but the room hasn’t been opened for years and we have been told all the original equipment has been stripped out.

In addition to steam for the line shafting, under the floor in bays 9 & 10 were ceramic pipe flues leading from dozens of blacksmiths’ forges into a central collection flue which travelled underground to the big chimney. Above these flues, but still under the floor, was a parallel series of ceramic ducts designed to distribute air from a central fan to the individual forges. This blowing system did not work satisfactorily and was replaced in c1906 by individual metal pipes and blowers. Steam and compressed air were also piped under the floor to numerous outlets in WB.

One of our contributors said he worked in WB in the 1960’s and the overhead cranes in his section were still rope-operated. This means that even when electricity was available in 1920’s, the rope-operated cranes were only replaced gradually over many decades. This also means that the engine houses were still providing the steam required for the cranes.

Just outside the south-western corner of WB, was a brick 175ft chimney which when built was reputedly the tallest in Victoria. It connected to the engine house and all the flue network under bays 9 & 10. It was unfortunately demolished in the early 80’s. The third photo shows the bluestone chimney base. The chimney base and the flue system under bays 9 & 10 remain as a reminder of the massive heavy engineering which existed in these buildings. A much smaller 69ft chimney connected to the east engine room has also been totally removed.