Re: Mentone (VIC) Steam repair depot

["Notagunzel" <notagunzel@bigfoot.com>]

Mathew Klock <klocky@hotmail.com> wrote in message
37bb1aeb@news.alphalink.com.au">news:37bb1aeb@news.alphalink.com.au...

> Hi all,

> Just wondering if anyone knows what is going to happen with the old steam
> repair depot in Mentone in VIC. They have turned the same "box" in
> Caulfield. and the one in Seaford looks like is hasn't been used for
ages.

I think the buildings you are referring to are old electrical substations
for suburban electric trains.  If this is the case, then the Caulfield Sub
used to until (still is?) occupied by Caulfield Signalling Construction,
since sold to someone (dunno who).

When the suburban network was first electrified beginning in 1917ish, the
Power was generated by the Victorian Railways in their own power station at
Newport.  This was transmitted by cable & overhead feeders to substations
at methinks 22kv@50Hz, and at each of these substations, converted by
rotary converters down to 1500vdc to feed the overhead.  These rotary
converters were essentially a big AC motor driving a big DC generator, and
was the only feasible way of converting the high voltage required for
transmission, down to the (relatively) low voltage needed for the trains.
These days, the power is taken from the local distributor's grid, and
dropped down by a transformer/silicon rectifier to the required voltage,
this equipment being much smaller than the area needed for rotary
converters.

Thus a number of these buildings are now unused.  Some, like Caulfield were
converted for Railway use (Signal Construction Depot); others, like
Newport, are derelict; and others, like Albion, have been hived off for a
community centre of some sort.  Others, like Jolimont, have been
demolished, as has the original Newport Power Station.

--
Mr Notagunzel.
Rail Transportation Connoisseur.
notagunzel@bigfoot.com
(Waiting for the next move at http://www.bigfoot.com/~notagunzel)