Friday 30 December 2016

Telcon - and atoms for peace

The following article appeared in the Telcon Magazine for Spring 1958


ZETA and Telcon Magnetic Cores Ltd




IT was a dull, grey morning in February, 1955 when Telmag first become involved in one of the most daring experiments ever attempted by British nuclear scientists. The telephone rang and a voice enquired casually whether we could supply cores of a size which was about ten times larger than anything we had previously produced, and which weighed about one hundred times more than our normal "large" cores.

We asked for twenty-four hours to consider the matter and gave an affirmative answer the following morning. Subsequently, a number of meetings were held in an atmosphere of great conspiracy and mystery and, finally, to our great delight we were told to make a sample for test purposes. The sample was not really very successful but we had learnt quite a lot and the authorities, with great courage, and no doubt some misgivings, decided to proceed with the experiment.

A period of considerable activity followed and thanks to a really good team effort by the engineers, production and planning departments and the electrical laboratory, the last component in the series was finally despatched in August 1956 just two weeks ahead of our original delivery schedule

A general view of Zeta.
The two banks of Telemag cores are clearly shown.
The outer banks round the cores carry angle iron
stiffeners welded to the bands which also serve the
purpose of providing clamping points for securing
Paxolin tubes for the transformer windings.
These windings carry a current of  300,000 amps
Then came a long silence and we wondered whether the great experiment had failed - perhaps atomising its originators in retribution for their temerity - but, at last, on Wednesday October 16th 1958 the Daily Express produced a streaming headline – ‘ The bomb is tamed for peace’ cried Mr Chapman Pincher and ‘limitless power can be derived from heavy hydrogen produced from sea water’.  No official statement was issued by the authorities, however, although various knowledgeable people, when questioned, were observed to smile mysteriously and someone went so far as to admit ‘there seems to be a chance that it might work’.  The full significance of this experiment and the outstanding success of the Harwell scientists were of course finally made known on January 24th 1958 and we now take pleasure in offering our respectful congratulations to all concerned. 

Imaginative thinking coupled with tremendous drive and enthusiasm, were undoubtedly the two vital ingredients which enabled the Harwell team to carry this exercise through to a successful conclusion.

Telemag feel very honoured in having had the chance to play a small part in this remarkable experiment and when a letter arrived from the Deputy Director of the Establishment himself expressing satisfaction with our work we really felt that our efforts had been worthwhile.

Every time that the phone rings now, we answer in the hope that somebody is going to ask us for some cores with dimensions in furlongs.


the two pictures shown above are taken from the relevant Telcon Magazine. There is no attribution on either .  If eiother are someone's copywrite, apologies, and we will remove it as soon as it is brought to our attention.

Tuesday 27 December 2016

New news



 NEWCOMEN LINKS

The December issue of Newcomen Links features a report by Richard Buchanan on the seminar held in September at the Royal Institution on 150 years of Transatlantic Telecommunications

Clearly Greenwich and Enderby Wharf features largely in this - Richard is a prominent member of the Enderby Group (and much else) and the inaugural paper was given by Enderby Group's Stewart Ash.  We also understand that the Group contributed a great deal to the planning of the seminar, which was set up by the Newcomen Society's Julia Elton.

Trying to unpick the Greenwich bits from this long and details paper is bit daunting. Throughout the paper work done in Greenwich at Enderbys features again and again.   The best thing people can do is read it - or ask Richard to come and speak to them, and their society, about it.

A problem is that Newcomen Links is a members-only newsletter.  Its impressive, and full of information but you have to join the Newcomen Society to get it.  The web site is www.newcomen,com. They are based in the Science Museum.

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DUDGEON ON THE GREENWICH PENINSULA

We have been sent some information about the Dudgeon ship building family in Deptford and Greenwich. In the 1860s at the far end of the Peninsula a gun manufacturing factory had been set up by Alexander Blakely (see https://greenwichpeninsulahistory.wordpress.com/2013/08/01/drugs-guns-and-high-finance/).  It appears that when that closed down - which it did, pretty quickly - the Dudgeon family tried to lease the site from Morden College and take over the failing business.  They also looked at the Bessemer site next door.

Blakely is of great interest to historians of heavy ordnance - an Irishman, he developed a rifling process and fell out with William Armstrong -  the historians working on the Dudgeon business would be interested in any other links.

---------------------------

LORD PENDER

Enderby Group have noted the death of Lord Pender - the descendant of Sir John Pender, a self made man, who was a major force in the setting of the early telecommunications industry,   The Enderby Group has been lobbying for the area around Enderby House to be re-named 'Pender Plaza' and we understand a biography of Sir John may be on the way.  Meanwhile a new Lord Pender has inherited his great-great grandfather's title and, hopefully, will continue the family tradition of interest and patronage of the heritage of this important industry

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BLACKHEATH SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

Along with the Blackheath Society we should all like to congratulate Blackheath historian, Neil Rhind, on his 80th birthday.  We are aware of a big birthday party very soon.  The latest newsletter has a big article about Neil and his career. He has, of course, come and given papers at Greenwich Industrial History Society, on several occasions - most notably, maybe, one about Blackheath based building contractor, William Webster. But there have been many others, all of them worthwhile - and given in Neil's inimitable style.

The Society are also angrily noting changes to the, listed, Blackheath post office, in its unannounced transformation into a chain newsagents shop.  Original doors and other features have vanished. 

--------------------------------

EAST END WATERWAYS GROUP

The group has written to ask us to protest about demolitions planned along the Hackney Cut (ok this is the other side of the river, in Hackney, but it is a very interesting and important site not too far away, (if you ignore the river)).  There are plans to put more bridges over the cut - and into wonderful Victoria Park . The group asks for protests against the demolition of the existing pedestrian bridge and for bus routes to go down White Post Lane.

They also say that planning applications to alter some of the Fish Island industrial buildings - Algha Works and Swan Wharf - have been refused/withdrawn.

A later posting from the group is about their efforts to get East End Gasholders preserved. They have failed to save either the  No.2, holder which you can see just the other side of the Blackwall tunnel or the stunning and dramatically sited holder at Bethnal Green.  They are hoping that the small holder at Poplar can be made a feature of a planned sports area. They have published material about all these holders - happy to forward info. (they don't have a web site, this is all in emails and links here are not really possible).  They also have a petition available - again only on an email.

-----------------------

LEWISHAM HISTORY JOURNAL

The new Lewisham History Journal (No 24 2016) is full of articles about Greenwich.

First off is by Charlton resident the Metropolitan Seraphim of Glastonbury (aka William Newton-Norton) who gives his extensive memories of growing up, a local history enthusiast in Lewisham and Greenwich. He describes the libraries, the talks and the people, and its all good stuff. It includes a photograph of the author, aged 13, being consulted by Sir John Betjeman on the subject of the old Lewisham Town Hall (it was demolished regardless). 

Second, is a long and detailed article on the Green Man Inn which was - er - at the top of Blackheath Hill in - er - Greenwich.  The Inn actually survived into the 1970s and I remember myself a music hall evening there with a singer who blouse always fell off at the end of her act.  This was however, apparently, a later 'gin palace' and it is its older manifestation in which the author, Nancy Wilson, is interested. The Green Man - at the top of Blackheath Hill - was the site of an inn, as a stopping place on the Dover Road, for many centuries. It was preceded by the Bowling Green Tavern.  The article mainly describes 19th century entertainments and events at the inn which was however demolished in 1868.  There is also some emphasis on its role - like many town centre inns of the day - as a place where civic and adminstrative functions, inquests and so on, were held. For instance it is where where Greenwich Peninsula Wallscott Board held its meetings over the centuries, although they don't get a mention here.  This is a long and detailed article - and clealry there is a lot more to be said about this important Greenwich and Dover Road landmark. Sadly the site is now a block of flats.

Forthcoming Lewisham meetings  (at Methodist Church Hall, Albion Way, 7.45)

27th January  Royal Fans, History and Owners, Mary Kitson
24th February Above your head, below your feet. Street furniture. Sue Hayton.
31st March.  AGM  Modern Nature - living on the edge. Creekside Eco Centre. Nick Bertrand
28th April.  The Lieutenancy - Col. Jane Davis
26th May   The Crofton Park Story - Carol Harris
30th June    Gaseous Goings On. - by - er - me (I intend to say a lot about Greenwich)
28th July  Sydenham Hill.  Ian MacInnes
29th September - Abraham Colfe,   Julian Watson
27th October - The Lenox  Julian Kingston
24th November - Penguins, not Polar Bears.  Sandra Margolies
8th December - Members evening.

-------------------------

SHOOTERS HILL BARROW

Enderby Group and GIHS member Richard Buchanan gave an (archaeological - one of his other hats) talk about the Bronze Age barrow on Shooters Hill on BBC London local news. Sadly this doesn't seem to be on IPlayer - but anyone who has a copy I am sure lots of others of us would like to hear what Richard had to say

------------------------

SUBTERRANEA

The December 2016 edition of Sub Brit's Magazine is packed with interesting articles of all sorts (they have a world wide remit) - so, what do they say about Greenwich??

There is just one half page - but very interesting. This is about the days when the Plumstead Bus Garage was on the corner of Kings Highway and Wickham Lane.  Underneath it was, of course, one of the many Plumstead chalk mines - and I guess double decker buses are quite heavy!!  The article is about regular descents into the mine by London Transport's engineers to check its stability. 

------------------------

PORT OF LONDON - TIDAL THAMES NEWSLETTER

This excellent newsletter is also an email only production. So:

- PLA have purchased Peruvian Wharf, just across the river in Newham. They intend to turn it into a proper river wharf and terminal to service the London building industry. They have had a long fight to save its protected status.

- they have produced a new recreational users guide to the Thames. available from safetymanagement@pla.co.uk

- MBNA Thames Clippers have been named Ferry Operator of the year for the second year running. This follows the announcement that they have commissioned two new vessels - 170 passenger capacity 

-----------------

LAMAS NEWSLETTER

14th March - they have a talk on London Lighthouses, particularly the one at Blackwall (which you can see from Charlton!).  Clore Learning Centre, Museum of London. 6.30

The Eltham Society Newsletter is listed for their Journal Prize. (we don't get to see this at GIHS could someone send it or tell us where to get it). Congratulations to Eltham anyway
(Generally the LAMAS prize is for paper productions only - someone needs to ask them why they ignore electronic media)

LAMAS list out details of lots of local history societies and their meetings. Many of which are very interesting - and it provides a service by giving information about meetings you wouldn't otherwise hear about.  At the moment Greenwich doesn't feature in this - I know GIHS has been removed (and I know why - its about the wrong sort of subscription) but Greenwich Historial Association also doesn't feature anymore, or come to that Woolwich Antiquarians.  Can someone tell them that historical research in the borough continues apace.

-------------------------------------

WOOLWICH LABOUR PARTY PLAQUE

Woolwich Labour Party was the first organised Labour Party - and it opened its headquarters in Woolwich New Road some thirteen or so years before the national Party got itself together.  The building remained as the HQ until they moved over to Eltham (and I need the date of that move - please, Eltham Labour Party).  In the meantime it was also the Transport and General Workers office and also The Pioneer Bookshop.  For many years it housed the Pioneer Press,   Woolwich Antiquarians have been getting plaques put up all over the place in Woolwich.  I (Mary) have been pursuing the issue of a plaque on the Woolwich New Road building and am anxious to get more information. marymillsmmmmm@aol.com

Woolwich Antiquarians have been trying to get plaques put up to all sorts of people over the past few years - but that it tiny tiny compared to the amount which could/should go up. The outskirts of Woolwich and Charlton were stuffed full of important scientists and engineers as well as all the military.  We should stop ignoring all this and get our past recongised a bit more. Lets start - Victoria Way, for instance - Sir John Anderson at one end, Vivien Majendie half way up - and lots of others in between

I hope not only to get a plaque in Woolwich New Road and some sort of commemoration sorted out, but to get something published - not only locally but in the Labour Heritage publications and other such.


Talking of which ...............
-------------------------------

LABOUR HERITAGE BULLETIN

The current newsletter draws attention to the 1917 foundation of the Co-op Party.  Now Greenwich and Woolwich have a large and active Co-op Party - one of the largest in the country, we understand. And they are keen to have some sort of commemoration event.  More on that to come.  The situation is a bit more complicated in Greenwich and Woolwich because Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society on the whole didn't have any truck with the Co-op Party but had their own Political Purposes Committee - so the Greenwich Party was only dates from when RACS was sold off to that lot in Manchester.

There is also a lot of stuff being put out about the early Co-op movement and something called the 'Rochdale Pioneers' - this is all nonsense and the whole of South London should be aware that the earliest consumer co-ops were in Woolwich, getting on for a century earlier.   More of that in the 
future.

(and I hope they don't dare say that Woolwich in the 1750s was any sort of 'Metropolitan elite')

==========================

OUR LADY OF GRACE PRESBYTERY

We have been contacted by campaigners looking to research the presbytery of our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Charlton Road. There is a blue plaque on the building to Peter Barlow.  This was the older Barlow, an engineer with a distinguished career at the Arsenal.

Hopefully we can give some details about Barlow and his work - I understand there is a local expert researcher - please get in touch. 

Meanwhile the campaigners would be grateful for any information

-----------------------------



----------------------------------------

This has been a very long newsletter and several items have been left over:

- Thames path closures

- real progress by the Enderby Group

and much more

sorry. back soon

Peace and love 

Mary
(marymillsmmmmm@aol.com)












Wednesday 7 December 2016

General news and notes

Stuff sent to us in the past week

email to us indhistgreenwich@aol.com


GLIAS NEWSLETTER

The current Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society's Newsletter has a couple of items about Greenwich.

One is about the closure of Firepower - "The Royal Artillery Experience' at Woolwich Royal Arsenal closed in July 2016 after struggling for years to meet its target of 200,000 visitors per years".  They explain that the collection will go to the Science Museum Store in Wiltshire and not be available to the public.

- a personal comment is that we ought to find out what has happened to their valuable archive which for many years was open(ish) to the public at the RMA building in Academy Road.  And (even more personal) to hope that this exhibition about shooting people is replaced by something that reflects the academic, research and manufacturing base in the Arsenal  - we have here somewhere which was a world centre of excellence for technological development - and are we putting it on display?? Apparently not!  Mary (sorry about that)

The GLIAS Newsletter also reports on a planning application from Crossness Engines for a narrow gauge railway and modification to an existing building as a depot.  This will be a single 18" gauge track with passing loops and a station at each end. This will take people from the car park to the pumping station.  They hope to use the locomotives under restoration on this.

Perhaps someone from Crossness could tell us more about the progress of this - presumably the planning application was to Bexley Council. Can we know more??

GLIAS also lists the following Greenwich sites as being featured in the London Archaeologists Fieldwork Roundup for 2015
(these are sites professional archaeologists have worked on  - and PLEASE professional archaeologists - if you ever read this - this blog is always happy to put a note about your work, or whatever you want - but you need to tell us.  It would be nice if you did)

Enderby Wharf - location of gunpowder works and other features
Eltham Church of England Primary School - where they recorded a Second World War air raid shelter
Greenwich Market - where they found the remains of brick walls which may have been part of Joseph Kaye's work of 1830
Royal Arsenal Riverside - found to clay pipe kilns and a bread oven

GLIAS future events include

18th January - Conkers, Cordite & the Birth of Modern Biotechnology. Prof. Martin Adams
15th February - The Spitalfields Silk Industry. Sue Jackson
15th March - Crossrail Archaeological Roundup.  Jay Carver and Andy Shelley
19th April  - The Royal Arsenal, Then and now. Ian Bull
17th May - AGM - The New River. Andrew Smith

all at 6.30 in The Gallery, 75 Cowcross Street, EC1M 6EL

---------------------

We have been sent some material from www.heritagecounts.org.uk

This includes something about 'Placemaking and Heritage Research'  which says "This year, research for Heritage Counts focused on placemaking and heritage. To investigate this topic, research was conducted into the use of heritage in place branding by Business Improvement Districts. The findings of this project will appeal to all organisations involved with place branding and with an interest in how heritage could be incorporated to enhance places".  

The posting includes a link to a workbook giving the heritage profile of every local authority - (sorry - tried to get through to the Greenwich section but it complained about the version of Excel and refused to download - better luck if someone else can do it!)
There is also a link to a lot of research on the economic advantages of heritage sites - again please download and let us know what you think.


-------------------

Another old pub about to go

We have had an email about the imminent demise of "the wonderful Victorian PH, "The Thames"."  This is the Rose and Crown Pub on the corner of Thames Street and Norway Street.  This is a proposal from a developer despite, we are informed that "It is the last remaining Victoria building in that part of Greenwich,  and is actually in good condition, has been lived in recently..  and ... has existing permission to be converted into a  gastropub and flats".  The email also says "it's about time we started to hold on to our heritage".

Happy to pass any info on


------------------------------

We have a long email from the East London Waterways Group - and its a pity they don't have a web site we could refer you to because much of what they send it very interesting. 
They headline this as 'Help Stop Fake Heritage at the former London Chest Hospital'.  This again is how developers of this important site want to turn some perfectly decent, and listed, buildings into looking like something they never were to start with.    The email also contains information about some of the industrial buildings at Hackney Wick, which are now being eyed up by developers.  Most of these were in perfectly sustainable office, industrial and studio use until the Olympics came along next door. Many of the ones now being got at were part of the Dalton peanut factory.

Happy to forward their email - but - even better - get on their mailing list

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and another old pub on the way out

This is the pub which has over recent years been 'The Book Place' and was held up by scaffolding for a very long time. This was The Beehive and is another 19th building rapidly being surrounded by new builds.  Do we really think tourists are going to come to Greenwich to see lots of new ten storey blocks of flats??

Happy to pass on contacts if people email

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FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS

We currently have a lot of stuff to go on this blog - and there is now a queue (but don't let that stop you sending more)

We hope in the next few days to cover

Our Lady of Grace Presbytery and engineer Peter Barlow (see the blue plaque)

Greenwich Power Station - and plans for its extension

Woolwich Labour Party's first offices - the first and original Labour Party ever

email indhistgreenwich@aol.com







Friday 2 December 2016

Atlas and Derrick

A couple of weeks ago Greenwich Industrial History was contacted by campaigners at Atlas and Derrick Gardens.

This small estate is now owned by Greenwich Council - and is in one of the more obscure bits of the borough.  It is down Anchor and Hope Lane, down among all the industrial sites and opposite the new Sainsbury's depot.   Difficult to find and tucked away.  Not for much longer!   There are plans by Rockwell Developers to surround it with 28 storey blocks of flats as Charlton sites go for 'redevelopment'.

(and incidentally swallowing up many other interesting sites, which may include the old Glenton railway - which still has some of its rails!)

Atlas and Derrick was built by Cory's around 1908.  Cory Environmental are still just along the river with their tug depot and dry dock just along the riverside path.  That small drab workplace - which looks after all the tugs which transport the rubbish barges - is a small part of a huge modern multi national.  Just down at Erith Cory have a vast rubbish destructor and much more.  The firm is said to have been set up by William Cory in the early 19th century and was initally a haulage and lighterage business.

I remain confused however by Cory and its background. In South Wales Cory Brothers operated a net work of mines and coal haulage.  There is even still a Cory Brass Band.  Are they the same people - or is it just a coincidence that there were two big companies in the coal trade in the 19th century set up by people with this fairly unusual name.  Other Corys pop up in directories and so on all the time - for example I found a Cory dye works in Limehouse in the 1820s.



What is however well known - and well illustrated is Atlas (hence Atlas and Derrick Gardens). There were three successive Atlases and they were moored in the river off Charlton. The idea was to save river space and wharfage time.  The collier ships - of which there would have been 100s coming into the Thames from the North east coal staithes - moored up against Atlas and her derricks would have been used to remove the coal and transfer it into barges. And off the barges would go to deliver it to wherever it was to be used

Thursday 1 December 2016

The steps at Enderbys - and the whole issue of the riverside path

The riverside path along by Lovells and Enderbys is apparently closed - more of that below.  

First of all - the steps at Enderbys.  There are two jetties at Enderby Wharf and between them are some steps going down into the river.  These steps were a sort of ferry terminal where a row boat or a launch met people who wanted to go out to a cable ship moored out in the river.   They covered over a medieval sluice - Bendish Sluice.  The 500 year old sluice - there four years ago - has now vanished, presumably removed in the building work.  But the steps, hopefully, are still there.

Some twelve or so years ago the environmental charity, Groundwork, spent a lot of public money doing up all sorts of improvements to the riverside path on this stretch.  There were trees, and flowers, and seats and artworks. They got the companies with factories along the river to pay for it and sign maintenance agreements,  Then the companies sold up and went and the developers moved in.  All that planting and seats were trashed.

However - the Enderby jetties are still owned by Alcatel (or whatever their new name is) and artifacts remain on the big jetty - and - and - the art work on the steps.

Here's what Carol Kenna of Greenwich Mural Workshop who was responsible for the installation says about it:-


The steps were installed part of works conducted along the East Greenwich Waterfront identified within the Groundwork ‘Vital Centre and Green Links” initiative.The programme was delivered by a team comprising Groundwork Thames Gateway London South, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Alcatel, Amylum UK Ltd, The Environment Agency and  Thames 21, advised by Deptford Discovery Team and Greenwich Mural Workshop.The project cost £20,000 for the steps and Alcatel agreed to clean them periodically to remove algae. This was part of £8,175,000 awarded to Groundwork for the Vital Centres and Green Links programme.
The works were financed through the SRB programme and contributions from Alcatel and Amylum.
Enderby Steps were an initiative by Greenwich Mural Workshop sculpted by sculptor Richard Lawrence. The intention was to refurbish the historical steps that had lead to the landing stage that enabled shipmen to land from the large ships moored off shore waiting to be loaded with cables.
The sub structure of the steps were found to be sound and new steps, made from Opepe wood fixed to concrete beams fixed with stainless steel rod. There are 17 steps in all, plus a wooden floor attached to a concrete raft. Opepe wood is a very durable Marine Hardwood, commonly used for sea defences.
Following research into the history of Alcatel and the industries of Greenwich Peninsula designs were produced and carved into the steps and decking to illustrate the history of the area and its importance in the development of telecommunications in Greenwich. The steps were carved and installed in 2001. Alcatel, Dr. Mary Mills and local people all contributed towards the research
The steps were conceived as one of a number of works in the area including the developing Enderby Wharf as a public open space illustrating the history of Alcatel including the placement of a cable repeater, retention of the cable winding machinery and explanation boards.

So what has happened?  Problem is we don't know.  A couple of weeks ago Enderby Group picked up that there was a plan for a (very necessary) storm drain to outfall through the old medieval sluice. - and there were other things agreed, for instance a reed bed.   They asked if the contractors were aware of the art work - and have lobbied and rung and tried to contact anyone with any influence.  We will let you know when we find out.
griy
The other problem is that we can't get down the path to look and see what is going on.  The path was closed by the Environment Agency at the request of one of the developers.  The Council have, apparently, tried to get them to agree to a shorter diversion - but this has fallen on deaf ears.    The next problem - as raised at a recent EGRA meeting - is that once the current problem is sorted, the next developer along can raise something else with the Environment Agency and get the next bit closed - and the next - and the next --

They can't shut it for ever - it is a right of way, ratified in a Kent Assize judgement of 1875 and reinforced by a judgement of 1999 when the Council took a developer, further down, to Court.

But - and this is a big but - what will be revealed when it is finally opened.  Will it be the same sterile promenade we have everywhere else.  It isn't just the art work - its the general ambience and the vitally important historic framework.  

A few more things - and then the obligatory quote from Ian Nairn.

One is that any decisions about the path have to go in front of the Council who can comment on them - we need to know that they are properly briefed

Two is that all these big planning applications to the Council are followed by a blizzard of small ones - 'reserved matters'  they are 99% boring nit picking details which for various, usually good, reasons, were not in the main application. Decisions on drains and path ways et al will be buried in that somewhere. Look at them - read through the paint colours and site safety regulations and the size of the wheel washers - and find the path

We need to work out if we are serious or not about visitors. What do we want from this area which is so historically important. Do we really want to trash it??


OK - so here's Ian Nairn, TV architectural commentator and major stirrer  - he wrote this in 1966

This unknown and unnamed riverside path is the best Thames- side walk in London. It beats all of the embankments and water- gardens hollow. Best in this direction, because then the walk has a climax: the domes of Greenwich Hospital beckoning round the bend of the river, and a splendidly unselfconscious free house, the Cutty Sark. The entrance certainly takes some finding: to get there, fork left facing the southern entrance to the Blackwall Tunnel with its pretty Art Nouveau gatehouse. About two hundred yards along, on the left, a passage leads down beside the Delta Metal Co. It zigs and it zags, but it doesn't give up, and eventually comes out at the river. The start is now a sizeable belvedere, but the path soon takes on much more exciting forms: between walls, or unfenced above a slide down to the water, or wandering past timber wharves, under cranes and in one case nipping around the back of a boat yard. Never the same for a hundred yards at once, a continuous flirtation with the slow- flowing river, choked with working boats. The first houses come in at the Cutty Sark (Union Wharf): then there is a final exciting stretch past Greenwich Power Station and the astonishing contrast with the Trinity almshouses next door, another good riverside pub (the Yacht), and the climax of the footpath in front of Greenwich Hospital. Not just a walk, but a stressed walk - mostly by accident. God preserve it from the prettifiers. The Enderby Group has been working on ideas for the area around the path and Enderby House. All will be revealed in due course.
    'They' are trying to close it. Walk it as you would a country path, till they are sick to the guts"

Tuesday 29 November 2016

The first Power Station on the Peninsula

This is an article taken from Engineer and published when the first Blackwall Point Power Station was opened in 1900. The article is a bit long and some of it quite technical but it contains some very interesting insights into the setting up of what was a new technology - electric light - and selling it to the public.


BLACKHEATH AND GREENWICH ELECTRIC  LIGHT COMPANY'S CENTRAL STATION.

The Blackheath and Greenwich District Electric Light Company Limited, whose generating station and system of distribution forms the subject of this article, started life by obtaining a provisional order empowering it to supply electricity if Greenwich and Blackheath about the year 1897:  but no active steps were taken to put into operation the powers and obligations of its order until 1898.
 
The London Electric Supply Corporation  had already obtained powers to supply alternating current in the Greenwich area, and the Board of Trade, in the exercise of their discretion, limited the Blackheath Company to direct current  supply throughout, but subsequently consented to allow it  to supply alternating current in that part of the district which includes Blackheath, Lea , Charlton, Kidbrook, and part of Lewisham and Eltham still reserving the original limitation as to a direct supply in Greenwich.  

One of the terms imposed by the local authority, as being a condition of its consenting not to oppose, was that the company should within two years of the granting of the original order apply for similar powers covering a very much extended area. and embracing some small villages that could not otherwise hope to get any electric light for many years to come.  The extended area covers seventeen square miles, and lthough this company' has not applied for what is popularly described as a power Bill  such as the Tyneside, Durham,  South Lancashire and others , recently before Sir James  Kitson's Committee in the House of Commons its obligations and prospects are in many ways identical.  And the  problem it had to face was to some extent complicated by the fact that it was compelled to supply direct current in the Greenwich area.



The problem was very thoroughly considered, with the result that it was decided that, having regard to all the circumstances, a two phase alternating system would be better suited than any other to the requirements of the districts embraced, more especially as the company was approached by a local   tramway company to supply power for driving the tramway as soon as the company should have obtained the necessary parliamentary sanction.

These powers have since been granted, and the company will, therefore be probably called upon in the immediate future to supply current to the cars from the same station that now supplies the lighting load. 

A site, covering 2 acres 1 rood and 4 poles, having a frontage to the river at Blackwall Point, was obtained, and although situated on one of the boundaries, it was apparent that the advantages of coal supply, condensing facilities &c., would  more than compensate for loss in transmission on the trunk cables; but for some presumably good but non -apparent reason, having purchased the site with those advantages, it was forthwith decided to ,make no use of them. and at the present moment the steam is not condensed, and the transferring of the coal from the barges to the bunkers is done entirely by hand. and must cost £200 or 300 a year or more. 

The original scheme included, in addition to the rails on the wharf a coal conveyor, by means of which a 600 ton collier could have been emptied in twenty-four hours into a 70 ton bunker situated immediately over the boilers and it is to be hoped that something of the kind will back adopted in   the near future. the penny-wise policy, of cutting down capital expenditure in labour has so often  been condemned, and is so palpably unfair to the shareholders, that it is to be hoped that the company will take the earliest opportunity of abandoning it in favour of more rational methods. 



The question of condensing is one which has been very fully discussed and the policy in electric light stations has almost universally been to postpone the expenditure on the condensing plant until the load is so large that it is comparatively constant.  There are, indeed, electric light stations in this country in  which the condensing plant put in is so large that the steam required to drive the air pumps is more than the amount  saved by condensing and they are consequently used only for perhaps three or four hours a day. The result is that the amount of capital that remains unproductive for hours a day is increased although the  actual total spent on plant is slightly less than if the top load were dealt with non-condensing or to be more accurate, might less if the introduction  of condensers actually reduced the expenditure on generating plant.
 
As a rule it is not until the station has passed through the lean years and is established as a successful undertaking that any attempt is made to increase the year’s dividends by reducing the coal consumption in this way. To digress for a moment, let us assume that the expression ‘load factor’  means the ratio of the average to the maximum possible rate of production. We shall probably be justified in stating that with the existing load factor the coal consumption at Blackheath is equivalent to 23 lb.-Welsh steam coal-per unit sold. It will be admitted that the load factor will materially improve as time goes on, and the coal per unit sold will be reduced. At the present moment with a bad load factor the coal consumption is a larger item in the total cost of  production than it is ever likely to be again, and it would  therefore seem to follow that it is more important to reduce  the coal consumption now than later on when the conditions of the load have so far improved as to make the coal a small,  instead of as at present a large, proportion of the total cost of production. 

(l) Condensing plant, provided that it is capable of dealing with the average load over a twenty four hour day. If, as is reasonable, we assume (1) a 10 per cent load factor; (2) a coal consumption of 16 lb. per unit; (3) a saving of 20 per cent due to condensing; (4) maximum load of 600 kilowatts.  Then it follows that our total saving per annum equals:

- 626 tons of coal saved per annum. 

(2) If on the other hand, a condensing plant is provided for condensing the maximum load, this can only be used economically for two hours per diem. 

Then on the same basis, except that the coal consumption per unit must be taken as 8 lb, since the rate of production reduces this figure, we have as our total saving per annum 

The company's site has a frontage to the river of 227ft and a substantial timber and concrete wharf has been built.  The front piles 38ft  to 45ft long and 13in. square are driven at 9ft 9½ ins centres with a batter of one in twenty four, the wing wall piles being 12 in by 12 in with l0 in centres. A line of 6 in thick sheet piling is carried the whole length of the wharf, the top of it being embedded in concrete. The bearing piles are 9 in by 9 in.  The anchor piles are 12 in by 12 in. All piles were driven till the last six blows of a 20 cwt ram falling 6 ft. drove them less than 3 in.  Swivelling mooring hooks are provided, instead of the usual bollards. These hooks are anchored back diagonally, just below the surface of the concrete, to two of the main anchor  piles. The wharf has a road-metalled surface, and a fall of 12in. from the engine-room wall to the drains which discharge on to the river front. Fifty-six-pound Vignoles rails run from end to end, and two turntables arc provided, one connecting with a set of rails running right inside the  engine-room so that machinery delivered by boat can be  taken off the truck, under cover, by the engine-room traveller,and placed at once on the foundations. The difficulty of handling and erecting new machines is not as a rule sufficiently considered: but this arrangement meets the case very well, and should save trouble and expense in the future.  The other turntable communicates with another set of rails which runs down the side of the boiler house over the coal bunker so that coal may be taken out of barge or colliers and shot straight into them. 

The station buildings are not in themselves interesting from an architectural point of view, but a great deal of difficulty was experienced in their construction at first, owing to the dangerous condition of the subsoil, which contained two veins of soft peat.

The old river front consisted of an artificial clay bank said to have been the work of the Romans, but the ground  behind this bank and several feet below the top of it was made ground, and was very largely composed of soapworks refuse and soft rubbish; in fact no solid bottom could be obtained for the walls or engine foundations without going  down to the ballast which was found at depth varying  from 28ft  to 35ft. below the finished surface of the wharf,  which, according to Thames Conservancy regulations, is 5ft. 6in. above Trinity high water mark. 

The expense of taking the foundations to such a depth would have been enormous and the results in a water logged soil would have been doubtful, and it was consequently decided that the whole building should be built on piles. Pitch pine piles have been used throughout, uncreosoted. Another consideration that led to the adoption of the piles was the danger of causing damage to surrounding property by draining the water out of the subsoil. The entire block of buildings now stands on piles. These piles are arranged so as to distribute the load as equally as possible and carry approximately 20 tons each.  For example the steel stanchions supporting the gantry and the roof on the east side of the existing engine-house will, when the engine-house is extended laterally, be called upon to carry something like 100 tons, and they are therefore supported on five piles each 30ft. long and 12in. by 12in. section fitted with 201b steel pointed shoes driven about 3ft into the ballast.  The heads of all the piles are cut off level 9in  above the finished surface of the excavation, which  then covered by 3in. float of concrete in which the heads of the piles are buried.

Another feature of the buildings which we noticed is the fact that there are no skylights. The walls below the gantry are not available for windows, and the lighting has been affected by putting in windows in the walls between the roof and the traveller rails. 

The buildings generally are very substantial, and eminently suitable for the purpose for which they were designed. A comparatively small additional expenditure would have been sufficient to make them more architecturally beautiful. This spirit of rigid economy has not, however been carried to excess the engine room walls are faced with white glazed bricks, and all the brickwork is set in cement. 

The buildings at present erected include engine house, boiler-house, pump-house, and shaft and occupy an area of 11,515 square ft. The inside dimensions are as follows, engine house 104ft. 2in by 35ft. 71/2 in; boiler house, l03 ft 6in by 46ft. 1in; pump-house, 25ft. 1½ in. by 16ft 6in

The boiler-house is designed to accommodate six Babcock and Wilcox water-tube boilers of 250 horse power each, and two Green’s economisers. The engine house will accommodate the engines at present installed, together with an additional engine of any size from 500 to 1000 indicated horse power

The shaft for the boiler house is built on a concrete float 40ft square and 9 ft thick, containing in all 583 cubic yards of concrete and weighing 720 tons. The height of the shaft is 198ft. from the concrete float. For a height of 4Oft. The base is square; it then becomes round, and continues so for the rest of its height. The inside diameter of the shaft at the top is 9ft.  The total weight of the shaft and foundations is about 1700 tons. The firebrick lining is continued up the shaft for  a distance of 60ft., the thickness being 9 in at the top and  14 in at the bottom, the maximum air space being 4 ½ ins  and  the minimum l 2/3 ins. The boiler house plant at present installed consists of three Babcock and Wilcox water tube boilers, each capable of evaporating 10,000 lb. of water per hour at 160 lb. pressure. The grate area of each boiler is 51 square feet, and the heating surface 2852 square feet. The  boilers are of the double-drum type, the two drums being each 23ft. 7in. by 3ft. 6in., and connected by a cross drum  fitted with one main 7in stop valve mounted on the top.  Each boiler contains 126 4in tubes. The economisers are not at present installed, but provision has been made in building the main flue for installing them in the future.  There will be four economisers, each consisting of 96 tubes. 

The boilers are fed by two Evans horizontal ram pumps. The steam cylinders being 6 in. and 10 in, the ram being 5 ½ in, and the stroke 12 in. The feed water is heated by two Chevalet heater detarteriseras, which extract the scale from the water, and in doing so heat it to 212 deg. Fah. By means of the exhaust steam from the exciter engines. These heater detarterisers the use of which is comparatively new in electric lighting stations, consist of a series of trays in each of which the water comes into contact with the exhaust steam. The heat thus Imparted to the water boils it, and freeing all the carbonic acid in solution causes the carbonate of lime to be deposited in the form of a soft scale in the bottom of these trays. The calcium sulphate is also deposited by mixing common soda with the water as it enters the heaters. This combines with the sulphate thus:

CA SO4 + NA2 CO2 > NA2 SO4 + CA CO2

The sodium sulphate is soluble in the water, and the calcium carbonate is thrown down in the heater tray. The sodium sulphate is prevented from concentrating in the boilers by blowing them down occasionally. The scale is very easily removed, the trays being lifted up by the traveller immediately overhead, and run on to a platform which forms the ceiling of the pump-room. Here they are lowered and stood on edge and cleaned out in a few minutia. One of these heaters can easily be cleaned and set to work again in a morning.  The oil in the exhaust steam, which might otherwise prove a nuisance, is extracted by a separator before the steam enters the heater, and what little does remain is thrown down with the scale in the heater trays. No trouble is experienced  owing to oil being carried over with the exhaust steam. Immediately over these heaters is placed a water tank 16ft 6ins 24ft by 4ft. This is supplied from the water company’s main, and is provided with an indicator, fixed in the pump house, to register the height of the water in the tank. 

The systems of pipe work in use at this station are interesting on account of the flexibility obtained by the arrangement of valves and interconnections. The system adopted consists of a ring main placed vertically against the boiler house Wall. The boiler branches enter the lower part of the ring immediately over pockets at the bottom of which a drain is fixed which is connected to a steam trap and so kept free from water. The engine branches are taken off the top half of the rig and through the engine room wall straight to the engines. This system while giving flexibility to the steam ring isentirely devoid of water troubles  and, moreover as all the valves are visible to anyone  operating any  one valve, mistakes such as sometimes occur  with ring mains  are here entirely avoided. The valves are all of Hopkinsons make. And are in every case fitted with a small bypass.  The two horizontal steam mains are connected at each end by a semicircular steel bend.   

The system of jointing in use consists of a ring of copper 1/12 in thick and ¾ in wide placed between the faces of flanges which are screwed and welded onto the pipe, and then turned dead true. The joint is tightened up by means of bolts placed through Cast Iron collars which are loose on the pipes. This form of jointing gives excellent results, and reduces the repairs to pipe work to a minimum. The feed piping system consists of a 4 in ring feed main with the valves and suction pipes so arranged that either half of the rings can be used for hot or for cold feed.  Throughout all the pipe work in this station there is no  one joint which if it were  to give out  would under  any circumstances cause a  failure in the continuity  of the current supply.   

Having now dealt with the boiler house plant, we will proceed with the engine -room plant, which is the more interesting on account of its two phases alternators. Briefly the engine-room plant may be divided up into two sets. First the high speed engine driving the direct  coupled “day load”  alternators and their exciters and,  secondly, the larger  slow speed horizontal engines driving fly wheel alternators Which latte are excited by continuous current dynamos driven  by separate high speed engines. There are two “day load” sets, each consisting of a Bellis, high speed compound engine and a Johnson and Phillips two phase alternator and exciter running at 375 revolutions per minute.  The diameter of the high pressure cylinder is 12ins, of the low pressure cylinder 2Oin, with a stroke of 9 in, the brake horse-power is 190 and kilowatts 125. The approximate weight of each combined plant is 17 tons. The engines are fitted with Bellis usual system of forced lubrication in an enclosed crank chamber. The alternators are of the fly-wheel type, and were built by Johnson and Phillips giving a normal speed 8000 volts on each phase. The coils in the armature which is stationary, are wound in slots in the iron core each coil being enclosed in a micanite tube. Ring lubrication is used on the alternator bearings. Each machine has its own exciter coupled onto the end of the alternator shaft and each exciter is capable of supplying suffocate current to excite both day load sets should such an emergency arise.   

The heavy load plant at present consists of two Clench engines with fly wheel alternators, also built by Johnson and Phillips, running at 90 revolutions per minute.  The indicated horse power is 450. They are cross-compound horizontal engines, the cranks are overhung, the crank disc being keyed and shrunk on to the shaft. The following are the principal dimensions of these engines: - high pressure cylinder diameter 19 in, low-pressure cylinder diameter 37 in, stroke 38 in, indicated horse power 400, approximate weight of engine is 20 tons. Approximate weight of flywheel 17 tons; diameter of piston rods 3 1/2 in; diameter and length of crank pin. 6 in; diameter of shaft in Journal 10 ½ in; length of Journal 21 ins; diameter of shaft in fly-wheel boss 31 in; length of journals 24 ins.  The piston rods are extended to form a tail-rod and thus minimise the wear on the cylinder liners. The valve gear for steam admission on both the high pressure and low pressure engines is worked by a trip motion, and it is on  this trip that the engine governs - the governor being dead weight and being also adjustable by hand while the engine is  running. The exhaust valves on both cylinders have a direct motion and are a modification of the ordinary sliding grid type. All valves and the governor are driven on a secondary motion shaft which is itself driven off the main shaft by worm gearing enclosed in an oil bath. The beds of the engine are formed of heavy box castings with hand holes for all holding down bolts.  

The alternators are wound in the same way as the day load sets. There are 64 coils in each phase making total of 128 coils in each machine. The diameter of the fly wheel to the edge of the field magnets is 11 ft 10 ½ ins. the number of field magnets is 64. The approximate weight of each alternator is 30 tons. The field magnets are bolted on to the periphery of the flywheel. The peripheral speed of the poles of the magnets is 50 ft per second, and the periodicity of the alternators is 50 complete cycles per second.  Steps are provided down into the alternator pits so that in case of a coil burning out it can be replaced easily and without 1oss of time.


The exciting current for those alternators is supplied from separately -driven exciters. Of which there are two each being capable of supplying the exciting current for all the machinery that will be contained in the present buildings. The dynamos were made by Johnson and Phillips and are 60 kilowatt sets.  And run at 100 volts. The engines are high-speed compound Alley and McLellan enclosed type engines of 76 horse power. Diameter of high pressure cylinder 9 in.  Diameter of low pressure cylinder 14in, stroke 8in speed 470 resolutions per minute. The dynamo bearings lubricated by means of rings in oil boxes while the cranks of the engines enclosed in the crank chamber are provided with splash lubrication. The oil in these crank beamers is cooled by means of cold water supplied from the water company’s main. Which after passing through the crank chamber is delivered into the feed water tank?

The engine-room is provided with travelling crane by Carrick and Ritchie capable of lifting 90 tons, so constructed that all the motions can be controlled from the engine room floor level, thus doing away the necessity of monopolising one mans labour. The traveller runs on gantry rails at a height of 23ft. 6in. above the engine-room floor level, and is supported on arches on one side, and on steel stanchions and rolled steel joists on the other. The engine foundations rest on the concrete float and the engine-room floor is composed of girders and concrete. The space around the foundations is thus left clear and all exhaust and drain and other pipes are supported from the engine room floor by means of slings. Arrangements have been made for the installation of condensing plant, which was to havoc been placed in the basement. The basement is drained into a sump fitted with non return valves to prevent any water entering at high tide. 

The engines at the present time exhaust into atmosphere two outlets being provided. One at each end of the engine room. The steam for the heaters is taken off one of the outlets, a back pressure valve being provided to automatically keep a pressure of 6 in. to 18 in of water on the exhaust steam in order to force it through the water in the heater trays. Valves are placed in the main exhaust so that some of the engines may be exhausting to atmosphere while others are exhausting to the heaters or to condensers

The output of the station is controlled from a switchboard situated at one end of the engine room on a gallery 14ft above the floor level. The machine panels are on the left hand side, and are separated from the feeder panels on the right by the exciter panel and the synchronising panel. The output from each machine goes direct through two fuses one being on each phase. The other pole of each phase being connected to earth. After passing through these two fuses it goes through   a double-pole snitch and through to ammeters on to the bus bars. Energy sent out to the mains is registered on Thomson Houston primary watt meters on the earthed leads. There are at present four in use.  

Units generated by the two day load are registered on two 50 ampere TH. primary watt meters which by means of a small auxiliary bus bar are kept independent of  the 250 ampere motor which register the output of  the larger alternators. They are all connected between the machines and the earthed bus bars, but to ensure absolute safety each is fitted with an isolating plug switch so that they may be inspected or cleaned if necessary without being removed from the switchboard. The normal full load output of the day load sets is 22 ampere, and the larger meters do not come into operation until the current exceeds that amount, so that the sum of the readings of all these meters should represent accurately the total units generated. Each feeder panel carries two ammeters, a double-pole switch, and two single-poles fuses.   

The synchronising connections are arranged in duplicate, one synchronising transformer being placed on each phase.  The act of synchronising is only performed on one phase, so that the second transformer is merely a standby. The machine switches are so arranged that it is impossible to close any switch until both the plugs energising the synchronising transformers havoc been inserted so that the  only machine that  can be put into parallel Is the one synchronised. Two other plugs energising the bus bar valves of the synchronising transformers are then inserted on the synchronising panel and a lamp and volt meter are provided in the usual way to give the indications of synchronisation. The machines are first paralleled on the four-pronged plug   switch on the synchronising panel and the main alternator switch of the machine thus put in is then closed. It is, in fact, the only own that can be closed. These switches are also fitted with an arc blow-out.  Mounted on the machine panels are the necessary rheostats for regulating the fields in the alternators. These, on the day load sets, are arranged so that one makes a slow adjustment - being placed on the shunt of the exciter - while the other, being placed in series with the alternator field makes a rapid adjustment. Those two are so proportioned that the whole of the first is equal to one step of the second. The voltage can by this means be regulated to within half a volt on the lighting network. 

The main sets themselves on the other hand are only provided with one rheostat, the second being placed on the exciter panel. Each main set is, of course, provided with the necessary field breaking switch having carbon breaks. The exciter panel controls both exciter sets being provided with a double pole switch and ammeter for each, and a volt meter for the two. There are also mounted on the same panel field regulating rheostats connected up in series with the field of each exciter. Mounted on the synchronising panel are electrostatic volt meters on the bus bars and the machine, and a multicellular electrostatic ammeter by means of which the voltage or current at any substation may be read. This instrument is also provided with a maximum indication register so that the output from any sub-station or any feeder may be recorded automatically.  

All the instruments on the switchboard are mounted on marble panels and the panels themselves are carried on a substantial steel L framework. The gallery is composed of steel H girders and concrete. This being covered with ¾ inch of asphalt and then 1 ½ in. of granolithic cement. Thus forming an insulated layer. On this floor are placed rubber mats to give still greater protection to the switchboard attendants. In addltion to these prcautions high tension apparatus is placed at such a height above the ground that it is quite impossible for anyone to touch it accidentally. 1t is also important to note that no metal parts of switches or fuses carrying current can be touched when they are alive, No part of the metal of the switches is alive until the switch is closed and then the contact pieces are buried in the marble of the switch panel.   

The provision of a transformer on each phase enables each phase to be tested for synchronisation whenever this becomes necessary after a machine has been disconnected or over hauled thus making certain that the connections are correct.

The area that this company supplies covers 17 square miles and embraces a population of 250,000. The cables which are of the British Insulated Wire Company's manufacture, are of the eccentric type, insulated with impregnated paper, and covered with lead served under hydraulic pressure.  The cables were laid on the solid system in earthenware troughs filed in solid with bitumen. They were tested after lying with an alternating pressure of 6000 volts between the   conductors, and 2500 volts between the conductors and earth. There are at present eight cables leaving the generating station four on each phase. Those are divided up as follows: - One pair to Westcombe-Hill sub-station, one pair to Concert Hall sub-station, and one pair to Crooms Hill sub-station, the other pair making connection as spare cables to each of the above sub-stations. The output from the station is delivered to the sub-stations at 8000 volts. The outer conductors are in every case connected to the earth bar on the main switchboard. The continuous current district covers the whole of Greenwich. Current is supplied from the generating station at Blackwall Point to two of the substations above referred to at Westcombe Hill and Crooms Hill  respectively. Those sub-stations at present contain two motor generators each and supply currant to low tension distributor on the throe-wire system, a voltage of 500 volts being maintained across the outer conductors

At Westcombe Hill sub-station, which supplies Westcombe Park and the district round, there are two motor generators, each consisting of two-phase motor and two continuous current generators, one coupled to each end of the motor.  The supply from the generating station is brought by a pair of concentric cables to the high tension switchboard, another pair acting as spare cables for use in emergency. These cables pass directly into fuse plugs and thence trough two double -pole switches. And another set of fuse plugs to the motor armature. The double-pole switches are connected; one to the inners and the other to the outers, thus the circuit can be broken on the outer conductor, which as already stated are connected to earth. The motor is connected up to a resistance in the usual way. The low-tension switchboard possesses no unusual features, but is similar to the dynamo and feeder panels of a continuous current station. Provision is made for the addition of another motor generator at this substation. 

At Crooms Hill sub-station, which supplies the district round Greenwich Park, the arrangements are very similar, with the exception that this sub-station is a larger one than that at Westcombe-Hill, and that provision is to be made in the immediate future for the supply of current to the South East Metropolitan Tramway under the Order which they have obtained this session. The plant at present installed is the same size as the plant at Westcombe Hill substation.  The low- tension distributors from these two sub-stations are interconnected, so that each can supply the other if necessary. 
The system of distribution adopted in the alternating- current area calls for no special mention And only differs from that of an ordinary low-tension alternating network In that the distribution on any one side of a road is always on a different phase to that on the other side, so that two-phase motors may be used in any part of the district. To facilitate balancing the electrostatic ammeters above referred to have been introduced. This apparatus, which for want of  a better name we have called an electrostatic ammeter, is a Kelvin  electrostatic volt meter, and under normal conditions is used  as such, but by means of a separate small transformer, in  series with the outer of each of the four cables the our rent  going out of each feeder may be ascertained. The secondary of each of these transformers may be connected in turn to the volt meter terminal by ordinary wall plugs, and it will be seen that the electromotive force across the terminals of the secondary windings is proportional to the current passing trough the feeder. These transformers are furnished with three windings, so that readings may always be obtained at the best part of the volt meter scale, but the norma1 position of the transformer switches is such that the smallest of the three readings per ampere is obtained. This is merely a precautionary measure adopted to prevent damage to the instrument in the event of its being left connected all night by mistake. 

Each of the sub-stations is connected to the generating station by two or more pilot wires, and as the actual current in the series windings of the series transformers is negligible, they - the pilot wires – are used to show by means of the switchboard multicellular the output in amperes on any feeder in the sub-station., no correction being necessary for C2R 1osses on the pilot wires. The maximum indication register is a simple attachment by wick the maximum output on the feeder during the night is ascertained it consists of a second pointer moved by the volt meter index in one direction only. 

The introduction of these series transformers into the substations enables the ampere readings to be very accurately taken on the volt meter, and only the one instrument is necessary for any number of feeders. It will, of course, be clear that the pilot volt meter on the generating station switchboard is ordinarily used to ascertain the volts on the low-tension bus bars of either the direct or alternating sub-stations. The feeders to all the other four sub-stations in the alternating current area are taken from the Concert Hall substation. The low-tension distributors from each sub-station are so planned that three can be connected together at certain points, so that in case of necessity one sub-station can be made to help another. 

We observe that the system of supplying the wiring and  fittings for six free  lights now in operation at the House  to House Company, and recently introduced into the South  London Company has been adopted, but we are inclined to  think that it will be difficult to Induce consumers to extend  their six-light installations. 

No doubt a great many people who would not otherwise become consumers are tempted by the six free lights but It is doubtful whether, having induced the company to supply at their own expellee the six lights they are most anxious to have, they will be so far convinced of the advantages of electric light that they will at their own    expense put in wiring and fitting in any other room in the house. It would appear to us that the effect of this half hearted attempt at free wiring will be to emphasise the peak of the load curve, because most of the six-light installations will come on simultaneously, while at the same time no inducement is offered to the consumer to take electricity for the lamps in passages, basement, and bedroom, which after all are far more remunerative to the supply company. 

The Blackheath Company is charging 6d. per unit for lighting, and inasmuch as this is equivalent to gas at 3s per 1000 cubic feet, people who have electric light in their principal rooms will probably be content to use gas at 2s. 8d. the price charged by the local gas company in this kitchen and bedroom, etc etc. This is, however, no doubt a matter in which the company will be guided by practical experience, although we should have thought that at this point in the history of electric supply there should be sufficient experience to indicate the most profitable policy in any district of London. The company's area, embracing as it does such districts as Greenwich, Woolwich, Lewisham, and Charlton should have an enormous field for the supply of power, but the demand must be created by offering electricity at a price  wish will compete favourably with gas or steam. If some steps are taken to prevent the overlapping of the power and the lighting loads, there appears to be no reason why electricity for motive power should not be supplied at 11d. per unit. So many cases exist in which current is supplied profitably at 1d. for power purposes or indeed, any long hour Consumers, that there would appear to be no necessity-or shall we say excuse for throwing away opportunities, by offering to supply power at 3d.

The station was designed and carried out under the supervision of Mr. Reginald P. Wilson, to whose courtesy we are indebted for the above detail, and for the drawings we were enabled to reproduce. We may, however, perhaps be able to offer a few criticisms on several points. The size of the chimney appears to be excessive, and the position is such that a very large expenditure has been incurred in providing for the economiser inside the boiler house, and a similar expenditure will be involved again when the extension of the boiler-house is built. There appears to be no reason why the buildings should be set back so far from the wharf front. The foundations depend for their security on piles and could, therefore, have safely been put within a few feet of the water. By this means the cost of the coal conveyors and the actual cost of handling coal with or without coal conveyors would have been reduced, and the condensing arrangements would have been to some extent facilitated.   


The fact that the engines do not run condensing we have already alluded to, and Mr. Wilson's view. On the subject of cheap supply to long hour consumers are so familiar to central station engineers and to readers of the electrical journals that it would be useless to us to add anything to what he has already said with a view to inducing the directors to supply power at a reasonable price