----- Original Message -----
From: Troy Thomas
To:TramsDownUnder@...
Sent: Sunday, October 22, 2006 11:39 AM
Subject: [TramsDownUnder] Brisbane Remnants - Ascot Substation (was Tram
system mystery pic)

No takers on the mystery pic ? It's actually the tram substation on corner
of Riverview Terrace and Kingsford Smith Drive, Hamilton, although Huddo
tells me that the City Council referred to the substation as the Ascot
substation. Huddo, do you have any details on when built or when it was
commissioned, or what sort of rectifiers it had ?

It's still standing, as in fact almost all the Brisbane tramways substations
are. The DC electrical distribution network is probably the largest
component of the system still in existence and some of the substations are
quite attractive, with decorative brickwork. Some still have their "BT"
logo. The tramway substations can be distinguished from the "normal"
substations either by their BT logo, or by the ceramic fittings as per the
mystery pic, where the feeder cables exited the building.

From memory there were 16 substations and 14 are still standing - only
Ballow Street (Valley) and Russell Street (South Brisbane) have been
demolished. Another one has had an "interesting" journey. But more of that
later...

Here's another pic of the "Ascot" substation, from Kingsford Smith Drive,
with a typical Brisbane fig tree in the foreground.

http://tdu.toBrisbAscotSubC12Oct06.JPG

Google satellite image of the substation should be at:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=brisbane&ie=UTF8&z=18&ll=-27.439717,153.063047&spn=0.002276,0.005407&t=k&om=1

Troy

G'Day Troy,
Ascot sub. had a BTH pumpless steel tank rectifier, one of the
subs built in the post war era, don't know the exact date. This building was
shared with the Electricity Department, the D of E we called it., the
'tramways' occupied the rear portion of the building. Ashgrove was like that
also, except the tramways had the front bit . Both had public toilets as
well. You can see them on the left of the pic. The toilets at Ascot were
closed, too many undesirables hanging around.
The Valley sub, AKA Ballow St, was still there last time I
looked. Main entrance was in Constance St in later years, where the control
room was located. You can see it here on Google Earth, roof with two long
skylights right in the middle of the block. .
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=brisbane&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&z=18&ll=-27.455922,153.036225&spn=0.002109,0.005364

Looking forward to more of your substation pics, Troy. I'll see if I
can follow up with a few of my own.

Huddo