Dear Colleagues,
 
Members of my team and I have recently been involved in a heritage
conservation assessment of an area on the South Coast of South Africa.
 
During the course of the project it has come to our attention that in
an industrial area on this land we have a small power station in
original condition and good working order.  As yet in South Africa,
conservation of industrial heritage is in its infancy and there are
very few persons with expertise in these issues who we can solicit for
comment.
 
I am very concerned that the power station may be unique and worthy of
conservation but have no way of judging its importance on a national
or world-wide scale so any comment on the matter would be appreciated.
 
The plant, which is in working order, consists of the following:
 
Five small turbines and generators (with condensers).
Three of these are De Laval Lungstroms (about 2000 kw each ?post
1940).  A single Bellis and Morcom turbine (1930?) A General electric
alternator (2-3000 kw), A David Brown turbine (?1920).
 
All are complete along with their instrumentation.
 
Supporting turbo-feed pumps, stand by turbines, reciprocating boiler
feed pump, switch gear of varying age (1930's - 80s), coolings ponds,
ventilators, overhead gantry, turbine house, boiler houses, all
supporting equipment.
 
Steam pressure is provided by 3 Babcocks and Wilcox Boilers
(1909-1940) modified to burn wood saw dust.  These are currently under
steam and provide steam pressure for treatment of wood and at a
 nearby saw mill.
 
The power station was decommissioned last year when the area was
attached to the National Grid.  The land is up for re-development so
there is a potential threat to this material.  I am trying to assemble
a motivation to the developer and the South African National Monuments
Council for its preservation.
 
Any ideas on this would be greatly appreciated, and can be sent to me
 
[log in to unmask]
 
Thanks
 
Tim Hart
 
Archaeology Contracts Office
Department of Archaeology
University of Cape Town
Rondebosch 7701
South Africa
 
============================================================
 
David Worth at the Research Unit for the Archaeology of Cape Town, University of
 Cape Town
 
Please visit our web site at http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/age/resunact/
 
and the World Archaeology Congress web site at http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/age/wa
c/