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Abandoned Power Plant

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nctnico:

--- Quote from: Seekonk on May 20, 2017, 08:53:20 pm ---Did I blink or something.  Never saw a generator or turbine.

--- End quote ---
Chances are these got sold for use in a different power plant.

Cyberdragon:

--- Quote from: daflory on May 20, 2017, 05:10:30 am ---I want those knobs and gauges so bad...

It's so hard to find really satisfying electromechanical parts today.

--- End quote ---

I'm the kind of guy who, if I had the money and space, would buy the whole damn thing and have it installed as the control system for some basement mad science lab. >:D

EDIT: Hell, I would have my own actual small power station, maybe using some steam engines, then I could REALLY Photonicinduction some shit. >:D

Red Squirrel:
That's pretty cool.  It almost looks like at one point it was maybe used as temporary storage or office space beyond the life of the plant, there was even a pentium 4 computer in there, which seemed kinda out of place.

It's crazy to see places like that in an abandoned state, like you consider when it was first built it would have been state of the art, and now it's pretty much just old unusable equipment.

Jr460:
Having did my EE co-op work in a coal fired power plant, I think I can date the thing.

My plant started in 1917 or about, units 1&2.  Those got ripped out to make space for unit 8 turbine which went online in 79-80.   Units 5, 6, 7, and 8 where operating when I was there.  Units 3&4 had been mothballed.  It would cost to much to remove all of the asbestos.  As long as it is wrapped tight, it is was safe.

To answer someone else, yes you saw a turbine and generator, but they were striped of the outer covers and asbestos removed, and now rusting.

One of the prints also gave away some clues, It showed a generator with a rating of 30,000K watts.   Small stuff, but state of the art back then.

Based on the style of equipment and size rating of the unit, I would have to say it went online in the 1930s.

The control room was like some said, 60 vintage, but it was added later in the unit's life.   In the 30s they didn't have control rooms, more like a central area with a lot of manual hand wheels that had long shafts on them that controlled air dampers to the boiler.

I can't understand why a utility would run a unit that long.   The efficiency had to have sucked. Just the temps and pressures they ran the units at dictate the best you can do, second law of thermodynamics.  From the early 60s on, 2400 PSI and 1000F steam was the standard, I bet that old unit was at 1800PSI and no superheat on the steam.

Maybe it was a dual use plant. it could have made lower pressure steam for heating of a nearby complex, or for some process, like a paper mill.

Fond memories of the plant.  Even a modern one can be a rough and dangerous place.  So much stuff could kill you before you have time to react.  A steam leak for example.   You don't see superheated steam, it is a gas, you see it some distance away as it condenses to water vapor.  You just stayed aware of things and went about your job.

TerraHertz:

--- Quote from: Halcyon on May 19, 2017, 10:18:28 am ---Interesting, but it seems a lot of the signs, labels and documents they "found" are very modern (printed on laser printers etc...). The lack of broken windows and graffiti also suggests that the site isn't completely abandoned and they were allowed in (and escorted) by the landholders. Tours like this are common in Sydney, for example down in disused rail tunnels under Sydney CBD and the White Bay Power Station in Rozelle.

--- End quote ---

Speaking as an urbex explorer of 40 years experience... no, that was a genuine sneak-in and explore. Really fun to watch, since it reminds me of the many times I wandered around in Balmain (gone), Bunnerong (gone) and White Bay (semi-gone) power stations. Yeah, there are sometimes (very rarely) public tours, but you absolutely won't get to wander everywhere like that. Or stay after sundown. Also they were being light-cautious, not using torches near windows after dark. Because that is totally a great way to cause trouble for yourself.

I'd say that place is relatively un-trashed because it's adjacent to an active switchyard. Probably still under some security patrolling. But lax, hence there have been more than a few explorers - resulting in some damage, jumbling of office contents, etc. It's in better condition than some places I've seen, worse than others.

Owwww, that old Tek scope. Sob. If that had been me, I'd have rescued it. The principle of leaving retro-tech-treasures for later explorers to enjoy is all very well, but loses to the sad reality that sub-human vandals who enjoy smashing things they don't understand are so common. Amazing it was still intact.

They didn't seem to ever make it to the main generator hall. Pity.

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