MANGAHAO POWER

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 136, 5 March 1929, Page 10

MANGAHAO POWER

LINES RESTORED YESTERDAY EVAN’S BAY PLANT TO CARRY ON The disorganisation caused by the breakdown of the hydro-eleetric power lines between Mangahao and Wellington was overcome yesterday when the second line on which trouble had been discovered at the back of Paraparaumu was restored. When the cleaning process had been completed, the line was put under full pressure for some time, and about midday the tramways engineer, Mr. M. Cable, was informed by telephone from Shannon that the hydroelectric power was again available. Arrangements were at once made to put Mangahao and Evans Bay in parallel, which means the linking together of the power from both sources. It is a rather complicated process, involving the manipulation of a number of switches and other electrical apparatus, and occupies about 20 minutes. Up till that time Evans Bay had taken the whole of the load. Mr. Cable stated that the Evans Bay station would continue to carry a portion of the load until further notice, but that the city would now be taking some power from Mangahao.

Miniature Plant for Railway Signals.

The significance of a breakdown in i power supplies as it affects the railways where automatic signals are in operation, as on the Hutt line, may not be appreciated by the general public. The cutting'off of power means a cessation of signalling operations, but it is interesting to know that provision has been made for any such emergency. There is at Jervois Quay power station a miniature plant driven by a petrol engine. This is retained exclusively as a stand-by for the railway signalling appartus, and it was brought into use immediately the breakdown occurred, and was in operation until yesterday. The electricity is required not only to light the signals but to operate the whole of the automatic signalling.