In the issue of this journal for August 9, 1900,
we were enabled to publish a full description with illustrations
of the extensive three-phase system with which the Glasgow Corporation
were equipping their tramways. The work was not then sufficiently
advanced to make it worth while to give photographs, but architectural
and engineering drawings conveyed a very accurate idea of the magnitude
of the plans which were then being carried out with great energy
and determination. The immediate object in view was the completion
of the great station at Pinkston, so far, at least, as would enable
electric cars to be run on a large part of the tramways by the
date of the opening of the International Exhibition. Considering
that it was not until March 16, 1899, that the Corporation decided
to erect a separate station for the generation of current for the
electric tramways, it will be readily understood that the work
of getting the installation into even partial readiness in the
present month of May involved the most thorough co-operation on
the part of the Corporation officials, the engineers, and contractors.
The intervening time has been one of great strain and anxiety to
all concerned, but the fact that it was possible for the tramways
department to provide power for two hundred cars previous to the
formal opening of the Exhibition has, no doubt, amply repaid the
officials for their efforts. Incidentally it may be remarked that
the work could not possibly have been better carried out had the
undertaking been in the hands of a private company. It is not often
that as much may be said for municipal enterprise, and we are inclined
to doubt whether the enconium would have been earned by Glasgow
had the direction of affairs been in less able hands than those
of Mr. John Young, the general manager, and Mr. W. E. Clark, tramways
engineer. Baillie Paton, as chairman of the tramways committee,
has also proved himself a tramway director of exceptional capacity,
and he has fairly earned the gratitude of the citizens of Glasgow
for the part he has taken in securing for them in time for the
exhibition a modern tramway service.
As the photographs which we reproduce show, much
remains to be done before the station and its equipment will be
completely finished, but meanwhile sufficient power is available
to meet all demands on the services to the Exhibition grounds.
This the goal aimed at was fairly reached in time to enable the
Corporation to inaugurate the service from the new station on April
24. On that day the members of the Corporation and a large party
of invited guests met at the Town Hall at eleven o'clock, and were
then conveyed in carriages to the tramway generating station at
Pinkston, which was thrown open to their inspection. Those readers
who are familiar with the description given in our issue of August
9 last will not need to be reminded of the great size and capacity
of the installation, but their impressions will be strengthened
by the series of photographic views which accompany this record
of an occasion of great interest to all concerned in tramway progress.
When the whole work is finally completed we shall, doubtless, deal
with the equipment in detail again, but it may be of service to
recapitulate the leading points in regard to the power plant. In
the first place a word may be said as to the architectural design
of the station, which is remarkably successful. The design is characterized
by simplicity, dignity, and power, and the whole building forms
a suitable representation of the great work which the Corporation
has accomplished. The plan has clearly been well thought out, and
the arrangements are in the main convenient. The equipment is of
the latest design, and includes apparatus of British and American
manufacture. The following is a summary of the principal facts
in regard to the station and equipment:
Generating Station
Site 18,997 Sq Yards
Steel used 13,000 Tons
Total Length 244 ft
Total Width 200ft
Engine Room 244 ft by 75 ft
Boiler Room 244 ft by 84 ft
West Bay 244 ft by 40 ft
Chimney Stalks (2) 263 ft High
The boiler plant consists of the Babcock and
Wilcox water tube boilers, each capable of producing 20,000 Ibs.
of steam per hour at a pressure of 160 Ibs. per square inch. The
engine plant will consist of four main engines capable of developing
5,000 I.H.P. at 75 revolutions per minute. Two of these are Allis
engines, supplied by R. W. Blackwell and Company, which are now
completed. The two others, now in course of erection, are from
Messrs. John Musgrave and Son. Coupled to each of the main engines
is a three-phase generator (2,500 k.w. at 6,500 volts), the constructors
for which were the British Thomson-Houston Company. These generators
have a total weight of 20 tons. There are also two auxiliary engines
of the vertical cross-compound type by Stewart and Company, each
capable of producing 1,000 i.h.p. Each engine is direct-coupled
to a 500 volt 600 k.w. generator supplied by the British Thomson-Houston
Company. Between the auxiliary engines and switchboard there are
six exciter engines (Alien and Company) and dynamos. Each of these
engines has a capacity of 85 i.h.p. at 300 revolutions per minute.
The switchboard has in all 40 panels, and was supplied by the British
Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. In the west bay-there
are five surface condensers, supplied by Mirrlees, Watson, and
Yaryan Company, four capable of condensing 60,000 Ibs. of exhaust
steam per hour, and one 24,000 Ibs. per hour. This room also contains
the circulating, air, and boiler feed pumps. In the engine room
are two electric cranes capable of lifting 50 tons, and in the
boiler room one capable of lifting 35 tons. All three cranes were
supplied by Messrs. Applebee and Company.
The sub-stations were not visited on the opening
day, but it may be mentioned that they are five in number, containing
in all 24 units, each consisting of three transformers of 200 k.w.
capacity each, and one rotary converter of 500 k.w. At each station
there are two switchboards one for the alternating and one for
the direct current. The static transformers transform the
current from 6,500 volts to 330 volts, alternating, and the rotaries
then convert the current to 500 volts direct current. All apparatus
at the sub-stations has been supplied by the British Westinghouse
Electric and Manufacturing Company.
After the inspection of the station, Councillor
Paton briefly addressed the company. Alluding to the importance
of the undertaking now nearly completed, he said that all the work
connected with it had been completed within eighteen months. The
engines would provide sufficient power for working the whole of
the tramways of Glasgow and the neighbourhood. Great economy would
be secured by having the work at one place and under one supervision.
He requested the Lord Provost to start the first of the large engines.
Mr. Rosenthal, on behalf of the contractors, then presented a silver
cup to the Lord Provost as a memento of the occasion. The Lord
Provost responded, and turned steam on to the first engine, Councillor
Paton starting the second engine. Presentations were after wards
made of massive silver cups to Councillor Paton, to Mr. John Young,
general manager, and to Mr. W. E. Clark, tramways engineer.
On leaving the power-station the company were
photographed, and they were then driven to the east end of Sauchiehall
Street, where electric cars were waiting, and on these the party
was conveyed over what is described as the " horse shoe" route
to the main entrance of the Exhibition, returning via Dumbarton
Road, Main Street, Huderston, and Argyle Street.
On returning to the City Chambers the guests
sat down to luncheon in the Banqueting Room. Lord Provost Chisholm
presided, and proposed the usual loyal toasts.
Sir James Bell, in submitting "The Tramways
Committee, and success to their new departure," said he presumed
that his name had been associated with the toast because he occupied
the chair at the inception of that great undertaking in July 1894.
He remembered with what feelings of diffidence it was inaugurated,
and of the general manager's hope that some day their weekly drawings
would amount to £5,000. That sum had been passed long ago,
and they should pass within a short time to double that sum. When
they looked at the census returns they would confess that that
enterprise had been inaugurated not one day too soon. The Town
Council were to be congratulated that they were the pioneers of
the municipal tramway service, that they had reduced the cost of
travelling 33 per cent., and that within the week there would be
a greatly quickened means of locomotion. All this had been accomplished
in the face of great opposition from railway companies and others.
The Tramway Committee were to be congratulated on their great success,
and he could from personal knowledge bear testimony to the very
high ability of their general manager. Everyone was looking forward
with fond anticipation to the opening of the Exhibition next week,
which, it went without saying, was sure to be a colossal success,
to which consummation the tramways would contribute very largely.
Everyone who had taken part in that day's proceedings must have
been struck with the completeness of the Pinkston power-station,
the pioneer main generating station not only in this country,
but in Europe.
Councillor Paton, replying on behalf of the Tramway
Committee, said they in Glasgow were among the first to municipalise
the tramways, and it was no doubt their great success which had
caused both English and Scottish towns to follow so speedily. They
had no doubt been very favourably situated, as they had no old
company to buy out. The lines had from the first been the property
of the Corporation, and in 1894 the Tramway Department took
over a tramway track almost entirely double, covering 31 miles
of street. This tramway was equipped with an entirely new
plant for horse traction, so'that the capital account was to start
with a little over half a million. The horse car service had been
increased nearly 100 per cent, as compared with what it was prior
to 1894. The number of passengers carried eight years ago, which
was about 50 million per annum, was now at the rate of 140 millions.
Although their horse system, which was only seven years old, was
now being superseded by the electric, they had done so well during
that short period that they hoped to start electric traction with
almost an entirely clean sheet; that was to say, the capital representing
the old system . would be nearly all written off out of revenue,
and the new capital account would represent simply the exact cost
of the new system. The power-station at Pinkston when completed
would cost over £500,000. The system of having one main generating
station might have caused them to be rather longer in getting the
electric system started than many other corporations who had adopted
the direct current system, but the Committee were convinced they
were on the right lines in following Mr. ParshalPs, advice
in this respect, as both economically and otherwise it had many
advantages. The Corporation tramway system, including the Govan
lines, at present extended to 44 miles of double track. They had
still to construct some miles of line for which powers were received
in the bill of two years ago, and in this year's Provisional Order
they were asking for further powers to construct 13 miles of double
track. When these were all made the system would extend to over
72 miles of double track, or, as was the mode of calculating in
America, nearly 150 miles of single track; while the capital account
would be nearly two millions sterling. When these lines were constructed
there would be about 600 cars in operation throughout the city
and the surrounding districts. At the power station there will
be four main engines, and each engine was calculated to produce
sufficient current for 200 cars, so that there would always be
three engines in use and one spare. The attention of the Tramways
Committee for the past two years had been almost entirely taken
up in carrying out this scheme. A deal of money had been spent,
but the Corporation had never grumbled, their entire desire being
to have the electric cars in operation at the earliest possible
moment. What they had seen that day was yet, of course, far from
complete, as but for the opening of the Exhibition next week they
would not have wrought at such high pressure, but, as it was, they
should have all the lines leading to it, as also special services
from Queen Street and from St. Vincent Place to the Exhibition,
in full operation on the opening day. In closing, Mr. Paton said
that the scheme had been conceived and carried out in a manner
worthy of a . great city. The Corporation had provided not only
for their own population of 760,000, but for the greater Glasgow
within five miles all round the city—probably a population
of over a million. The committee had no doubt gone on strict business
lines in all they had done, but at the same time had helped to
solve the great problem of the housing and distribution of the
people over a wider area, and as years rolled on the beneficial
effects of their work would, in this respect, be more apparent.
They had given great respect to this work. Personally he had spent
much time over it, and had all along felt great responsibility
in connection with the decisions come to. But he had been well
supported all round. The committee had stuck loyally together,
and he could not speak too highly of the great administrative
ability shown by Mr. Young and his assistants. He had also to acknowledge
their great indebtedness to Mr. Parshall, the consulting engineer,
than whom no man could have shown greater ability in his work or
greater pride in its gradual progress.
Replying to the toast of " The Corporation
of Glasgow," proposed by Sir Charles Cameron, the lord provost
said the Corporation had never been afraid to attack any position
that was for the benefit of the community as a whole. It was in
that spirit that they endeavoured to secure and succeeded in securing
the control of the tramway system; it was in that spirit that they
endeavoured to secure for themselves a position in regard to the
telephone question; and it was in the same spirit that they continued
to carry on those varied enterprises which it had initiated.
In replying for the tramway officials to the
toast to the " Tramway Officials and Engineers," proposed
by
Provost Kirkwood, of Govan, Mr. John Young said:
On behalf of the tramway staff and himself, he had much pleasure
in thanking them for the kind and all too flattering manner in
which this toast had been proposed by Provost Kirkwood, and for
the exceedingly cordial reception given to the sentiment by that
distinguished company. His first duty was to apologise for the
incomplete state in which they had that day to show them the Pinkston
power station. But in order to make up for that, he hoped any gentleman
there who was interested in their work would come again and give
them the opportunity of showing him the com pleted station
when the machinery was doing full work. While making this apology,
he wished them to under stand that it was what the cynics
may be disposed to call a Scotch apology, because, while he apologised
he took no blame to himself. It had indeed been a big job and difficult
to push through. They had seen the general proportions of the station,
but when he said that from the engine-room floor on which they
stood down to the rock on which the bui'dings and engines were
founded, there was no less than a depth of 50 ft. of solid concrete
and brick work, they would realise that a large pro portion
of the most difficult work was now out of sight. Another thing
was that they fell upon busy times. Engineers and contractors had
their hands and work shops full, and were naturally unwilling
to give all their attention to them. Then the elements had been
sorely against them. Such a wet season as this last had rarely
been experienced even in Glasgow. There had been delays both in
placing the contracts and in carrying them out, which have
been entirely beyond the control of the general manager or the
engineers. But, so far as matters had been under their control,
they had done their best to be ready for a start before the opening
of the Exhibition. They had tried to " put a stout heart to
a stey brae," and, as a matter of fact, they now stood in
this position : The permanent way was ready ; the depots were ready;
the overhead construction was ready ; the new electric cars
were ready ; the motormeri were ready ; and the power was all
but ready. This last was, as yet, in the hands of the engineers.
He had learned a good deal during the conversion of their system,
and the erection and equipping of the power-station and sub-stations.
One conclusion he had arrived at was, that there were three bodies
which could not be moved out of their regular course, viz., the
sun, the moon, and the engineers. And yet he confessed to a kind
of sneaking liking for all . of these heavenly bodies, and he thanked
the engineers for what they had done. With their goodwill and other
helps, they still hoped to accomplish what had long been earnestly
aimed at and greatly desired, viz., to have the Exhibition routes
operated by electricity from the very opening of the Exhibition.
As Provost Kirkwood had said, they had had more than one tough
battle with Father Time, but he felt hope ful of once more
coming out about level with him. At any' rate, no effort would
be spared on the part of the staff and himself to have the electric
cars running for traffic on the Exhibition routes in a few days.
They might not run any that week, but they would run some early
the next week. And then their stud of over 4,000 horses must disappear.
He hoped they would find kind masters and good quarters. It sounded
a large number, but it was comparatively small when one thought
of Solomon having 40,000 horses and 12,000 horsemen all to himself.
He did not know what he did with them, but he would say they were
enough to have run tramways over his whole kingdom. He did not
think he had been guilty of invading the province of Mr. Parshall,
who was to speak next. Before sitting down, he would like to say
that he believed Mr. ParshalPs advice to the Corporation had throughout
been sound and on the proper lines, and that the installation which
he had given them would, when completed, give results which would
prove the wisdom of his advice and redound to his own ever lasting
credit.
Mr. Parshall also responded.
Baillie Graham in proposing the toast of the
contractors said: In the erection, and equipment of the Pinkston
power station, one of the principal contractors had been the tramways
department itself. The Corporation agreed, at a. Thursday meeting,
that the department should carry out the digger work and prepare
the foundations with their own staff, and, at six o'clock on the
following morning, Mr. Clark and Mr. Crawford were on the job with
a squad of workmen, and in good time had over 50,000 tons of material
excavated and carted away. No sooner were the foundations prepared
than the same staff had to tackle the building of the walls and
chimneys, and this second contract alone had involved an expenditure
of over £50,000. Before the walls were far up, the Riter
Conley Company of Pittsburg had completed the steel framework,
which cost £25,000. There is no doubt that this piece of
American work was carried out with remarkable expedition. Then
followed the two Stewart engines, which were completed in good
time. The six exciter engines from Bedford were also built very
smartly. Meantime, the Allis Company were bringing forward the
parts of their large engines, and as soon as the cranes, the erection
of which had been delayed considerably, were in anything like working
order, the two American engines began to take shape. As they would
see to-day, the two Musgrave engines were still pretty far behind,
and their erection has been further delayed by the breaking down
of one of the cranes. It was hoped that this firm will now push
on and give them the use of the engines at the earliest possible
moment. The Babcock and Wilcox Company had still a good deal of
work to do in the boiler room, and Sir Wm. Arrol and Company were
pushing on with their work in preparing the outside coal handling
plant. With their usual promptitude the British Thomson-Houston
Company had all their material well forward before the building
was ready to receive it. The Westinghouse Company, who were providing
the switchboards, had now about completed their work. They had
with them that day all the contractors who had relaid the track,
namely, Messrs. A. and J. Faill, Mr. James Cameron, Messrs. Macartney,
McElroy and Company, Messrs. Alex. Stark and Sons, and Mr. D. Murray.
This was a bit of work which caused some inconvenience on the streets
for a time, but the tramway contractors got through with their
work very expeditiously. Messrs. Macartney, McElroy and Company
had strung up the overhead equipment in a smart and workmanlike
way. The National Conduit and Cable Company had had a very big
job in laying the pipes, and in manufacturing and pulling in the
underground cables. All their work had been carried on quietly
and expeditiously, and without any interruption to the car
and other street traffic. In the preparation of the rolling stock
the tramwavs department had also been the chief contractor. Mr.
Ferguson, the works manager, had built at Coplawhill over 400 electric
cars. The trucks for these cars have come from the Brill Company's
works, and the electrical equipment from the Westinghouse Company's
works' These equipments have all been fitted on the cars by the
department's own staff. He was sure the company must have been
highly pleased with the style, finish, and beauty of these cars
which the Corporation have designed and constructed.
