User:Chris from Mt Gravatt

City Electric Light Company Substations

Company Formation

In 1904 the Brisbane Electric Supply Co. renamed itself the Central Electric Lighting Co. (CEL). Growing demand resulted in CEL building a new power station in William St in 1910 with a capacity of 1.2MW, with the 0.5 MW plant relocated from Ann St in the same year and a further 0.7MW capacity added the following year. In 1914 CEL converted to AC generation, DC being used until that time.

Brisbane Tramway Co. History

In 1897 Brisbane Tramway Co. built Queensland's first significant power station at Countess Street, generating 0.9 MW @ 550 VDC, with capacity expanded to 4.05 MW by 1915 as the network was progressively electrified, as well as the construction of a second plant at Light Street with a capacity of 1.05 MW in 1913. A third and final powerhouse for the company was built at Logan Road, Woolloongabba in 1915, using two engine sets transferred from the main Countess Street Powerhouse to provide a feeding point to the tram network on the south side of the river.

The Logan Road Powerhouse was up and fully operational some time before 29 July 1915.

"Supply was also fed from the tramways 550 volt DC mains to a number of businesses along the tramway routes including butcher shops, sawmills and factories. By 1918 the whole of the tramways public power supply equipment in South Brisbane was sold to the CEL which developed a supply from its power station in William Street."

On 1st January 1923 the Company was made a trust.

City Electric Light Substations in Brisbane

In 1926, the CEL had 11 freehold properties in Brisbane: William & Margaret St (William St Powerhouse), Margaret & Short St (Main Storage Building), Boundary St (the CEL Headquarters and original powerhouse and later Substation No.1), Stanley St (Substation No.2), Stanley St (Substation near Ship Inn), Woolloongabba (Substation No. 21), Yeerongpilly (Unknown), Bulimba (the CEL Powerhouse), Logan Road (Substation No.5), McLachlan St (Substation No.21) and Browns Wharf Property (this was on the river next to the WIlliam St Powerhouse). Their most valuable property was their massive site at Bulimba, the site of the Bulimba 'A' Powerhouse which came on line in June 1926, replacing the William Street Powerhouse, which was slowly phased out, being fully decommissioned after one last operation in 1931.

Of their two Stanley St properties, one was a substation built by Brisbane Tramways Company near the Ship Inn (which was across Stanley Street from the dry dock) that took power historically from the Logan Road powerhouse to supply South Brisbane, and was sold to the CEL in 1918, and retained by them (when the tramways went to the State) as they had earlier picked up the Order in Council to supply the City of South Brisbane on 10 August 116. The other property was their Substation 2 near the Fish Board on the south bank of the Brisbane River (next to the Victoria Bridge).

"CEL substations were designed by commissioned architects, not the employees of the company. The choice of architect was to an extent dictated by the function of the substation, and the premises it served."

The last major substation project started by the CEL was the heritage listed Wellington Road Substation (No. 75), which was completed by the CEL's successor the SEA. The SEA upgraded the old CEL 5kV distribution network to 11kV (which is still in place today). By 1963, many of the original 5kV substations were no longer in service at all, with most replaced by newer substations. Only 19 substations built before Sub No.35 remained, with five major subs 2, 3, 5, 12, 21 and two consumer substations 17 and 28 the only subs remaining of the early CEL subs.

There is a UQ thesis on the topic of substations: "A study of the Architectural History of Brisbane Electricity Substations Before 1953, Christopher Osford-Jordan, January 1984, Thesis for Bachelor of Architecture, UQ".

Name	Original No	Address	Built	Details
Boundary St	1	156 Boundary St, Spring Hill	c1914	This was the old CEL Headquarters from 1914 until 1952, and also had CEL Substation No. 1 in the basement. The building was taken over by the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland (SEAQ) in 1952, and finally shifted the headquarters to 62-80 Ann St in June 1969. The buildings are now gone, with a shopping centre built on the site at Turbot St, Boundary St and Perry Lane in 2002. Substation No.1 was built circa 1914, and the decommissioning date was in 1949. The importance of the substation would have reduced dramatically no doubt with the construction of Substation No.62 at Charlotte St.
Stanley St	2	South Brisbane	c.1917	Likely built c.1917, as the CEL connected their first curstomer in South Brisbane on 4 December 1917. Located near the Fish Board on the south bank of the Brisbane River (next to the Victoria Bridge, on the South East Corner). Presumably the second Stanley Street Substation next to the Ship Inn overtook Substation 2 in importance (they seem to have both been operating at the same time). In 1973, in order to revitalise the fading wharves area, Clem Jones Park was created, by demolishing all buildings along the Brisbane River frontage south of the Victoria Bridge through to the Sidon Street dry dock. In 1985 this land was incorporated in the site for Expo 88, when essentially almost all properties between Stanley Street, Vulture Street, the railway and Russell Street were demolished and roads also cleared for the site of Expo 88. It was very likely that the Stanley Street Substation was destroyed in 1973, with the BCC Russell Street Tramways Substation and the other Stanley Street Substation next to Ship Inn were both demolished to make way for Expo 88.
Ipswich Road	3	207A Ipswich Road, Woolloongabba	1918-1920	Constructed sometime between 1918 to 1920. The CEL tender conditions pack for the building is dated from 1917. It is located next to the Princess Alexandra Hospital (the then Diamantina Hospital) Old photos exist of this building, which some similarities to CEL Substation No. 5. This site was also likely the source of power for Ipswich, and could have been the site for a 5kV/33kV Step Up Substation. Presumably it became obselete in the 1970s (this is indicated by SEQEB drawings), similar to other substations of that era. Building still exists and is completely surrounded by the Princess Alexandra Hospital. The modern Energex Buranda Substation is very close by.
(Unknown ?)	4	(Unknown ?)	?	No Details known. In 1963 when old Division 1 of the CEL / SEAQ was transferred to Brisbane City Council, there was no Substation 4 listed (2,3 and 5 were on the otherhand).
Logan Road	5	45 Logan Road, Woolloongabba	1919-1920	Designed 1918, constructed sometime between 1919 to 1920. Original architect unknown. H.S. MacDonald responsible for 1928 upgrade ? Heritage listed. The site is in the middle of a 5-ways intersection today, but previously had a railway and tramway either side. The construction of the Story Bridge ensured that the South Brisbane wharves would quickly become un-economical, and finally in 1960 the railway that had served the wharves was removed, with the tramways being closed down in 1969, and the South Brisbane Dry Dock also. In 1970 the remaining wharves were demolished and more of the area was changed to parkland.
(Unknown?)	6	West End	?	No Details. Substation No.6 remains an operational substation with Energex, but the buildings are all modern. Uncertain whether site has changed over time. Presumably the original substation was demolished. The current No.6 was under construction in 1960.
(Unknown ?)	7	(Unknown)	?	No details known. In 1963 when old Division 1 of the CEL / SEAQ was transferred to Brisbane City Council, there was no Substation 7 listed.
Edward St	8	Edward St, Brisbane	1920-1922	This substation was an old DC Substation, and was manned permanently rather than automated. Similar to Substation No.1 it was located in the basement of a commercial building. Tenders were called in December 1919, so construction in 1920 likely, and operational 1921/1922. On 13 June 1930, BCC considered an extension of the substation. The substation was decommissioned in 1957 as part of a drive to change all power systems to AC. A new automated DC Substation was built at Substation No. 60A at the SEAQ's William Street Stores, which would be the last DC substation. Edward St Substation was then decommissioned, with the Canegrowers Building Substation (CGS/Substation No. 114) (a C & I Sub) occupying this location at 190 Edward Street, circa 1959.
Stanley St	12	Next to Ship Inn	??	Destroyed to make way for Southbank (similar to Tramways Substation No.2), with photos of the old substation available from Brisbane City Council's "Brisbane Images" website, which has a section on "Southbank before EXPO". According to Qld Energy Mueseum website: "Early in the 20th century a limited 3-wire 110 volt d.c. supply (presumably 110/220 V) had been given by the Tramways Company to areas of the South Brisbane, presumably the city rather than the suburb, from a substation in Annerley Road. Supply was from a motor generator set supplied from the Tramways Company’s trolley wires. Supply was later changed to a.c. at 5.5 kV from a 400 kW steam turbine set in the Tramways Company’s Logan Road Power House, with a step-down substation in Stanley Street near the Ship Inn. The Ship Inn was across Stanley Street from the dry dock. This supply was supplemented by 2 motor-driven alternators fed from the Tramways’ trolley wire system. After CEL were granted an Order-in-Council for South Brisbane, the whole of the Tramways Company’s public supply equipment in South Brisbane was sold to the CEL, probably about 1919 or 1920." This substation is numbered 12 in the 1963 transfer agreement of the SEAQ and BCC for the old Division 1 area. So the substation was likely built before Sub No. 2, being by the Tramways.
Stafford Road	??	Stafford Road Kedron	??	In 1963 when old Division 1 of the CEL / SEAQ was transferred to Brisbane City Council, there was no Stafford Road Substation at Kedron listed. The seat is clearly shown as a SEA Substation on BCC's 1965 Town Plan Zoning. "Also in 1928, a 33/5 kV step down substation with a 2000 kV.A transformer, taking 33 kV supply from this line, was built in Stafford Road at Kedron to provide 5 kV supply to Sandgate and Enoggera Shires."
McLachlan St	21	McLachlan St, Fortitude Valley	1926-1929	CEL Substations 21 and 22 were upgraded in 1928/1929, to be the main northern and southern substations for the CEL, taking power from the newly constructed Bulimba 'A' Powerhouse at 33kV and converting it to 5kV to supply the local areas. The architect for the original control building is unknown. It was nearly identical to CEL Substation 22, with a brick control building, and a large outdoor 33kV switchyard fronting McLachlan St. Architect Herbert Stanley MacDonald was responsible for 1928/1929 upgrade. Substation No. 21 remains an operational substation with Energex. The construction of CEL Substation 62 (Charlotte St) would have been to relieve the pressure on McLachlan St. In 1956/1957, the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland (SEAQ) carried out a program of upgrading the distribution mains from 5kV to 11kV. This resulted in major upgrades to McLachlan St and Charlotte St Substation to 33kV/11kV Zone Substations. The November 1956 edition of the S.E.A. News shows that the outdoor 33kV switchyard and three cottages adjoining the substation were demolished to allow construction of two new buildings.
Woolloongabba	22	Logan Road, Woolloongabba	1926-1929	CEL Substations 21 and 22 were upgraded in 1928/1929, to be the main northern and southern substations for the CEL, taking power from the newly constructed Bulimba 'A' Powerhouse at 33kV and converting it to 5kV to supply the local areas. The architect for the original control building is unknown. It was nearly identical to CEL Substation 21. It was located very close to the Brisbane Tramways Company Logan Road Powerhouse, which was constructed in 1915 (before the tramways were sold to CEL in 1918, and then being sold to the State in 1923, who handed it over to the newly formed Brisbane City Council in 1925). With the construction of the New Farm Powerhouse in 1928, the facility became obsolete, but perhaps it was useful orginally to build the site close to the powerhouse. Brisbane Council had constructed their new Substation No.9 Victoria St, Wooloongabba on the part of the site previously occupied by tramways, to take power from the New Farm Powerhouse. Substation 22 was then developed by the City Electric Light Company (CEL), being energised on 15th June 1926, to supply the South Brisbane area, including CEL Logan Road No. 5 Substation which in turn supplied the 5kV system. Bizarrely then, there were three substation buildings in close proximity to each other. In 1956/1957, the Southern Electric Authority of Queensland (SEAQ) carried out a program of upgrading the distribution mains from 5kV to 11kV. This resulted in the need to construct Substation 75 Wellington Road which was built in 1954 and energised in 1957. Substation 22 was decommissioned in 1960, after more than years service, being replaced by the now heritage listed Substation 75 at Wellington Road which was built to a ‘modern design’ by Architect Herbert Stanley MacDonald. The site was not handed over to BCC in 1963, instead it was sold by the State in 1964 to an industrial business (York Motors), and in 1984 was later converted in commercial tenancies.

Note: Dates given are generally from either Qld Energy Mueseum sources, or the UQ thesis by Osford-Jordan.

Where was the old Annerley Road Substation that the Tramways used ?

CEL had tried unsuccessfully for some time to obtain an Order for supply to the City of South Brisbane. It was not until August 1916 that they were granted one and not until the end of 1917 that the first supply was available there from their Substation 2 in Stanley Street near the Fish Board. (The Fish Board was on the south bank of the Brisbane River, next to the Victoria Bridge. The CEL board minute book entry of 4 December 1917 stated that the first customer was connected in South Brisbane today.[9] The first areas of Stanley, Grey and Melbourne Streets were ready by mid-1918, and the whole district was completed by September 1919. There had been delays by the Victoria Bridge Board’s requirement of a £5 annual fee to carry the cables over the bridge, and through the unavailability of materials because of the war.[10] Supply was the newly available a.c. supply from CEL’s William Street Power House. These South Brisbane consumers were the first CEL consumers outside the central city area to receive CEL supply, and probably the first to receive CEL’s new a.c. supply."

Brisbane City Council Substations

Name	Original No	Post 1963 No	Status	City Architect	Built	Details
Kedron	2	202	Demolished	Harold Erwood	1928	Site still occupied by a later operational 33kV Substation.
Victoria Park	4	204	Existing	Alfred Foster.	1928	Local Heritage listed Substation (Decommissioned)
Kingsford Smith Dve, Hamilton	5	205	Demolished - c1960?	Alfred Foster	1928	Made redundant and replaced c1950 by a joint electricity and tramways 33kV Substation by Frank Costello (Local Heritage listed), and was used to house records.
Lang Park	6	206	Demolished	Alfred Foster	1928	The template for Harold Erwood's substations. The construction of Boomerang Street 11kV Switching Station allowed for this site to be demolished.
Victoria St, Woolloongabba	9	209	Demolished	Alfred Foster	1928	No longer existing.
Main Ave, Coorparoo	10	210	Existing	Designed by Jameson	1928	State Heritage listed Substation (Decommissioned by 1977).
Cairns St, Kangaroo Point	11	211	Existing	Alfred Foster	1928	Local Heritage listed Substation (Decommissioned by 1995).
Balmoral	12	212	Existing	Alfred Foster	1928	Original building designed by Foster and later expanded by Erwood. Existing, and operational local Heritage listed Substation (minor network role only).
Moorooka	13	213	Existing	Alfred Foster	1928	Original building was called Stephens, as it supplied the old Stephens Shire area). BCC Minute 1,277/1929 recommended that tenders be called "for a building similar to that in Lang Park" The site was expanded in 1942 to incorporate a 2nd building by Frank Gibson Costello. Existing, and operational local Heritage listed Substation.
Holland Park	30	230	Demolished	Harold Erwood	1928	Replaced by operational 33kV substation.
Toowong	31	231	Demolished	Harold Erwood	1928	Replaced by operational 33kV substation.
Nundah	37	237	Existing	Harold Erwood	1928	Existing, and operational local heritage listed substation, later upgraded to 33kV.
Newmarket	38	238	Existing	Harold Erwood	1928	It was possibly his last substation as 39 & 40 were by Frank Costello. Existing, and operational local heritage listed substation, later upgraded to 33kV.

Brisbane City Council Substations

Name	Original No	Post 1963 No	Contract No	Builder	Tender Acceptance	Tenders By	Details
Victoria Park	4	204	24/1928	Albert Mason	1928	29 June 1928	Local Heritage listed Substation (Decommissioned)
Lang Park	6	206	10/1928	Builder?	1928	10 Feb 1928	There were six bids reported on 11 Feb 1928 - M.Doggett & Son (766), J.Macarthur (797) R.Taylor (817), W.R. Gaskell & Son (840), R.Taylor (863), H & G.A. Baumber (869)
Woolloongabba	9	209	??/1928	H.&G.A Baumber	19 June 1928	???????	H.&G.A Baumber was the builder due to being the lowest tenderer (586).
Kangaroo Point	11	211	22/1928	Builder?	1928	1st June 1928
Balmoral	12	212	20/1929	H.J.Erb	1 Oct 1929	20 Sept 1929	H.J.Erb was the builder, due to lowest tender (762).
Moorooka	13	213	19/1929	Albert Mason	1 Oct 1929	20 Sept 1929	A.Mason was the builder, due to lowest tender (741).
Hamilton	5	205	25/1929	Builder?	???? 1930	10th Jan 1930	Was built by 29th April 1930. Albert Mason quoted 1032, while Hill & Brown quoted 1125.
Coorparoo	10	210	17/1930	Albert Mason	???? 1930	8th Aug 1930