Recollection from Stanley Couch ex Vertical Files

DescriptionA 1946 memory of Stanley Couch from the former New Zealand Room's Vertical Files (1996).

50 YEARS AGO

Some local electrical history
from the memoirs of the late Stan Couch.

“My first stint as Duty Faultman was over the Christmas period 1945 and the vehicle I was using, a 1935 Ford V8, broke an axle. The only spare vehicle was known as the ‘Old Grey Mare’ an even older V8.

At that time the Power Board only had two points of supply, Te Puke and Aongatete, owned and operated by the N.Z.E.D. Supply to Judea and Ōtūmoetai was from Aongatete. Pyes Pā, Ōmanawa, Greerton, Gate Pā and the Mount were supplied from Te Puke. Kaimāī was supplied direct from McLarens hydro station. The 11kV feeder from Aongatete to Ōtūmoetai was No. 10 solid copper. Ōtūmoetai peninsular had a 3.3kV distribution system with a transformer 150Kva at Brookfield.

The system of load control was the change-over switch to give the consumer a choice of water heater or range.

The NZED had planned to provide a third point of supply at Greerton early in 1940 but the war put a stop on that and Tauranga Sub was not commissioned until 1949 and then had only a temporary transformer of 1MW. Voltages as low as 160 were commonplace. At one time consumers were put on an allocation of units and if the allocation was exceeded, disconnection was automatic. At another time, supply to different areas was cut from 10.30 pm to 4.30 am. At that time the Board was on an allocation of 1 million units per week. (Present consumption would use that allocation in approximately 14 hours.) Ed.”

Handwritten note

Alex.

Some info which may be of use for your project.

Regards
Jack [surname unclear]
10/2/96

Usage

Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within.Acknowledgementa 1946 memory from Stanley Couch on Pae Korokī: https://paekoroki.tauranga.govt.nz/nodes/view/121451

Relates To

PeopleCouch, Stanley George,1914-1990 (Person)PlacesMcLaren Falls (Place)

OCR Text Transcription Edit Edit +-Close

Editing is temporarily disabled

Cancel Edit

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel

Menu

Recollection from Stanley Couch ex Vertical Files

Editing is temporarily disabled