Engineers Australia Engineering Heritage Victoria Nomination Engineering Heritage Australia Heritage Recognition Program for Thompsons of Castlemaine March 2015 2 Front Cover Photograph Caption This image shows the Thompson Engineering Works built Vertical Worthington non-rotative direct- acting triple-expansion Steam Engine circa 1901. Thompson’s was a huge engineering works based in Castlemaine and was the first to build such an engine in Australia. The engine was installed in the Engine Room at the Spotswood sewage pumping station by the Melbourne & Metropolitan Board of Works and overseen by Thompson engineers. Image: Museum Victoria, Spotswood Pumping Station Exhibition Thompsons of Castlemaine – Heritage Recognition Nomination 3 Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 6 2 Heritage Award Nomination Letter ..................................................................................................... 7 3 Heritage Assessment ........................................................................................................................... 8 3.1 Item Name: ................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2 Other/Former Names: .................................................................................................................. 8 3.3 Location: ........................................................................................................................................ 8 3.4 Address: ........................................................................................................................................ 8 3.5 Suburb/Nearest Town: .................................................................................................................. 8 3.6 State: ............................................................................................................................................. 8 3.7 Local Govt. Area: ........................................................................................................................... 8 3.8 Owner: .......................................................................................................................................... 8 3.9 Current Use: .................................................................................................................................. 8 3.10 Former Use:................................................................................................................................. 8 3.11 Designer: ..................................................................................................................................... 8 3.12 Maker/Builder: ............................................................................................................................ 8 3.13 Year Started: ............................................................................................................................... 8 3.14 Year Completed: Most manufacturing facilities still in use for their original purpose ............... 8 3.15 Physical Description: ................................................................................................................... 9 3.16 Physical Condition: ...................................................................................................................... 9 3.17 Historical Notes: .......................................................................................................................... 9 Heritage Listings ................................................................................................................................ 19 4 Assessment of Significance .............................................................................................................. 20 4.1 Historical significance: ................................................................................................................ 20 4.2 Historic Individuals or Association: ............................................................................................. 20 4.3 Creative or Technical Achievement: ........................................................................................... 20 4.4 Research Potential: ..................................................................................................................... 20 4.5 Social: .......................................................................................................................................... 21 Thompsons of Castlemaine – Heritage Recognition Nomination 4 4.6 Rarity: .......................................................................................................................................... 21 4.7 Representativeness: .................................................................................................................... 21 4.8 Integrity/Intactness: .................................................................................................................... 21 5 Statement of Significance: ................................................................................................................ 22 6 Area of Significance: .......................................................................................................................... 22 7 Interpretation Plan ............................................................................................................................. 23 7.1 General Approach ....................................................................................................................... 23 7.2 General Attributes of the Interpretation Panels: .................................................................... 24 7.3 The Interpretation Panel: ........................................................................................................ 24 7.4 Possible Interpretation themes for Interpretation Panel ....................................................... 24 7.5 Preliminary Text Blocks for Interpretation Panels ...................................................................... 24 8 References: ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Appendix 1: Images with captions ....................................................................................................... 27 A1.1 Historical Images ....................................................................................................................... 28 A1.2 Recent Images........................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix 2: Maps …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 35 Appendix 3: Historic Individuals or Associations .................................................................................. 38 David Thompson Snr. & James Thompson ....................................................................................... 38 David Thompson Jnr.......................................................................................................................... 39 John Gurner Burnell .......................................................................................................................... 41 Appendix 4: List of Significant Engineering Achievements ................................................................... 43 4.1 Spotswood Sewerage Pumping Station ...................................................................................... 43 Worthington non-rotative direct-acting triple-expansion engine ................................................ 43 Multi-tubular Boiler ...................................................................................................................... 44 Overhead Travelling Crane............................................................................................................ 45 4.2 NM class Locomotives ................................................................................................................. 46 NM class specifications ................................................................................................................. 47 4.3 Dd Class Locomotive ................................................................................................................... 48 Dd class specifications................................................................................................................... 49 Thompsons of Castlemaine – Heritage Recognition Nomination 5 4.4 U.S. Navy Vessel Rudder Repair ................................................................................................. 50 4.5 Compound High-speed Vertical Steam Engine ........................................................................... 51 4.6 Commonwealth Maritime Steam Engines ................................................................................. 52 4.7 Steam Turbine ............................................................................................................................ 53 Turbine Specifications ................................................................................................................... 54 Appendix 5: Drawing Office .................................................................................................................. 55 5.1