Victorian Railway Foundry

A Castlemaine foundry.

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THE VICTORIAN RAILWAY FOUNDRY IN CASTLEMAINE. (FROM THE MOUNT ALEXANDER MAIL. OCTOBER 19.)

The Great Britain, on her next voyage home, will convey a drawing of the establishment of Messrs. Cornish and Bruce for the Illustrated London News. In taking this step, Mr. Bruce is influenced by the laudable wish to show to “home-keeping youths” that gold digging is not the only branch of industry followed in Victoria, but that there are manufacturing establishments here in which the best trained and most skilful artisan might not disdain to work, and which in completeness and scientific skill will stand comparison with any in the world. It would be unjust to Mr. Bruce, and neglectful of Castlemaine, if we were to allow his drawing of the noble example of enterprise his foundry is to go unaccompanied. Castlemaine is the principal town of what will be best known in England as the Mount Alexander Gold fields. In 1856 it was created a municipal district, the adjacent localities being included. It is nine square miles in extent. The population consists of about 10,000 persons. It is the market town, however, for at least 30,000. The last assessment of the annual value of the property in the district was £90,000. The foundry lies near the railway line, on a piece of ground three and a half acres in extent, and is very conveniently situated. On entering the gate from the northern side the attention of the visitor is struck by the heaps of castings that have already been turned out for the railway. But for an establishment of this kind, much of this work must have been done in England or elsewhere; as it is, 200 men now find constant employment here. Even this number will have to be increased when the additions which Mr. Bruce contemplates are carried out. Notwithstanding the vast accumulations of material, the evidence of system and arrangement is unmistakable. The buildings are substantial erections of brick. They consist of a three storied structure, formerly used as a flour mill, and a series of “shops” for blacksmiths, fitters, carpenters, wheelwrights, &c., all of capacious dimensions and lofty, roofed with iron. The engine by which the machinery is driven is only of 30-horse power. It was the one formerly used for the flour mill, and being up when that property came into the possession of its present owners, was retained in its position and set to work. A 60-horse power engine, however, will be placed on the ground before long. The engine-room is a model of neatness, we might almost say elegance. The stained glass of the windows, tasteful decorations of the room, and ornamental fittings which garnish the engine, give the place the appearance of a comfortable parlour. The engine is in beautiful order, and though taxed to its utmost strength, works easily and uninterruptedly. Retiring from this room, and passing the carpenters’ and wheelwrights’ sheds, we enter an archway, and stand between the fitters’ and blacksmiths’ shops. And here is a sight which is worth travelling a few miles to see. On the right hand are 20 forges, all in full work, and 40 or 50 men working away in the heat of the fierce fires like Cyclopean labourers. You see no bellows at work, yet the fire in each forge burns with amazing energy. The mystery is easily explained. From the fan, which at the other end of the building is noiselessly working 3,000 revolutions per minute, comes a blast of air, which is carried to each forge by pipes, and is directed straight upon the fire. By another contrivance all smoke from the forges is carried to the central shaft. Labour is thus economized, and the comfort of the men consulted. On the left hand the visitor will see what will probably prove most generally attractive to strangers as objects of curiosity. Here there may be seen saws gnashing their way through red-hot iron, which spits out a whole Niagara of sparks, slotting machines are eating paths along cold steel, punching machines are driving holes through iron half an inch thick, and gigantic shears are cutting it up into lengths as easily as a seamstress snips her thread. The machinery is as bright as if it were a collection of toys kept for show; it does make a show, but it is one of crushing energy, directed and controlled by consummate skill. Passing through the centre of the shops, we emerge upon a yard, on one side of which is the cupolas, which are capable of producing castings of 30 tons weight; the south is occupied by a range of substantial brick stabling for 60 horses, veterinary hospital, and farriery. In the yard a large steam hammer (one of Condie’s) is being put up. It weighs one ton. The three floors of the old mill, each 60 feet by 30, are used respectively as a saw-mill, patternmakers’ room, and store. The place has not altogether lost its character as a mill, for Mr. Bruce has wisely retained one pair of stones wherewith to grind corn for the horses. A patent stone-breaking machine is on the lower floor; it has been tried and is said to answer successfully, and if it will do all that is promised in its name, will accomplish wonders in the art and mystery of stone-breaking. It has been patented by Mr. Bruce. This is not the only invention that is to come out of the Victorian Railway foundry. Mr. Bruce has also patented a gun, from experiments made with which it is believed that a range of seven miles may be obtained with a 2lb. shot. The manufacture of one of these guns for trial is being proceeded with in the foundry. Mr. Bruce does not insure, having taken such precautions that in the event of fire the damage would be confined to a small amount. On the roof of the mill a tank is erected, holding 3,000 gallons. It is supplied from a well, the water from which is pumped up to the tank by the engine. From this tank pipes lead to all parts of the foundry, supply the stables, the baths, &c. At every turn in the mill, where there is a large quantity of wood in patterns, &c., a tap is met with, to which a hose can be applied, and a large volume of water discharged where required. The destruction of much property is therefore impossible. The quantity of water in the tank is made known to the engineer by a simple contrivance. A string is attached to a float in the water, and thence carried down to the engine room, where it is placed in a perpendicular groove. As the water is consumed from the tank, the float descends, and this causes the end of the string in the engine-room to rise along the groove. The engineer can thus see in a moment what quantity of water there is in the tank, and when it is necessary to replenish it. This magnificent foundry, of which no written description will convey an adequate idea, has sprung up within the last 12 months, and its establishment here is one of the many proofs of the value of the railway to Castlemaine. The character of the work turned out from it has never been questioned, and the capacity of the foundry will be at once understood when we say that it is capable of constructing every description of railway plant and rolling stock. The machinery is in every respect complete; every appliance for saving time and economising labour has been adopted by its enterprising proprietor; and, as a consequence, the work done is not only superior to much of the old colonial manufacture, but fully equals that of the best foundries of England and Scotland. Mr. Bruce has also turned his attention to the present system of quartz-crushing, and it is not improbable that a new machine for disintegrating quartz will make its appearance here-after. The cost of construction of the buildings was £50,000. This is independent of the purchase of the land. Altogether, the establishment may be pronounced a noble example of enterprise in a young colony; and when The Times disparages Victorian credit, and the Quarterly Review discourages emigration to our shores, we may be content to point to the Victorian Railway Foundry, with its acre of workshops, in the inland town of Castlemaine, as an unanswerable argument against the sneers and depreciations of those who are either jealous of the progress made by the colony, or who have not enterprise enough to enter on colonial life.

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--Beth Kicinski 14:35, 25 January 2013 (EST)