Falmouth Docks

ENERGY

The docks, like all industrial areas, demands some form of electrical power. In earlier years it was not possible to obtain power of this magnitude from local supplies. In domestic terms, the amount required would be phenomenal. To get over this problem a Power Generating Station was built. For all those who worked at the docks it was called the Power House. The one shown in the photograph was built after the 1st World War. This was one of the many developments that happened with the appointment of new directors from Green and Silley Weir, a London based ship repair yard. This came about after an invitation to come to the docks was made by the Admiralty, who were responsible for managing the docks at the time of this conflict.

In the photo of the power house (above, circa 1946), the first thing of note are the three chimney stacks making their journey skywards. Beneath them was a boiler room which housed 3 boilers which were originally coal fired and later on oil fired.

Many hours of hard work went into the building, followed up by the installation of diesel and steam driven electrical generators. The three boilers supplied the steam to drive the steam turbines. The whine of at least one of the turbines could be heard constantly.

There were two diesel engines. They were 5 cylinder Polar Atlas units. Very noisy and efficient but one of them in particular was “a Devil to Start”. In fact many "Anglo Saxon" words were used to coach it into life. The generators were the open class of machine which meant that all forms of dust and dirt could accumulate in them. It was therefore essential to have a routine maintenance programme for these machines.

The switchboard received the electricity supplied from the generators. All four units would only be run if the demand was there, i.e. if the docks needed to be pumped out of water.

A 3 shift pattern was worked between 3 watch-keepers and also a roster of stand-by electricians was maintained to cover sickness and holidays. Mechanical work was carried out by a team of mechanical fitters. An electrical apprentice would spend a period of 6 months as a watch-keeper. His duties would include: controlling the sharing of power on each generator; keeping records of power used; temperatures etc on all generators; pumping up of both fuel and lubrication oil tanks.

The switchboard in turn would supply the electricity to various parts of the yard and as the Power House was built after the 1st World War, the type of power supplied was 500 volts direct current with a drop down feature to 110 volts. Alternating current, which is now universally used in the world came into the yard many years later. Many people gained valuable experience from working in this area of the dockyard especially if they had the intention of making a career in the Merchant Navy.

This Power House was demolished in the late 1950's after No 2 dry-dock was refurbished The Docks now draws it's power from the National Grid.