Belonged to THOMPSON NORMAN VOISEY JAMES who served in WWII. His service Number - VX111547 : Date of birth - 17 Feb 1918 : Place of birth - WONTHAGGI VIC : Place of enlistment - IN THE FIELD WA : Next of Kin - THOMPSON A According to inscriptions within the book, Thompson was discharged on 27 December 1945. His home address was 10 Clarke St Prahran VIC. He was a fitter and turner and went on to work for EA Machin & Co 535 Elizabeth St Melbourne as a mechanical fitter after the war.Small brown rectangular booklet containing personal documentation of NV Thompson VX111547, including passport size photo x 2, enlistment details, training records, medical history, Q record, record of leave. The cover has only handwritten inscriptions in blue ink and pencil. Stored within a brown coated canvas storage pouch with single flap.Multiple inscriptions both typed and handwritten. Front cover: "N.V. THOMPSON" in blue ink. Below that, 'Mrs Vera Evans / 403 Nth Terrace / West Burnie / Tasmania / Plumber / Wilson St Burnie" in pencil.

In the earliest years of the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes line all trains were hauled by NA-class 2-6-2 tank locomotives. From 1926, with the introduction of articulated Beyer Garrett locomotive G41, it hauled the majority of trains with the NAs providing supplementary service as required. Late in 1945 Garratt G41 was again out of action undergoing repairs at the depot in Colac so regular traffic again was handled by an NA for a short time. The line continued to survive on pulpwood long after other VR narrow gauge lines had ceased operation but finally, on 30 June 1962, a dilapidated G42 hauled the last train of goods wagons and vans to Beech Forest and return.Focus on Victoria's Narrow Gauge: Beech Forest Line, Part One. John E. Thompson. Puffing Billy Preservation Society; Belgrave (Vic); Jan 2004. vi, 42 p.; illus; maps. Soft cover. ISBN 0 9579792 4 Xvictorian railways; narrow gauge; beech forest; colac; crowes; edward a. downs; john e. thompson;

In the earliest years of the Colac-Beech Forest-Crowes line all trains were hauled by NA-class 2-6-2 tank locomotives. From 1926, with the introduction of articulated Beyer Garrat locomotive G41, it hauled the majority of trains with the NA-class providing supplementary service as required. Late in 1945 G41 was out of action undergoing repairs at the depot in Colac so regular traffic again was handled by an NA-class for a short time before the Garratt returned. After this the line survived on pulpwood traffic long after the other narrow gauge lines had ceased regular operation until, on 30 June 1962, a dilapated G42 Garrett hauled the last train of goods wagons and vans to Beech Forest and return.Focus on Victoria's Narrow Gauge Beech Forest Line, Part Two. A pictorial tribute to the late Edward A. Downs, Railway Historian. John E. Thompson. Puffing Billy Preservation Society; Belgrave (Vic); November 2006. iv, 42 p.; illus; maps. Soft cover. ISBN 0 9579792 6 6victorian railways; narrow gauge; beech forest; colac; crowes; john e. thompson; edward a. downs; railway;

Bendigo R.S.L. News Volume 1, Number 3 Christmas-New Year Issue. Red, blue, yellow and gold badge on the front cover. Contains advertisements from local businesses, Bendigo R.S.L. Office Bearers 1960, news, notes from Clubs, an article titled 'When the Japs Broke Out at Cowra' and a short obituary of Sir Horace Robertson.A Wicks Knott Publication, Printed by Southdown Press, 33 Rosslyn Street, West Melbourne.magazine, organization, bendigo rsl, r.s.l. bendigo collection - bendigo r.s.l. news vol. 1 no. 3, ashmans dry cleaners, h q radio service, f c straub, hampel furniture products, pierce grenfell, ron meurer, h w snell, axedale quarries, a l & k stringer, excavations, al & b g pearce, w mcculloch & co, bendigo motor co, m g taylor, fair-view upholsterers, alwyn nelson, northern terrazzo co, l fawssett & co, bendigo sub-branch r.s.s, &, a.i.l.a., col j w swatton, h a w morey, s thompson, g j baker, j k barnes, a c harridge, j harrison, t h hume, w h pinder, d e mcgregor, f e schilling, g g styles, c vaughan, j e fay, geo j baker, a v palmer, n mclaren young, e m vains & co, g e h rowell, a v & l e smith, j r palmers, graham lowe refrigeration service, a w pulfer motors, b r burns, vic palmer, golden square dry cleaners, j w carter & sons, alltyre service pty ltd, ian wills, bill nicholls jack watts, the robyn, a g power, leo a hughes, bendigo manchester house, frank wilson, hesse bros, frank bouchier, your typewriter sales and service, tom heenan, win patten, bendigo legacy, r wilson, w e p carruthers, antonian café, kairn's auto-bits, cohns, jeffreys bread, 4th armoured regt social club, g e baldwin, bendigo & district ex-p.o.w. social club, w hargreaves, d gregor, bendigo r.s.l. ladies auxiliary, mrs h morey, mrs p floyd, mrs w hocking, mrs h sims, mrs t hall, rsl women's council of victoria, mr & mrsa kersting, w coates, a bolitho, w hocking, n mcivor, perretts, martin washington, e a bennett pty ltd, john burgoyne, 38th battalion (a.i.f.) social club, j plim c findlay, ex-navelmen's club, t staley, airforce association, a stevens, t grimes, rats of tobruk association, j ferguson, catholic war veterans' association, j noonan, t coppock, dads' association, w murphy, bendigo legacy club, win patten, t h iser, t h runnalls, legacy house, 105 anti-tank regiment social club, alwyn nelson, laurie townsing, bendigo repatriation local committee, v w hosking, w rex porter, g a pethard, f t dunphy, l m porter, e h duus, lt col thomas waitson williams dso, ric coulson, r ball & son, lorraine florist, neol searle pty ltd, bendigo and district t & p i social club, e j taylor, t wellins, w phelan, g keily, l boyd, t tuddenham, e butler, g armstrong, geo j baker, easter fair society, bendigo agricultural society, 6th battalion (a.i.f.) social club, f t dunphy, w green, r c wright, bendigo showgrounds r.a.a.o.c. camp club, j j davies, e p perrett, t g heenan, w rex porter, fred coulson, harry hall, alan bath, tom hume, ted commons, geo h baker, percy floyd, stan hunter, joe wagland, railway sub-section r.s.l., g brown, don chalmer pty ltd, bendigo timber co pty ltd, g p hyett, a w comber, w nichols, maurice f noonan, allans walk delicatessen, r b webb, jack l lyons, perrow, s paints, t c sheers, provincial motors (bendigo) pty ltd, banjo paterson, will ogilvey, ben hall, joe gardiner, major bob ramsay mc, 53rd batt., major e v timms, ww1, 2nd a.i.f., f m carson, tooranie house, brian abe, p e dunstan, a lam sun, don murray, windermere hotel, bendigo disposals, frank a hill & co, fitzpatrick's, sandhurst dairies pty ltd, m williamson, george symon's dairy, w h oakley, sir horace robertson, british commonwealth occupation forces, australian light horse, state savings bank, royal military college, golden fleece service station, j w williams, tomlins simmie pty ltd, clark king & co pty ltd, mckenna's modern store, bryan mckenna, wicks knott publication, southdown press

The Padbury family were early pioneers of Kew, running for over a century a funeral parlour in Cotham Road. The photograph of the mother and child can be dated to 1889-1900 when the Vita Studios were located at 125 Swanston Street.Rare photograph of members of a notable pioneering family of Kew (vic.). The photograph was donated to the Society in 1982, by Mrs Clarrie Thompson, a descendant of the family.Cabinet card, produced by Grant & Co., Vita Sudios, 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne of an infant, Horace Whitman, sitting on the lap of his mother. His mother was member of the pioneering Padbury family of Kew. "Horace Whitman with mother (nee Padbury)""grant & co -- vita studios - 125 swanston st -- melbourne (vic.), whitman-- cadbury families -- kew (vic.)

Historic subdivision plan of the Churchill Park Estate in Templestowe.Undated subdivision plan advertising the Churchill Park Estate inTemplestowe. Streets identified in the plan include: Corroboree Place, Astley Street, Jeffrey Street, Airds Road, Dove Court, Potter Court, Thompsons Road, Richards Street, and Birchwood Avenue.Annotations in ink on the plan by agentsubdivision plans - templestowe (vic), churchill park estate - templestowe (vic)

Historic subdivision plan of the Churchill Park Estate in Templestowe.Undated subdivision plan advertising the Churchill Park Estate inTemplestowe. Streets identified in the plan include: Corroboree Place, Astley Street, Jeffrey Street, Airds Road, Dove Court, Potter Court, Thompsons Road, Richards Street, and Birchwood Avenue. This record includes a copy of the price list.Annotations in ink on the plan by agentsubdivision plans - templestowe (vic), churchill park estate - templestowe (vic)

Sports Clubs in Kew in the final decades of the 19th century and in the early 20th century were often umbrella organisations with facilities for a number of sports. Typically in Kew, this included teams in lawn bowls, tennis and croquet. The Kew Bowling Club was formed in 1880 while the privately owned Auburn Heights Recreation Club was opened in 1904. By 1998, the two Clubs decided to amalgamate at the Auburn Heights site in Barkers Road, forming the Kew Heights Sports Club. The combined club was itself taken over by the Melbourne Cricket Club in 2012 becoming MCC Kew Sports Club. In 2017 MCC Kew closed and its landholding was subsequently sold to Carey Baptist Grammar School. Both the Kew and Auburn Heights Clubs assembled important collections. These historically significant and large collections were donated to the Society in 2020. The collections include manuscripts, pictures, trophies, plans, honour boards etc. References Barnard FGA 1910, 'Sports and Pastimes' in Jubilee History of Kew Victoria: Its origin & progress 1803-1910. Nixon NV 1980, The History of the Kew Bowling Club 1880-1980. Reeve S 2012, City of Boroondara: Thematic Environmental History, p.216.The combined collections of the four sporting clubs making up the collection number hundreds of items that are historically significant locally. They are also significant to the sporting history of the greater Melbourne area and to the sports of lawn bowls and tennis in Australia in the 19th and 20th centuries. The collection illuminates two of the Victorian historic themes - 'Building community life' through forming community organisations and 'Shaping cultural and creative life' by participating in sport and recreation.John Dobbie Jubilee Shield, Glenferrie Hill Recreation Club won by Kew Bowling Club, 1984.GLENFERRIE HILL RECREATION CLUB / JOHN DOBBIE JUBILEE SHIELD / 1984 KEW / A THOMPSON, N BUSHBY, R HARRIS, F O'CALLAGHAN (C)kew bowling club - wellington street - kew (vic), clubs - lawn bowls - kew (vic), kew bowling club - trophies

This well-known Kew business, which would become known as The Model Dairy, was founded in 1863 by James Venn Morgan. Morgan sold the company in the 1890s to John Simonton who renamed the business The Model Dairy Co. Simonton had experience in the local dairying industry having previously leased the Willsmere Park Dairy. He moved the business to Belmont Avenue in c.1899. In 1924, following his retirement, the company expanded to become The Model Dairy Pty Ltd with Arnold Thompson Simonton and John Tanner as its owner/directors. With new techniques and processes such a pasteurisation, the Belmont Avenue site no longer met required standards for processing and bottling, so its operations moved to 191 Cotham Road. The company celebrated its centenary in 1963. A new factory, built in 1959 to a design by Bates, Smart & McCutcheon, was purchased by Bib Stillwell Motors after the dairy closed. The entire site has since been redeveloped.Digital copy of a business card advertising the Model Dairy in Belmont Avenue, Kew, managed by John Simonton. (The card was donated by John Harvey Simonton in 2021,)"Milk delivered fresh twice daily in / Kew, Hawthorn & Camberwell / All Milk guaranteed free from chemicals, used either to preserve or colour it / Our butter (Model Dairy Brand) / I Manufactured from Pure Cream by the most improved Machinery / [DRAWING] The Model Dairy Co Belmont Avenue Kew / Model Dairy Co / Belmont Avenue, Kew / John Simonton, Manager"model dairy -- kew (vic.), john simonton, belmont avenue -- kew (vic.), dairies -- kew (vic.)

This well-known Kew business, which would become known as The Model Dairy, was founded in 1863 by James Venn Morgan. Morgan sold the company in the 1890s to John Simonton who renamed the business The Model Dairy Co. Simonton had experience in the local dairying industry having previously leased the Willsmere Park Dairy. He moved the business to Belmont Avenue in c.1899. In 1924, following his retirement, the company expanded to become The Model Dairy Pty Ltd with Arnold Thompson Simonton and John Tanner as its owner/directors. With new techniques and processes such a pasteurisation, the Belmont Avenue site no longer met required standards for processing and bottling, so its operations moved to 191 Cotham Road. The company celebrated its centenary in 1963. A new factory, built in 1959 to a design by Bates, Smart & McCutcheon, was purchased by Bib Stillwell Motors after the dairy closed. The entire site has since been redeveloped.Digital copy of the front side of an invoice, for week ending 22 June 1907 by John Simonton of the Model Dairy in Belmont Avenue to Watson for delivery of 17 bottles of milk on six occasions during the week . A drawing of the Model Dairy is printed at the top of the invoice. (The card was donated by John Harvey Simonton in 2021,)"[To M] Watson" / "Paid A Simonton 26/6.07"model dairy -- kew (vic.), john simonton, belmont avenue -- kew (vic.), dairies -- kew (vic.), invoices

Colour-tinted postcard, titled in red upper left: “RIVER YARRA AT STUDLEY PARK, KEW”. On the divided reverse, the card is addressed to “MISS JOLLEY / MELB. TRAM & O[MNIBUS]. CO / BOURKE STREET, MELB”. The sender has dated the card 21.12.08. In the upper right corner, there is a pink Victorian one penny postage stamp; sent from Melbourne on 22DE 08. (The division of the reverse of the postcard, allowing a message to be written on one half and the address on the other, was not permitted in Australia until 1905.) The manufacturer of the postcard is indicated by the initials “W.T.P”, printed in a green floral diamond, printed centre top. This was the trademark of WT Pater, printers & stationers. William Thompson Pater was born in Melbourne in 1861. His business at 271 Little Collins Street offered Christmas cards, booklets, calendars, and leather goods as well as postcards and albums.Hand-tinted postcard of the River Yarra in Studley Park, Kew. The birds-eye view is of a bridge on the Yarra (Johnston Street?) linking Kew and Abbotsford as it appeared in c.1908. On the Abbotsford side of the river, fields lead down to the river, with some remnant trees. The Kew side of the river, in contrast, due to its steep banks, retains its original vegetation. In the distance is industrial development, in what might be Fairfield and Alphington.“RIVER YARRA AT STUDLEY PARK, KEW”river yarra -- kew (vic.), william thompson pater, w.t.p., postcards -- kew, postcards -- studley park, bridges - yarra river -- kew (vic.)

Kew Historical Society, founded in 1958, has an extensive reference library, of which this book is a part. Volumes in the library are used by members for research into aspects of local history and/or to support the Society's collections of pictures, maps, fashion and artefacts. Reference books have entered the collection through donation, presentation, collection and purchase.Important social document illustrating Australian views of the world in the immediate postwar periodMont Albert [Vic.] : Edgar J.K. Thompson for the Argus and Australasian Ltd., 1946 48 p. : chiefly ill. (some col.) ; 31 cm. "australian wit and humour -- pictorial, australia -- social life and customs -- 1945-1965 -- caricatures and cartoons.

The Kew Historical Society's postcard collection includes views of Kew, Melbourne and Greater Melbourne as well as those including overseas scenes sent or received from Europe or the Middle East. They date from the 1890s to the 2000s. These postcards may or may not include the name of the publisher or printer. A number of the cards were published as parts of popular series. A way of dating early postcards is to identify whether the reverse was divided by a central line which became the norm after 1902 in the United Kingdom. However, other postcards produced after this date do not always conform to this print layout.Polychrome postcard of High Street, Kew looking west towards Kew Junction. The photograph was also printed in monochrome format by the publishers, with different names and additions.Reverse - (to) Miss __. J. Thompson, "Dry Lake", Kerang (from) Very sorry indeed to hear of your Mother's illness. Sincerely hope all quite well ere this. Still going about very tired waiting __ being away. Love to all M.B.L.high street -- kew (vic.), postcards -- kew (vic.), horse tram -- kew (vic.)

BHS CollectionBendigo Advertiser ''The way we were'' from Saturday, January 17, 2004. Long Gully School grades three and four. Back row: Les Norris, Vic Pollard, Ali Bux, Alf Spicer, Len White, Bill Pascoe, Max Poole, Sid Brown, Cecil Greenfell, Kevin Tostevin, Alf Thomas, Jack Harvey. Second row: Shirley Rogers, Rose Crossman, Vera Waterman, Mavis Lind, Lenna Saunders, Jean Harward, Vera Mitchell, Marjorie Eva, Gladys Pollard, Alice Gill. Third row: Merle Powell, Lil Bryar, May Brown, Mavis Norris, Dorothy Bryant, Mavis Thompson, Lois Penno, Viola Grillet, Norma Birchmore, Joan Ellis, Grace Mancen. Fourth row: Alan Harward, Keith Rowe, Vic White, Andy McMillan, Ray Waterman, Frank Marshall, Ern Pollard, Jack Barton, Frank Harvey, Geoff Guest and Jack Snell. The clip is in a folder.newspaper, bendigo advertiser, the way we were

A brown cane oval woven sewing basket with a lid which has a pink studded silk lining. It contains - a pair of scissors, a cotton reel, embroidery thread, a bone handled crochet hook, tailors chalk, plastic containers, darning wool, press studs, bias binding, a doily and applique flowers.Crotchet cotton - Coates fast 609 colour Mercer Crotchet 60, 6 Black British Snap press studs - Guaranteed Rustless Size 1 Made in England, Standard darning Wool, Tailor's Chalk - RogeR & Gallet Paris, Scissors 101, 89 on one side of blades and Razor Silver Steel Saranti Forge Nogent france on the other side, Standard darning Wool Co Pty Ltd Stawell, Vic. Australia, steel crotchet hook has an embossed pattern on the handle, Superior Linen Thread No 30, Lindsay Thompson (Threads) Ltd Belfast, black pure flax linen thread 60 750 yards reverse twist.sewing baskets, baskets, sewing equipment

Black and white photographs - 2 copiesTyped below photograph, "Boiler explosion at Ringwood station 20/6/1894. Heard in Box Hill". Article from newspapers:- Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 27 January 1894, page 21 Official enquiry. The Board of Enquiry appointed by the Railway Commissioners to enquire into the causes of the boiler explosion which shattered the locomotive at Ringwood on Saturday night, assembled at the Railway department on Wednesday to commence its deliberations, The board consisted of Mr R. Fulton, engineer, C. W. McLean; engineer to the Marine Board, and Mr Mephan Ferguson, iron-founder. There is some difficulty at the outset about the constitution of the board; It was suggested that the Apt of Parliament contemplated that boards of experts, after the manner of the present one, needed, to have their appointments confirmed by the Governor-in-Council. The point, however, was not considered sufficiently important to prevent the board from proceeding with evidence. Robert Greyford, stationmaster at Ringwood, was the first witness. He said he saw the explosion on Saturday night at about twenty minutes to 8. There was a rush to the engine to see what had happened, and the driver and fireman were both found on the platform of the engine. The driver seemed badly hurt, but the fireman, to all appearances, was not so badly injured. They were both attended to and sent up to Melbourne by the last suburban train. Witness had a look at the engine and found the dome and all the plates round the boiler blown clean, away. The springs were also blown clean away. The Chairman (Mr Fulton) : Did you measure the distance ? Witness: Yes; one of the plates was 209 yards away. A piece from the top of the boiler 15 pounds in weight he found driven into the hard beaten track 410 yards away. Several pieces of boiler plate were found scattered at various distances. The buildings roundabout were injured. The Chairman; Did you notice anything peculiar about either of the driver or the fireman ? — No ; nothing wrong, with either of them. If the engine was blowing off at all, it must have been very light. In your opinion, were they perfectly sober ? — Perfectly. In approaching the station, is there a down or an up grade? — A very slight down grade. How is the road from Healesville ? — Up and down all the way. It is down, grade for about 200 yards coming into Ringwood station. They shut off ; steam about a quarter of a mile away, and come in at a good pace. They generally put on 15 pounds of steam while they are in the station. Mr Ferguson : Had the driver the usual load on ? — Yes ; about the usual load. Witness added that he had known the driver personally for about 10 years, and he had always been a careful, steady, sober man. He did not know the fireman so well. John Palmer, porter at Ringwood station, also saw the explosion. He was attending to the train on its arrival. He was knocked down by the force of the explosion. When he got up he saw the engine driver being carried into the office covered in blood. He noticed nothing peculiar about the driver and fireman, nor about the engine. Mr McLean : How far were you from the engine when you were knocked down ? — From ten to fifteen yards. William Paul, the guard of the train to which the injured locomotive Was attached, said he was looking at the engine at the very moment the explosion occurred. It seemed to come from exactly under the dome. The force of it took him off his feet. He was about 15 yards from the tender. When he rose he tried to reach the engine, but could not do so on account of the steam and coal dust. He called out to know whether any of the passengers were injured, and got no response, so that he concluded they were all right. All the lamps but about half dozen were extinguished by the force of the explosion, although the glass was not broken. He could testify most distinctly that the driver and fireman were both sober. The driver was a man who never drank. The steam started to blow off about a minute and a half before the explosion took place. The last place at which the engine took water was Healesville. The Chairman : Do yon know anything of the quality of the water there ? Is it creek water ? — Yes ; it comes from the Graceburn River. You never heard of its quality ?— No. How long have you known this engine on the road— About 13 months. Hew long have you known the driver on this line ? — About six weeks. I have known the fireman several years. The driver was a strict teetotaller, and I never saw the fireman take anything to drink in his life. Mr T. H, Woodroffe, chief mechanical engineer of the Victorian Railways, produced a report he had written to the secretary, about this explosion. The document gave facts concerning the engine and the explosion. It stated that the rapture seemed to have occurred at the rim of the plates adjoining the fire box. The engine was built at the Phoenix Foundry, Ballarat, in 1883. It was repaired at various times, the last time being in July of last year when it was sent to the Port Melbourne shops, and was then tested to a cold water pressure of 195 and found all right. It was the custom to overhaul all locomotives about every five years. The Chairman : There were no very heavy repairs in July, 1893; were there? — Not to the boilers. The shop manager's report says that the plug and safety tap holes were repaired, five new copper studs put in firebox, ash-pan door repaired, tender cleaned and overhauled, and studs re-rivetted, and boiler tested to pressure of 195, cold water. Mr Woodroffe read the report of the repairs effected to the boiler in December, 1888. That would be the time the plate was put in the boiler. On that occasion three new plates were put in the bottom and the boiler tested up to 195. The Chairman: Do you keep a record of the water used ?— Yes, the water in this case, I think, came from the Maroondah scheme. Mr Woodroffe said boilers were examined front time to time in the running sheds. In his opinion every possible care had been taken to keep the engine in proper care. There might, however, be lessons learnt from this. The Chairman: No doubt. From his examination of the plates [the] witness did not think the state of them could have been detected from the outside. There were no signs of leakage or sweating or anything of that sort. The next witness- was Walter Stinton, workshop manager at Newport and he said that the injured engine had been repeatedly repaired under his charge. He gave a technical account of the repairs effected on various occasions. The testing of locomotives was under his special notice. They had a high pressure pipe running; round the works, and a pump set at 2001b. When the boiler was pumped full of water the pressure when applied up to 1951b. The board appointed by the department to inquire into the Ringwood locomotive boiler explosion sat again at Spencer street on 25th inst. Mr R. Fulton presided and the other members of the board were. Mr Mephan Ferguson and Mr C. W. McLean. Charles Grubb, foreman of the boiler-makers at the Newport workshops, said he had inspected the pieces of plate that had been blown out of the engine, and after examining them, pointed out to the Chief Mechanical Engineer the portion where the plate had started to burst. It was under the lap, on the right hand side of the boiler. The grooving might be accounted for by bad water. During the past twenty years he had examined all the boilers that came into the Williamstown workshops, and while some were hardly marked at all, others were very badly eaten away. The practice was to cut out the defective portions. In this case the boiler was repaired in a similar manner. The Chairman : Can you suggest any other way of repairing so as to prevent accident ? — No, unless by taking out a plate on one side from the joint, and carrying it further up so as to avoid the joints meeting, or by taking out the plate altogether. What would.be the cost .of putting in a new " plate I—Perhaps about double the price; but I wouldn't recommend that course. It would be putting a new plate against plates that have been in use ten years or so and that would not be advisable. I think the present system better. I consider the present system of repairing the best. This is the first we have had so bad like that, to my knowledge. You attributed this to bad water. Is there no other probable cause ? — Well; unless the iron be bad. This was Lowmoor iron. I think this accident was caused by the eating away of plates. This one was the worst I have seen, for the short time it had been running. We use three classes of iron — Lowmoor, Monkbridge and Bowling. By Mr Woodroffe (Chief Mechanical Engineer) ; There are engines still running that were repaired at the same time as this one, in 1888, and. in the same way. These are engines 339 and 333. They have been recently examined and are in splendid order. What in your experience, is the age of a boiler on the Victorian railways? — From 17 to 20 years our earlier boilers stood. The later boilers don't stand so well. How is that? — There is difference in construction, and the material is lighter. The old boilers had thicker plates. Have you been asked in any way to curtail boiler affairs? — No, sir; nor in any way. You have never hesitated to carry out any necessary repairs? — Never. Our orders have been to exercise every care in examining, repairing and renewing boilers. Witness said that his practice was when an engine came into the workshop to find out how long she had been running. If over five years, he informed the workshop manager, and they thought it necessary the tubes were taken nut. If everything was in good order witness reported to the manager. The cost of taking out the tubes and putting them in again was about L20. Mr Woodroffe : Have you ever hesitated to repair a boiler on the score of expense ? — No, never. Mr McLean : Hew do yon ascertain whether a boiler requires repairs?— I keep a record of every boiler examined. From every boiler that comes in I have the dome covers taken off, and when it is practical I get inside. l can almost tell from the top of a boiler what the bottom is like. If there is any doubt about it I have the tubes taken out. If I have suspicion of defective plate I cause to have bored a triangle in the plate at the point where there is the most wear. There is a travelling inspector who visits all the running sheds of the colony except Port Melbourne and tests the boilers. He reports to us and we note what he points out. Alfred Thompson, locomotive inspector of the eastern section, said he knew this engine, 297R. He read a list of her repairs. He heard of the accident on Saturday night and went up to Ringwood. The Chairman : Did you ever notice anything peculiar about the engine? — No, I considered her A1 and would not have hesitated to have put on 140lb pressure owing to the repairs she had undergone. Witness considered that the explosion was caused by the expansion and contraction of the plates ; and, no doubt, the plate had been eaten away through bad water. The other side of the boiler showed: signs of corrosion: By Mr Woodroffe ; Is every care taken with the boilers ? — Yes, every possible care is taken for the safety of boilers, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 27 January 1894, page 7 EXPLOSION OF A LOCOMOTIVE BOILER, NARROW ESACPE FROM FATALITIES. THE DAMAGED ENGINE. [See drawing of loco – saved in “Railways” folder] The explosion of a locomotive boiler at Ringwood on Saturday evening, formed the subject of much discussion in railway circles on Monday. The Minister arrived at the office at an unusually early hour and immediately entered into a consultation with the acting chairman, Mr Kibble, and Mr Commissioner Murray. As the result of the interview it was resolved to ask three gentlemen of acknowledged engineering experience to sib as a board with the . object of inquiring into the cause of the accident and furnishing a report. Mr Richardson and the Commissioners are tally seized of the importance of having a searching investigation into the accident, and, with Mr Murray, the former went to Ringwood to inspect the scene of the disaster. They will he accompanied by Mr Woodroffe. During the morning no official report had come to hand from the driver or fireman of the engine in reference to the accident, but that is thought to be due to the circumstance that they have not sufficiently recovered to be able to give a circumstantial account of what occurred. The engine was one of the old R's, and, Mr Kibble pronounced them to be about the best class of engines used. So far nothing can be said as to the probable cause of the accident, as the broken plating of the engine has not been submitted to the inspection of experts. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 27 January 1894, page 7 STATEMENT BY THE FIREMAN. This morning Thomas Miles, fireman on the engine the boiler of which exploded on Saturday night, is suffering from an injury to the spine, as well as a very severe shaking to the system. He states that he was fireman on the engine attached to the train which left Healesville on Saturday evening, at ten minutes to 8. Everything went all right until Ringwood was reached, when, .just as the train was about to continue its journey, a load explosion took place and Miles remembers nothing more until he was picked np on the platform ; and found himself suffering from a pain in the back, and an injury to his arm. He cannot think of any reason which could have caused the explosion, as there was plenty of water in the boiler, and everything seemed working all right. Mr R. Fulton, consulting engineer, of Queen street; Mr McLean, a member of the Marine Board ; and Mr Mephan Ferguson, engineer, have consented to act as a board to inquire into the cause of the engine boiler explosion at Ringwood on Saturday evening. The board has been appointed under section 117 of Act 1135, which provides that the Governor-in-Council may direct the taking of a such a step. Mr1 Fulton will act as chairman of the board, which met for the first time at the railway offices, Spencer street, this forenoon. Before separating the members of the Board paid a visit to the Prince's Bridge locomotive sheds in company with Mr Woodroffe, the chief mechanical engineer, for the purpose of inspecting the shattered boiler. It has been stated that the explosion is known to have been caused by a flaw in a plate which was put on the boiler about four years ago, but enquiries have tailed to elicit anything in support of that view. The engineers connected with the department are not inclined to say anything on the subject. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 14 April 1894, page 20 The Ringwood Boiler Explosion, The Minister of Railways has received the supplementary report of the board appointed by him to investigate the circumstances connected with the explosion of a locomotive boiler at Ringwood. In their first report the board did not attach blame to anyone. Mr Richardson felt satisfied that the responsibility of having the engines properly inspected and overhauled periodically could be fixed if the inquiry were extended. He therefore referred the matter again to the Board, who took further evidence. In the report now furnished, the Board hold Loco. Inspector Thompson blameable, but point out as a mitigating circumstance that he had not received "written instructions" respecting inspections and overhauls. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 7 July 1894, page 32 The Ringwood Boiler Explosion. The Minister of Railways takes exception to the tone of a paragraph appearing in a morning contemporary respecting the Ringwood boiler explosion. It makes it appear that Mr Richardson has referred the report of the board which considered the facts connected with the explosion to the Crown solicitor simply because he differed from the finding of the board. The Minister explains that when he received the report he found that the responsibility for having boilers properly inspected and overhauled had not been clearly fixed. He personally obtained farther evidence on that point, and arrived at a conclusion, from which the commissioners differed. As he did not like to take upon himself the responsibility of deciding upon the effect of the evidence, he submitted the matter to the Crown Solicitor, but that officer did not furnish him with the information sought. He has, therefore, referred the question to the Attorney-General, together with the draft of a regulation respecting boiler inspections and overhauls in the future. Mr Richardson says that his whole aim is to have the responsibility positively fixed. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 28 April 1894, page 23 The Minister of Railways has completed his consideration of the supplementary report received by him from the Ringwood Boiler Explosion Board. The report, it will be remembered, held Loco-Inspector Thompson blameable for the non-inspection of the boiler, but considered there was extenuating circumstances. There was a certain amount of doubt as to the absolute instructions given for overhauling engines periodically. Mr. Richardson is sending the report on to the Commissioners with instructions that the responsibility respecting inspection of boilers shall be made clear for the future.