Magazine or Journal - 32 pages + printed cover - "Tramway Circuit", Vol. 3, No. 6, July 1955 published by the Tramways Board Sub-branch of the Municipal Officers' Association of Australia - the Monthly Journal of the Official and Clerical Staff of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Tramways Board. The magazine has many advertisements for suppliers to the Board and others, including AEC buses and Ansair. Features the Official Opening of the Bourke St to Northcote tramway. Has a major article by D. H. Eakins, Chief Engineer - reviews those departments involved in the construction of new tramcars, Preston Workshops, tram track, Perway, distribution branch (electrical), building, and stores. (See key associations for names mentioned in the item).. Centre page spread of the opening day photographs, misc. notes on the day, letters to the Editor. An historical article on the cable tramway to Northcote, written by H. S. McComb, notes on the AETA provided by KK (Keith Kings) and notes on the AETA tour on 25/6/1955. Has minutes of the Special meeting of the MOA, notes on long service leave, Federal Council meeting notes. Two copies held. All pages scanned - pdf - text searchable. Cover scanned in colour, all other pages as gray scale. See Reg Item 5090 for a photo of the AETA tour at Malvern Depot.On top of the cover of one copy in ink "pages 1, 4, 14,17, 23"trams, tramways, moa, mmtb, bourke st, opening, northcote, new trams, cable trams, aeta, tours

Instruction - 5 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "Duties of Electrical Mechanics - Runningsheds" Details electrical work to be done on tramcars at the 100 hours service; trolley pole, electrical equipment, controllers, switches, resistance boxes, line breakers, RC units, motors, governor, compressor, lighting, buzzers, door engines, wipers, brake cylinders and general body eg handrails. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures

Instruction - 3 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled ""RC2 and EE RC1 Controller Maintenance - Electrical Mechanics Procedure" Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for RC1 and EE.RC1 controllers, safety, checking, when to replaced and additional work to be done on the 4th rostered day-in service. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 3 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "K35 JJ, K35 AA2 Controller Maintenance - Electrical Mechanics Procedure". Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for K35 JJ and K35 AA controllers, safety, checking, when to replaced and additional work to be done on the 4th rostered day-in service. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 4 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "EECK1 (Clyde) Controller Maintenance - Electrical Mechanics Procedure" Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for EECK1 (Clyde) controllers, safety, checking, when to replaced and additional work to be done on the 4th and 12th rostered day-in service. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 3 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "RC1 and RC2 remote control unit boxes - Electrical Mechanics Procedure" Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for RC1 and RC2 remote control unit boxes maintenance, checks, adjustments, safety, testing and closing the boxes. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 2 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "Line Breakers GE and EE type - Electrical Mechanics Procedure" Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for GE and EE type line breakers, maintenance, checks, adjustments, safety, testing and closing the boxes. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 1 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "K35JJ, K35 AA2, RC1, RC2, EECK1 (Clyde) controller maintenance - Tradesman's assistant procedures" Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for the work to be carried out assisting the Electrical Mechanic on his work, including lubrication. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 3 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "RC1 and RC2 remote control unit boxes -Tradesman's assistant procedures" Details electrical work to be done on the rostered day in for RC1 and RC2 remote control unit boxes by the Tradesman's assistant for the Electrical Mechanic. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, electrical equipment, instructions, procedures, controllers

Instruction - 9 pages - duplicated foolscap sheets - headed "MMTB Engineering Department - Workshops and Running Shed Branch" - titled "Electrical Faults on Tramcars". Details trouble shooting electrical faults, fuses, controllers, defects, tramcar driving faults, line breakers, use of bridging sticks. Prepared by R. J. Tippett, Senior Foreman. Dated May 1970.trams, tramways, depot, safety, workshops, tramcars, repairs, instructions, procedures, controllers, electrical equipment

List - large folio or double foolscap sheet titled "Distribution Department - Men Employed in Erection of Substations", Lists substation name, date in service, whether a manual or auto sub-station, Wireman (electrician who ran the cables), makers of auto equipment, "Emerg Insp 1945-1946" and comments on the performance of the wireman or other comments: Lists Ascot Vale Brunswick Road Camberwell Coburg Deepdene Elsternwick Essendon Glenhuntly Hawthorn Holden St Kew Malvern Maribyrnong Preston Richmond South Melbourne South Yarra St Kilda West Brunswick Carlton Crombie Lane Footscray Dates from 1910 to 1946. Document part of the employment appeal case between Cassidy and Parris and others. See Key Associations for name of Foreman and Wireman. Lists the abbreviations for each manufacturer. GE - General Electric Co of USA WH - Westinghouse electric manufacturing Co of USA BTH - The British Thomson Houston Co. England EE Co. - The English Electric Co. MMTB See htd4574doc for a list of the file contents provided by Peter Hogan.trams, tramways, mmtb, electrical engineering, mmtb, engineers, personnel, substation, contracts

Black and white photograph of MMTB No. 58 in Wellington St. St Kilda, about to enter St Kilda Junction and continue to St Kilda beach via Fitzroy St St Kilda, late 1925 or early 1926 - Wellington St electric line opened 27/12/1925. Note the sign on the left hand pole about travel to Malvern and St Kilda Beach, the workmen and that another tram has left heading outwards. On the right hand side is part of a sign advising people to catch cars to the Esplanade. Photo from the Collection of the Department of Infrastructure now with the Public Records Office - image number H102. Note: this photo is now out of copyright and was not an original VR photograph, but one copied from another source and collected as their Heritage series. See Image 3673i2 for a digital image of the card photograph at the PRO on 7/1/2019 that this photograph comes from. Further notes from Rod Atkins: Note the Electrical box at base of the pole on left hand side of the photo. No section insulators yet as power would have been stretched from Dandenong Road / Chapel Street right through to Fitzroy Street to run the first services. Great shot of the "H" car. Malvern bound is a another Californian combo car, but with original destination boxes and PPTT style "No" on the left side of the apron but cant make out the number.Has Department of Infrastructure copy right stamp on rear and number "H 102" in ink on rear and "2-3"trams, tramways, mmtb, st kilda junction, wellington st, trackwork, st kilda beach, tram 58

Rose Series postcard No. P 3497, titled "Bourke Street looking to Parliament House, Melbourne". Photo looking east from near Queen Street with one double decker bus at the Elizabeth Street stop with other buses in the distance. Two trams can be seen in Elizabeth Street on either side of Bourke Street. A horse drawn cart can be seen climbing the hill. On the northside of the Bourke Street can be seen, Warburton Franki & Co, Electrical Engineers; Coles & Garrard, Optometrist; General Post Office (GPO); Myer; Buckley and Nunn and Foy's department stores. Yields information about Bourke Street mid to late 1940s.Postcard - printed real photograph with Rose Stereograph Co. name on the rear.tramways, trams, bourke st, buses, elizabeth st, mmtb buses, leyland, td5c class

Report titled "Ropes - Trolley", dated October 1954 though has a date stamp on the first page of the report itself of 26/10/1955, prepared by the MMTB Testing Department, Report No. R7/1/43. Looks at the insulation resistance offered by trolley ropes when dry and wet, new and used ropes and the possibility of causing electric shocks. Gives a reference to a previous August 1952 test. Undertook examination of the ropes, electrical measurements and electrical measurements of the human body. Has a number of appendices and details the test results.Demonstrates a MMTB Laboratory investigation into trolley rope and electrical characteristics.Report - typed carbon copy - 18 foolscap sheets stapled within a brown card folder bound with red adhesive tape. trams, tramways, preston workshops, reports, specification, tramcars, trolley poles, equipment

This medical book was purchased by Dr Roy Angus, and W.R. Angus. He most likely purchased it at the time of being Resident Medical Officer at the Adelaide Hospital in 1924, the date of the book's publication. The inscriptions tell the story of some of Dr Angus' medical appointments; “W.R. Angus/ Curramulka 1928 / Nhill 1930-1939 / Warrnambool 1939 - " This book was donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village by the family of Doctor William Roy Angus, Surgeon and Oculist. It is part of the “W.R. Angus Collection” that includes historical medical equipment, surgical instruments and material once belonging to Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Thomas Francis Ryan, (both of Nhill, Victoria) as well as Dr Angus’ own belongings. The Collection’s history spans the medical practices of the two Doctors Ryan, from 1885-1926 plus that of Dr Angus, up until 1969. ABOUT THE “W.R.ANGUS COLLECTION” Doctor William Roy Angus M.B., B.S., Adel., 1923, F.R.C.S. Edin.,1928 (also known as Dr Roy Angus) was born in Murrumbeena, Victoria in 1901 and lived until 1970. He qualified as a doctor in 1923 at University of Adelaide, was Resident Medical Officer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in 1924 and for a period was house surgeon to Sir (then Mr.) Henry Simpson Newland. Dr Angus was briefly an Assistant to Dr Riddell of Kapunda, then commenced private practice at Curramulka, Yorke Peninsula, SA, where he was physician, surgeon and chemist. In 1926, he was appointed as new Medical Assistant to Dr Thomas Francis Ryan (T.F. Ryan, or Tom), in Nhill, Victoria, where his experiences included radiology and pharmacy. In 1927 he was Acting House Surgeon in Dr Tom Ryan’s absence. Dr Angus had become engaged to Gladys Forsyth and they decided he would take time to further his studies overseas in the UK in 1927. He studied at London University College Hospital and at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and in 1928, was awarded FRCS (Fellow from the Royal College of Surgeons), Edinburgh. He worked his passage back to Australia as a Ship’s Surgeon on the on the Australian Commonwealth Line’s T.S.S. Largs Bay. Dr Angus married Gladys in 1929, in Ballarat. (They went on to have one son (Graham 1932, born in SA) and two daughters (Helen (died 12/07/1996) and Berenice (Berry), both born at Mira, Nhill ) Dr Angus was a ‘flying doctor’ for the A.I.M. (Australian Inland Ministry) Aerial Medical Service in 1928 . The organisation began in South Australia through the Presbyterian Church in that year, with its first station being in the remote town of Oodnadatta, where Dr Angus was stationed. He was locum tenens there on North-South Railway at 21 Mile Camp. He took up this ‘flying doctor’ position in response to a call from Dr John Flynn; the organisation was later known as the Flying Doctor Service, then the Royal Flying Doctor Service. A lot of his work during this time involved dental surgery also. Between 1928-1932 he was surgeon at the Curramulka Hospital, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. In 1933 Dr Angus returned to Nhill where he’d previously worked as Medical Assistant and purchased a share of the Nelson Street practice and Mira hospital from Dr Les Middleton one of the Middleton Brothers, the current owners of what was once Dr Tom Ryan’s practice. Dr L Middleton was House Surgeon to the Nhill Hospital 1926-1933, when he resigned. [Dr Tom Ryan’s practice had originally belonged to his older brother Dr Edward Ryan, who came to Nhill in 1885. Dr Edward saw patients at his rooms, firstly in Victoria Street and in 1886 in Nelson Street, until 1901. The Nelson Street practice also had a 2 bed ward, called Mira Private Hospital ). Dr Edward Ryan was House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1884-1902 . He also had occasions where he successfully performed veterinary surgery for the local farmers too. Dr Tom Ryan then purchased the practice from his brother in 1901. Both Dr Edward and Dr Tom Ryan work as surgeons included eye surgery. Dr Tom Ryan performed many of his operations in the Mira private hospital on his premises. He too was House Surgeon at the Nhill Hospital 1902-1926. Dr Tom Ryan had one of the only two pieces of radiology equipment in Victoria during his practicing years – The Royal Melbourne Hospital had the other one. Over the years Dr Tom Ryan gradually set up what was effectively a training school for country general-practitioner-surgeons. Each patient was carefully examined, including using the X-ray machine, and any surgery was discussed and planned with Dr Ryan’s assistants several days in advance. Dr Angus gained experience in using the X-ray machine there during his time as assistant to Dr Ryan. Dr Tom Ryan moved from Nhill in 1926. He became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 1927, soon after its formation, a rare accolade for a doctor outside any of the major cities. He remained a bachelor and died suddenly on 7th Dec 1955, aged 91, at his home in Ararat. Scholarships and prizes are still awarded to medical students in the honour of Dr T.F. Ryan and his father, Dr Michael Ryan, and brother, John Patrick Ryan. ] When Dr Angus bought into the Nelson Street premises in Nhill he was also appointed as the Nhill Hospital’s Honorary House Surgeon 1933-1938. His practitioner’s plate from his Nhill surgery states “HOURS Daily, except Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday afternoons, 9-10am, 2-4pm, 7-8pm. Sundays by appointment”. This plate is now mounted on the doorway to the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool. Dr Edward Ryan and Dr Tom Ryan had an extensive collection of historical medical equipment and materials spanning 1884-1926 and when Dr Angus took up practice in their old premises he obtained this collection, a large part of which is now on display at the Port Medical Office at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village in Warrnambool. During his time in Nhill Dr Angus was involved in the merging of the Mira Hospital and Nhill Public Hospital into one public hospital and the property titles passed on to Nhill Hospital in 1939. In 1939 Dr Angus and his family moved to Warrnambool where he purchased “Birchwood,” the 1852 home and medical practice of Dr John Hunter Henderson, at 214 Koroit Street. (This property was sold in1965 to the State Government and is now the site of the Warrnambool Police Station. ). The Angus family was able to afford gardeners, cooks and maids; their home was a popular place for visiting dignitaries to stay whilst visiting Warrnambool. Dr Angus had his own silk worm farm at home in a Mulberry tree. His young daughter used his centrifuge for spinning the silk. Dr Angus was appointed on a part-time basis as Port Medical Officer (Health Officer) in Warrnambool and held this position until the 1940’s when the government no longer required the service of a Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool; he was thus Warrnambool’s last serving Port Medical Officer. (The duties of a Port Medical Officer were outlined by the Colonial Secretary on 21st June, 1839 under the terms of the Quarantine Act. Masters of immigrant ships arriving in port reported incidents of diseases, illness and death and the Port Medical Officer made a decision on whether the ship required Quarantine and for how long, in this way preventing contagious illness from spreading from new immigrants to the residents already in the colony.) Dr Angus was a member of the Australian Medical Association, for 35 years and surgeon at the Warrnambool Base Hospital 1939-1942, He served as a Surgeon Captain during WWII 1941-45, in Ballarat, Victoria, and in Bonegilla, N.S.W., completing his service just before the end of the war due to suffering from a heart attack. During his convalescence he carved an intricate and ‘most artistic’ chess set from the material that dentures were made from. He then studied ophthalmology at the Royal Melbourne Eye and Ear Hospital and created cosmetically superior artificial eyes by pioneering using the intrascleral cartilage. Angus received accolades from the Ophthalmological Society of Australasia for this work. He returned to Warrnambool to commence practice as an ophthalmologist, pioneering in artificial eye improvements. He was Honorary Consultant Ophthalmologist to Warrnambool Base Hospital for 31 years. He made monthly visits to Portland as a visiting surgeon, to perform eye surgery. He represented the Victorian South-West subdivision of the Australian Medical Association as its secretary between 1949 and 1956 and as chairman from 1956 to 1958. In 1968 Dr Angus was elected member of Spain’s Barraquer Institute of Barcelona after his research work in Intrasclearal cartilage grafting, becoming one of the few Australian ophthalmologists to receive this honour, and in the following year presented his final paper on Living Intrasclearal Cartilage Implants at the Inaugural Meeting of the Australian College of Ophthalmologists in Melbourne In his personal life Dr Angus was a Presbyterian and treated Sunday as a Sabbath, a day of rest. He would visit 3 or 4 country patients on a Sunday, taking his children along ‘for the ride’ and to visit with him. Sunday evenings he would play the pianola and sing Scottish songs to his family. One of Dr Angus’ patients was Margaret MacKenzie, author of a book on local shipwrecks that she’d seen as an eye witness from the late 1880’s in Peterborough, Victoria. In the early 1950’s Dr Angus, painted a picture of a shipwreck for the cover jacket of Margaret’s book, Shipwrecks and More Shipwrecks. She was blind in later life and her daughter wrote the actual book for her. Dr Angus and his wife Gladys were very involved in Warrnambool’s society with a strong interest in civic affairs. Their interests included organisations such as Red Cross, Rostrum, Warrnambool and District Historical Society (founding members), Wine and Food Society, Steering Committee for Tertiary Education in Warrnambool, Local National Trust, Good Neighbour Council, Housing Commission Advisory Board, United Services Institute, Legion of Ex-Servicemen, Olympic Pool Committee, Food for Britain Organisation, Warrnambool Hospital, Anti-Cancer Council, Boys’ Club, Charitable Council, National Fitness Council and Air Raid Precautions Group. He was also a member of the Steam Preservation Society and derived much pleasure from a steam traction engine on his farm. He had an interest in people and the community He and his wife Gladys were both involved in the creation of Flagstaff Hill, including the layout of the gardens. After his death (28th March 1970) his family requested his practitioner’s plate, medical instruments and some personal belongings be displayed in the Port Medical Office surgery at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, and be called the “W. R. Angus Collection”. The W.R. Angus Collection is significant for still being located at the site it is connected with, Doctor Angus being the last Port Medical Officer in Warrnambool. The collection of medical instruments and other equipment is culturally significant, being an historical example of medicine from late 19th to mid-20th century. Dr Angus assisted Dr Tom Ryan, a pioneer in the use of X-rays and in ocular surgery. Hospital Organization and Operation, Modern Hospital Library series, part of the W.R. Angus Collection. Author: Frank E. Chapman. Publisher: MacMillan & Co Date: 1924 Hardcover, textured brown, embossed title and details. Inscription in black ink, Dr. W.R. Angus handwriting “W.R. Angus/ Curramulka 1928 / Nhill 1930-1939 / Warrnambool 1939 – “ and on the fly page “W.R. Angus / Curramulka / S.A.” In pencil inside the front cover "17/6"flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, hospital organization and operation, book, dr w r angus, dr ryan, surgical instrument, t.s.s. largs bay, warrnambool base hospital, nhill base hospital, mira hospital, flying doctor, medical treatment, medical history, medical education, medical textbook

A dark cream coloured cardboad cover with black information on the front. Top right hand corner reads RM 11-4861-1 and under this Department of the Army Technical Manual. The name of the manual is in the middle and at the botton is the insignia of the United States of America War Office with Headquarters, Department of the Army February 1963. There are three punch holes down the left hand side and two metal staples.united states - armed forces - service manuals, department of the army, electrical communications systems engineering, technical manual

A brownish coloured cardboard cover with black information on the front. Top right hand reads T M 11-486-2 and under this reads Department Of The Army Technical Manual. At the bottom of the cover is the insignia of the United States of Americal War Office with the Department Of The Army . August 1956. There are three punch hles down the left had side and there is evidence that the manual was held together with some form of metal as there are rust areas around the holes. The manual is held together with one rusty staple at the top left hand corner. The manual is stored in a plastic bag.united states - armed forces - service manuals, electrical communications systems engineering, technical manual, department of the army, united states war office

List extensive details of the use of the car and lists electrical equipment and car body - not complete and no signature block. Has been torn in half. Completed for 10-10-1942 for use of No. 14 between Lydiard St and the City. See item 9935 for a complete, unused form.Yields information about the layout and detail of the form used by crews to report defects. Significance reduced as to missing portion and damage.Form - SEC Electricity Supply Department, form number TYE 1 - 13, titled "Motorman - Conductor's Daily Report as to Condition of Car". On the rear are sketches for the field coils of a motortrams, tramways, tramcar components, forms, motormen, conductors, tramcars, records, sec

Bushfire behaviour is influenced by many things including temperature, relative humidity, forest type, fuel quantity and fuel dryness, topography and even slope. Wind has a dominant effect on the Rate of Spread (ROS), and also bushfire size, shape and direction. Fuel arrangement is as important as fuel quantity (tonnes/ha). Fibrous and ribbon bark, together with elevated and near-surface scrub fuels act as ladders which lead flames into the tree canopy. But the availability of fuel to burn depends largely on its moisture content. When it exceeds 20-25% not much will burn, whereas 12-15% is generally ideal for fuel reduction burning, but if the moisture content drops as low as 7-10% virtually everything will ignite, and fire behaviour becomes extreme. During the afternoon of the Ash Wednesday bushfires on 16 February 1983 fuel moisture contents were recorded at Stawell as low as 2.7%. Fine fuels like leaves and bark can rapidly absorb moisture after a shower of rain, or from the air when the Relative Humidity (RH) is high, and the temperature is low. Conversely, they can also dry out very quickly. So even though the overall fuel quantity in the forest doesn’t change, the fine fuel availability can increase rapidly from zero after rain to many tonnes per hectare as the fuel dries out. This can happen over a few hours on hot and windy days. Heavy fuels like logs on the ground take longer to dry out. Since the 1930s foresters, firefighters and researchers have been working to develop quick and reliable techniques for measuring fuel moisture content. One of the most accurate methods is slowly drying a sample of fuel in a conventional oven for 24-48 hours to remove all the moisture and measuring the weight difference, but this takes time and is not practical in the field when rapid measurements are needed. But oven drying is often used as a benchmark to compare other methods. Microwave ovens are faster but can cause uneven drying and even char the fuel. They are also not very practical for use in the field. Some mathematical models rely on weather records such as rainfall, wind speed, evaporation, cloud cover, shading, relative humidity, slope, aspect and season of the year to predict soil and fuel moisture. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index of soil dryness is the most common. But complex fuels with leaves, twigs, grass etc make the predictive models often inadequate for fine fuels. The most common technique in Victorian forests until recently was the trusty Speedy Moisture Meter. Originally developed in England during the 1920s for measuring moisture in wheat and other grains it was adapted for Australian forest fuels in the 1950s (I think). Fuel was first ground using a Spong mincer, often attached to the bullbar of a vehicle, and a small sample placed into the Speedy together with a measure of calcium carbide and then sealed. A chemical reaction created gas pressure which was read on the external dial. There were important techniques with cleaning, mincing and using the chemicals with the Speedy to give reliable readings, but it was quick, inexpensive, robust, portable and practical in the field. It was used routinely before igniting a fuel reduction burn or measuring fuel moisture differentials on slash burns. But in about 1996, Karen Chatto and Kevin Tolhurst from the Department’s Creswick Research Station developed the Wiltronics Fuel Moisture meter which measured electrical resistance. Wiltronics is an Australian owned company operating from Ballarat. The final result was a kit that was portable, accurate and could reliably measure fuel moisture contents between 3% and 200%. Although expensive, it is now widely used by fire agencies around the world which has virtually relegated the Speedy to the back cupboard.Prototype Fuel moisture meterT-H Fine Fuel Meterforests commission victoria (fcv), bushfire, forest measurement

The most common technique to measure fuel moisture content in Victorian forests until recently was the Speedy Moisture Meter - which is essentially a pressure cylinder. Originally developed in England during the 1920s for measuring moisture in wheat and other grains it was adapted for Australian forest fuels in the 1950s. Fuel was first ground using a Spong domestic food mincer, often attached to the bullbar of a vehicle, and a small measured (using the beam balance) sample placed into the Speedy together with a measured amount of calcium carbide and then sealed. The chemical reaction between the moisture in the fuel and the calcium carbide created acetylene gas; the pressure of which was read on the external dial which gave the read-out as the moisture content (percentage of net weight) of the sample. There were important techniques with preparing the minced samples, using the chemical and the subsequent cleaning of the Speedy to give reliable readings, but it was quick, inexpensive, robust, portable and practical in the field - it gave readings which were reproducible to within +/- 0.5% moisture content. It was used routinely before igniting a fuel reduction burn or measuring fuel moisture differentials on slash burns. In about 1996, Karen Chatto and Kevin Tolhurst from the Department’s Creswick Research Station developed the Wiltronics Fuel Moisture meter which measured electrical resistance.First reliable tool for measuring bushfire fuel moisture content in the fieldSpeedy Moisture Meter in wooden boxmanufacture's marks and instructions on usebushfire, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Dr Vera Scantlebury, born in Linton in 1889, served as a doctor and surgeon in England during World War I and was later recruited by the Victorian Health Department to establish a network of Infant Welfare Centres across the state. She married Dr Edward Byam Brown at St Bede's Church in Elwood in September 1926. Dr Brown was Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of Melbourne between 1930 and 1946.Black and white photograph showing bride and groom in garden. Bride is carrying a bouquet, wearing a mid-length dress with dropped waist, and a cloche hat trimmed with ribbon and flowers. Groom is wearing a formal three-piece suit and carrying a top hat."(Dr) Professor E B Brown / marries Dr Vera Scantlebury, 1926 / She said the hat gave her a headache!" "Mum / (Cath James) / written August 1997".vera scantlebury, edward byam brown, vera scantlebury brown