The Davey Paxman Experimental Steam Engine was purchased as the result of a bequest from Thomas Bath. The 'substantial sum' was used to build an Engineering Laboratory. The Ballarat School of Mines Council minutes of 08 November 1901 record: - Plans for [the] proposed building were submitted ... and ... it was resolved that a temporary building for an Engineering Laboratory be put up.' This laboratory, as an existing building, is first mentioned in the Ballarat School of Mines President's Annual Report of 1901, presented on 28 February 1902, reporting 'the erection of a building 67ft long by 33 ft wide' This report also lists all the equipment that would be accommodated in the Engineering Laboratory, including the experimental steam engine and boiler. The experimental Davey-Paxman steam engine arrived in Ballarat towards the end of 1902. The Engineering Laboratory was opened on 14 August 1903 by His Excellency Sir Sydenham Clarke. This engineering laboratory remained in use till about 1945. By 1944 preparations were under way at the Ballarat School of Mines to expand existing facilities, to be ready for the influx of returned soldiers. A new Heat Engines laboratory was built, this time of brick construction, replacing the previous corrugated-iron shed. In the early stages the steam engine was used to drive an overhead transmission shaft for machinery in the adjacent workshop. Later the steam engine was moved to a space that became the Heat Thermodynamics Laboratory. At the end of 1969 the engine was relocated to the Thermodynamics Laboratory at the then Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education (BIAE) Mt Helen Campus. It was donated to Sovereign Hill in 2006. According to the research of Rohan Lamb in 2001 around five experimental steam engines were made by Davey Paxman, and three of these had similar configuration to the Ballarat School of Mines Steam Engine, however, each of these was also unique with different valve arrangements. The list, which was on a scrap of paper in a folio held in the Essex Archives, confirmed that one was sent to India. The Ballarat steam engine can be dated to late 1901 to early 1902. Zig Plavina was responsible for moving the steam engine to Mount Helen, and worked on it as a technician for many years. He observed the following: * The condenser is driven by the low pressure engine. * The following arrangements are possible: i) the high pressure engine alone, exhausting to atmosphere. Condenser not used, crankshaft flanges not coupled. ii) crankshafts coupled, mains pressure (120 psi) steam supplied to high pressure engine, partially expanded steam delivered to low pressure engine (Tandem operation). Choice available re exhaust steam: either to the condenser or to atmosphere. iii) crankshafts not coupled, reduced pressure steam supplied to low pressure engine. Exhaust steam - either to the condenser or to atmosphere. * Valve arrangement - a choice of Pickering cut-off or throttle governor. On low pressure engine - throttle governor only.Black and white photograph of the Davey Paxman Experimental Steam Engine. On the brake is returned serviceman Norman WIlliam Ludbrook (Diploma Electrical Engineering, 1952). Far right is Roy E. Mawby (Diploma Electrical Engineering, 1950)steam engine, model steam engine, davey paxman, electrical engineering, laboratory, scientific instrument, norman ludbrook, norman william ludbrook, roay mawby, roy e. mawby

Black and white photographic image of young men in a chemical laboratory at the Ballarat School of Mines. It is a loose page for the 1908 SMB Calendarballarat school of mines, chemical laboratory, laboratory, boaters

Black and white photograph showing the newly completed Adminsitration Building at the Ballarat School of Mines.ballarat school of mines, a building, gas lamp, administration building

The Ballarat School of Mines had a functioning model mine.Two photographic images of the Ballarat School of Mines Cyanide House and the Maddern Roasting Furnace from the 1908 SMB Calendar.ballarat school of mines, maddern furnace, cyanide house, model mine

Photograph of laboratories at the Ballarat School of Mines. 1. A male person at the viewing window of a wind tunnel. The man is probably Zig Plavina 2. Three males at a glass-sides tilting flume apparatus.ballarat school of mines, laboratory, tilting flume, wind tunnel, zig plavina

.1 and .2) A male at a bench with pre processing model plant .3) a male at a metallurgical microscope .4) The original item ballarat school of mines, metallurgy, ore processing plant, alf mckenzie

A set of photos from the Ballarat School of Mines Machine Shop, showing students working with machine tools. .1) a centre lathe, with belt drive from overhead transmission .2) Cincinatti milling machine .3) Horizontal borer .4) P. Van Bergen and P. Johnson working on a jog borer in the Ballarat School of Mines machine shop machine shop, ballarat school of mines, jog borer, p. van bergen, p. johnson

The Ballarat School of Mines were involved with some of the earliest xrays in Australia.Xrays from the pioneering trials held at the Ballarat School of Mines. .1 Hand with a ring glued onto card. 2. and .3 Hand on paper.xray, x-ray, pioneering xray, ballarat school of mines, xray demonstration, hand, bones

5 men in the electrical engineering laboratory at the Ballarat Schol of Mines.electrical engineering, scientific instruments, ballarat school of mines, generators

This stamper battery was moved to Mount Helen campus c1970.Colour photograph of a stamper battery that was used in the Ballarat School of Mines Model Mine. It is currently in the courtyard beside F building at Mount Helen Campus.stamper battery, johnson and sons south melbourne, tyne foundry, engineers, ballarat school of mines model mine

This book was donated by Principal R E Thwaites to the Ballarat College Library, possibly during his years of tenure (1933-45). Fascinatingly the book contains the signiature of a previous principal Ernest Neville Marryat (tenure 1910-1912). Until 2014 when this book was catalogued to the Victorian Collections database the first names of Principal Marryat had never been known by the school. The discovery of his presumed personal signature has added significantly to the school's written history. Tan coloured cloth bound small book with gold lettering and borders on front cover and spine.Book plate on flyleaf: Crest / Ballarat College / Library / PRESENTED BY / Mr R E Thwaites Handwritten on second page: Ernest Neville Marryat / Christmas / 1897e-n-marryat, ernest-neville-marryat, ballarat-college, principal, 1910s, r-e-thwaites

H P MacKenzie donated these books to the Ballarat College library in the year that his wife donated money to the school in memory of her parents, Mr and Mrs W Weatherly. The money was used to purchase book shelves and furnishings for a new library and a call was made to old collegians and membersof the school community to donate books to stock the new library. Harold Ponsonby MacKenzie served on Ballarat College council 1925 - 1946. His sons Alastair and Kenneth also attended the school. Alastair served on councils also - BC Council 1957-73, BCC Council 1974-80. Alastair's daughter Mia attended the school 1983-4. Large cloth bound books with gold lettering and patterns on spine and coversBook plate inside front cover: Crest / Ballarat College Library / PRESENTED BY / Eng Com H D MacKenzie 1936 / ...h-p-mackenzie, harold-ponsonby-mackenzie, gladys-dalziel-mackenzie, william-weatherly, weatherly-library, library, 1936, alastair-mackenzie, mia-mackenzie