The Crossley Engine History

The Crossley engine was located in the old railway shed under the control of the Beechworth Old Cranks Motor Club after being fully operational at the Mitta Mitta sawmill for some years. The engine and generating plant was originally purchased new by the Zwar Bros.Beechworth Tannery in March 1936.

 

The tannery had originally installed crude oil engines in 1926 to assist meet electricity requirements for the tannery and also the United Shire of Beechworth who had entered into an agreement with the tannery to supply electricity to the Shire. The first electricity lamps powered by electricity generated at the tannery were illuminated on 8th June 1927.

 

The original plant was updated to a new plant driven by the Crossley engine. The new plant came into operation on 26 May 1936 and operated for 10 years until the SEC took an oversupply of electricity to the town on 1 July 1946.

 

The engine is one of only a handful of this type of engine remaining, and the Beechworth Old Cranks Motor Club Inc. has made it a priority to have the engine heritage listed and restored by the members of the Old Cranks Club together with Beechworth Rotary Club to become a stationery operating engine located in the new shed in Wallace Park.

 

The alternator which was originally driven by the engine cannot be rebuilt but remains in place alongside the fully operational engine. It goes without saying that the engine is part of the heritage of Beechworth, being the sole provider of electricity to the town for 10 years.