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Council policy was to From recollection, the
establish distribution Comedy Theatre had a huge
substations in any new large DC motor for air circulation.
building. Actual construction The motor was so big that a
would of course, depend on change-over to AC was
availability of a suitable high physically impossible without
voltage feed in the area. As DC major structural alterations, so
was used at the new State I guess the motor is still there,
Theatre (also 1929), AC probably now supplied by a
feeders were apparently not in large modern silicon diode
the vicinity. rectifier or similar DC
The Spencer Street Power ‘converter’.
Station ceased generating DC The majority of early
in 1932. DC was then supplied cinemas in the city area would
from rotary converters, a form have operated initially on DC,
of integrated motor and and as the new three phase AC
generator, (small versions often supply became available,
used in individual theatres) and equipment was converted or
after 1955 by a number of replaced.
massive mercury arc rectifiers Thanks, Don, for triggering
located in the central city area, memories of a largely
each rated at about 1 forgotten part of our history. ★
Megawatt!
The State was probably REFERENCES:
initially supplied by DC from Electricity and Magnetism,
the Russell Place or Heffernan 1891, A.Guillemin.
MCC Electric Supply
Lane Rotary Substation and
Department 1890 – 1956,
later from the Mercury Arc
G. H. Nichols.
Rectifier located at Russell History of MCC Electric
Place which, incidentally, was The decommissioned MCC Power Station at the corner of Supply Department 1891 –
still in service until about 2003 Spencer and Latrobe Streets looks forlorn now but was 1981
when reticulated DC was essential in its day. History of Electricity,1975,
finally closed down just over G. H. Thomas.
100 years after the network The Listener In,
commenced. January 30th, 1929.
On Stage, Volume 4,
Number 3, 2003

The Cinema And Theatre Historical Society Inc. is proud to have
The Sun Theatre Yarraville as our major sponsor. Many thanks to member
Mr Michael Smith, the owner of the Sun Theatre, for providing the venue for
CATHS meetings and events.

For program and venue hire inquiries, contact Theatre Manager Ms PinaVirtuoso
on Tel: 9362 0999 ◆ Fax: 9362 0338 Website: www.suntheatre.com.au
◆
Email: info@suntheatre.com.au

8 Ballarat Street, Yarraville 3013

CINEMARECORD 2005 33