Page 13 - CinemaRecord #79

1958 closure.

I would go down during the last reel, turn off
the gas mains, turn off the pilot and turn off the
blower motor. There was no boiler. It virtually
worked the same as a space heater. The main
burners were all in a confined metal box, all Here and below: The Waverley is transformed
wrapped in a sort of hessian lagging to keep into the ABC Royal theatre - home of the
the warmth in. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

What happened on the night I forgot and went
straight home? When the main theatre power By today’s standards the Waverley had a
was pulled the gas valve solenoids dropped crude form of air-conditioning, but it was
out, and the main gas burners went off. The effective. I was fully involved with that too.
pilot lights stayed on. And when the power If it was going to be a hot night I would have
went off the solenoid in the star-delta motor to go down and fix that up. There was a well.
starter dropped out, so the blower motor went I don’t know how deep it was, probably 10 or
off too. (It was a large three-phase motor and 12 feet at least, (3-4 metres) and about 8 feet
its switch had two positions, start and run. It square (0.8m2). You would not want to fall
would not lock into the run position until the in, you would not get out. And it was below
motor had reached a certain speed. The switch ground, so it was cold.
was held in the run position by a solenoid). So
everything was dead. The main gas jets were The same blower motor was utilised. Water
off and the blower motor was off. But the pilot was pumped from the well into metal louvres
lights were still burning, as normal. from where it trickled down. Air was pumped
through the louvres and ducted into the front
In the morning when the cleaner came in, he of the theatre through grilles on both sides of
turned on the main electricity switch. The gas the stage. I would go in there in the evening on
burners went on as their solenoids pulled in, a hot day and it would be cool. If it was turned
but the blower motor did not start, having been on at five o’clock it was very effective. I never
left in the “run” instead of the “start” position. struck such a system in any other theatre.
The furnace boxes started to overheat, and
the lagging around them began to cook.
Fortunately the cleaner was in the theatre and
he smelled something burning. He had a quick
look back-stage but could not see anything,
and then thankfully, decided to have a look in
the plant room. He turned off the gas and all
was saved.

Fortunately no great damage was done. So
it was all hushed up. It was just as well that
the manager had not returned to the theatre
after the show for some reason and turned
the electricity on. A serious fire could have
ensued. The potential gravity of this has stuck
in my mind.

Another time I nearly electrocuted myself.
The switch board was in the entrance foyer
under the stairs on the left side. I was the
one who killed the power every night. I must
have hit a three-phase switch as I checked
something. Luckily the rubber mat, which was
compulsory, was in front of the board. It gave
me a shock that I can still feel. When I came
out I was as white as a sheet.

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