Duck Reach Power Station Museum
for Launceston City Council
In June 2016, 2,375 cumecs of water from the South Esk River and approximately 800 cumecs from the North Esk River resulted in the largest flood since 1969 causing a reasonable amount of damage to the Duck Reach Power Station Museum. Glasgow Engineering were asked to undertake a series of jobs on site, rectify the flood damage caused to the Flying Fox and reinstate on site, manufacture a skyline and winding cable termination tower, repair and install the Penstock gantry and reinstate one of the original Hydro Turbines, in all logistically a challenging project requiring all components to be flown in and out by helicopter.
The Duck Reach Power Station during the 2016 flood
The flood damaged flying fox
Straightening the flying fox in the plate folder
With all the steel work repaired, the flying fox is ready for the timbers to be fitted
The flying fox carriage in use, prior to being washed away in the 1929 floods
The moment we found the flying fox carriage 500 meters down stream after being washed away in the 1929 floods
The flying fox carriage after being lifted from the river by helicopter, photo showing Shane Dennington from the Duck Reach Museum and John Hutton from Glasgow Engineering
Amazingly after 87 years under water the wheels still turned
Flying the flying fox and tower in by helicopter
The restored flying fox on site, workmen at the power station use to ride the flying fox to work every day.
The flying fox and cable tower manufactured by us to terminate the flying fox sky line and winding cables
Stripping down Hydro Turbine into flyable components our goal weight was around 750 kg per item
Flying in the turbine components
Rebuilding the original hydro turbine in the power house
Hydro turbine reassembled
Penstock Gantry ready to be flown in
Penstock Gantry in position
Inside the winding house the job was to tidy all the winding cables and manufacture a support beam for the skyline
Inside the winding house the job was to tidy all the winding cables and manufacture a support beam for the skyline
