engineroom

It's a fascinating picture. Thanks for sharing.

"Built by J. L. Thompson & Sons, Ltd., Sunderland, for the South American Saint Line, this motor vessel set a new standard in post-war ship design and, with her low-slung motor cruiser lines, was the shape of things to come. In 1948, the most striking and unusual feature of the ‘St Essylt’ was the raked and streamlined funnel, which today would provoke little comment. The funnel casing housed not only the engine’s exhaust system, but also radar equipment, cabin heating system, battery room and pilot’s cabin. Inside the vessel, there was accommodation for 12 passengers. The accommodation for officers and crew was a considerable improvement on contemporary British standards, and the design won the Watts Prize awarded by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects. ‘St Essylt’ was 144 metres in length, 6855 gross tons and the single acting Doxford diesel engine gave a service speed of 14.5 knots. Following a long career in which she had two changes of owners and name, ‘Yunnan’ and ‘Lucky Two’, she was broken up in 1979." - collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/67577.html

Wonderful photo and history. Thanks to Tyne and Wear Archives for sharing.

I didn't realise those facts! Could they be Doxford engines in the photo?

Edit; looking very much like Doxford engines. Checking online the ship was eventually broken up in China in 1987. It was a large ship!

It is indeed a Doxford J Type.

This Powerhouse drove the cable tramway from King Street wharf to Ocean Street Edgecliff from 1894 to electrification in 1905. Ref. www.cable-car-guy.com/html/ccoznz.html

This "Cable Tram Power House" is marked on this 1903 interactive map, though I cannot tell EXACTLY where - www.nla.gov.au/apps/cdview?pi=nla.map-rm1635-sd&rgn=0...

Thanks for adding this info and those dates. Perhaps the "Cable Tram Power House" on the map is the tiny square under the red line, where the text is?

Found it! It is the marked square north of the road, left of the "C" of 'Cable'. A 'sewer' flowed underneath and into Rushcutters Bay. On old maps there was a bridge there called Bentley's Bridge. Ref. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Sydney#Watson.27s_Bay_Line

See -