Blackstone Powerhouse
From 1938 to 1984, Willowmore was powered by diesel generators. Initially, there were only three generators, but in the 1950s, six Blackstone generators were added. They came by ship from England and were then transported to Willowmore by train. These machines, packed in wooden crates, were huge, and there were no house cranes to help with their movement.
At the time, Danie de Wet was the general works foreman of Willowmore Municipality, and he had to devise a plan to move the large machines.
They broke down the western wall of the original building to build the area where the Blackstone generators would stand. They dug a deep hole with one side sloping in. The truck transporting the crates from the train station had to drive carefully up this slope. They could now move the crates from the truck, and with the help of iron poles used as rollers, the crates could be placed where they needed to be in the building. Danie's plan worked well, and they could get all the heavy generators into place.
For many years, the diesel used by the generators was transported to Willowmore in 44-gallon metal drums. The machines were thirsty, with the large ones using about 5 litres in 15 minutes. Later, large metal storage drums were erected on the site and filled with diesel trucks using pipes.
Some of the generators are still working today, but running them is extremely expensive with today's diesel prices.
You can visit the Blackstone Power Station, and you can pick up the key at the Zaayman Engen station kiosk.
Souces:
- The Cape Journal: Willowmore, Westby Nunn Publishers (2009)
- https://finchleyfarm.co.za/about-willowmore/