14 riders took a run through the hills for a loop to "Poodle Rock", York and Bakers Hill. Survey Ross, Just John, Ted, GS Mark, Rod Rocket Peter, Nannup Nick, Raider, Mike, Max, Vic, Swampy, Peter Bee and Bozo trundled through the holiday traffic to get to Mundaring Weir for a chat about the Goldfields Scheme near No I Pump Station.
Mundaring Weir was getting close to being full. The last time it overflowed was in 1996
The original steam powered pump stations were coal fired but were very quickly converted to wood. The first electric powered pump was commissioned at No 1 Pump Station in 1953. The original chimneys were steel but these corroded. Pump Stations 1 had its steel chimney replaced by brick in 1911 and Pump Station 3 got a brick chimney in 1920.
No 2 Pump Station was one and a half miles from the dam and had its own receiving tank. It became redundant with the electrification with more powerful pumps at No 1 Pumping Station in the 1950's. Survey Ross reports that the tank has now been filled in. The picture shows the first flow of water into the receiving tank at Number 2 Pump Station on April 13, 1902. This success was tempered by the suicide of C Y O'Connor only 5 weeks before.
The run along Talbot West Road was stunning with emus, wildflowers and canola crops. Somehow Swampy turned early and went missing, presumed to be in Toodyay. The balancing rock known as Poodle Rock or Boot Rock.
York was packed for a medieval reenactment and it took several regathers to get the group through the town. We briefly lost Raider as we took Trimmer Road and the old Great Eastern Highway alignment to get to Clackline.
Bakers Hill bakery was also busy but we were reunited with Raider for banter about bikes. A run home ended at Sawyers Valley. A brilliant day to be out in the fantastic countryside despite a bit more traffic. Thanks to Peter Bee for running as last in succession and to the group for taking an interest in our engineering heritage.
Bozo