‘Only one in the world’: North Coast group rallies to rebuild Lismore’s historic 998 BHP Paxman crude oil engine

History buffs, engineers, tradies and teachers have been hard at work fixing up an iconic, one-of-a-kind engine once used to privately power the North Coast hub of Lismore. Find out more about the intriguing project.

A group of North Coast engineers, tradies, teachers, and history buffs have been hard at work restoring a one-of-a-kind crude oil engine once used to privately power regional hub Lismore.

The group has been cleaning out the decommissioned South Lismore Power Station as they toil to preserve and restore the Davey Paxman 988 BHP crude oil eight-cylinder, type VPE engine.

The engine in the power station, with members of Northern Rivers Powerhouse Museum Inc. Picture: Ian Mackie

Lismore resident and Essential Energy employee Ian Mackie is leading the project to shine up the engine, described as the only VP/VPE ever built by manufacturer English Electric in 1931, and the largest at the time.

“I’ve been in here when I was a kid,” Mr Mackie said.

“It’s just criminal. It’s wrong just having it all sitting here.”

The engine in the Lismore power station. Picture: William Parrinder

Lismore was originally powered by private company Lismore Electric Supply Co Ltd (1911), which lit up the town from Carrington St with a 120 horsepower Campbell generator.

In 1921, Lismore City Council bought them out for £9000.

The council then had a falling out with the Moonem Electricity Company, which wanted to use coal as a fuel, cutting ties in 1931 after four years operation.

Then, Lismore’s power station was handed to the Clarence River County Council as consumption had grown from one to four million “units” over just four years.

English Electric engines being restored in the South Lismore Power Station.

The South Lismore Power Station was built on the corner of Three Chain Rd and Union St in 1932 and started running with a capacity of 1.12 megawatts.

The English-constructed Paxman supplied 650 kilowatts (kw), alongside two smaller motors relocated from the Bexhill Rd power station (230kw and 240kw).

The site houses an impressive range of rare engines, from a GM V16, English Electric 8L eight-cylinder 1940s model, an English Electric Fullagar 8Q eight-cylinder, along with the Davey Paxman ‘31 model.

Lismore's Ian Mackie is leading the project.

Mr Mackie said he has been in talks with Essential Energy, which owns the site and eight engines inside.

Mr Mackie’s group, Northern Rivers Powerhouse Museum Inc, is aiming to negotiate a lease outside its memorandum of understanding to allow for grant applications, he said.

Volunteers Carl Heydon (left), Karl Worrall, and Vic Florey cleaning parts for the engines at the workshop in the power station.

“We’ve been told this is going to happen but it hasn’t yet,” Mr Mackie said.

“We’ve been given little bits of help from Rotary and others, but at the moment we’re all volunteering everything.”

He said people who pop their head in a side door were “gobsmacked” when they spotted what was inside.

With more than 40 members on its books, the group is still looking for more volunteers interested in helping restore part of the North Coast’s history.

“The ultimate aim is to have the historic engines running and be able to show people how they work,” Mr Mackie said.

He said the power station is “truly unique” because it is one of the few places where everything is still in its original state.