Vickery and Masefield (Auckland)
of Albert Street, Auckland, NZ
1864 'ENGINE FACTORY.— It is probably amongst one of the things not generally known in Auckland that we have a steam power factory. Messrs. Vickery and Masefield, of Albert-street, might give the same answer as one of the early partners of James Watt did when he was asked by a Royal Highness of that day what his business was. "I am a manufacturer of what kings like so well, your Royal Highness, power." Vickery and Masefield are particularly manufacturers of power, for they not alone make and mend steam engines, but they have all the most recently invented tools to enable them to do so with economy and dispatch. The remark has often been made, and it is found to be particularly true, that in the colonies we have some of the very best workmen in their various ways ; and it is as gratifying to find that in this the workman has tools of the very best kind — seven lathes of various sizes to do all the necessary finishing work for steam engines ; a shaping machine to cut out cog-wheels, to cut them out, too, from the solid metal, and leave none of the chances of flaw or fracture consequent upon casting them ; a bolt-screwing machine to make all the multitudinous work of a thousand taps and dies; and a drilling and boring machine that planes away strips of cast iron with more ease than a carpenter would a piece of kauri pine. Amongst the most recent additions made to their plant by Messrs. Vickery and Masefield, are a powerful punching machine and a gap lathe. The gap lathe is a costly machine, the price in London, without freight or charges, being £320. This lathe will take in 20 feet between the centres, and carry a weight of ten tons. The real use of the machine is to enable its enterprising owners to make repairs to any steamer that may come into the harbour, and, of course, to do such repairs with the greatest dispatch. The face-plate of the machine is two feet in diameter, and it is fitted with internal spur-gear. At the foundry castings from three to five tons can be turned out. There is a deposit of sand on Smail's Point found to be well suited for casting, and the firm have taken the fullest advantage of this by using iron boxes for their moulds, instead of the old uncertain wooden box. Near the moulding shop there is also a brass foundry, where any, and all sorts, of brass castings are made. Crossing to the west side of Albert-street, we find the firm are erecting large and permanent machine shops, as they intend to use their present machine shop as a foundry only. In the new shop, boiler making is being very briskly carried on, as the firm have now in hand to order, six engines from six to thirty-house power, every part of which they manufacture themselves. Those who are curious in the matter will here find the most recent inventions of Fairbairn, Sharp, Roberts and Co., and Nasmyth. A great deal is now done by steam power ; but so soon as the new erecting shops are complete, everything will be done by steam to which steam can possibly be applied. We most sincerely wish every success to our townsmen, and hope that the extending trade of Auckland may soon give them more than work enough.— July 23'[1]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ Lyttelton Times - Thursday 4 August 1864