Orlando William Brain M.I.E.E. (c. 1866 – 6 June 1936), usually referred to as O. W. Brain or O.W.B., [1] was an English electrical engineer who had a considerable career in Australia, notably as chief electrical engineer in New South Wales Railways Department 1899–1924 and Assistant Railway Commissioner 1924–1932. He oversaw the development of Sydney's original tram network, which dwarfed that of Melbourne. [2]
Brain was born in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, second son of Elizabeth Brain (c. 1846 – 29 December 1929) and William Blanch Brain, M.I.E.E. (6 January 1843 – 22 June 1908), colliery proprietor and electrical engineering pioneer. [3]
Brain was trained as an electrical engineer, and had experience in application of electricity to pumps in coal mines. [17] He emigrated to Australia around 1885, following his father, brother, and A. L. Goold. [18] and found work in Tasmania, most likely with his father. He moved to Melbourne in 1888, possibly with his mother, sisters and a younger brother, [19] who also left for New Zealand.
Brain was appointed electrician by the Tamworth Council in 1889 [20] and tasked with replacing their gas and kerosene street lamps with incandescent and arc lamps, the generator being driven by a steam engine, with a similar setup as backup. [21] Tamworth was the first Australian town to have streets lit by electricity.
He was next employed by Crompton Electric Supply Company of Australia Ltd (founded 1889 [22]), installing generator plant in mines and factories. [17] [23] He worked with Professor Threlfall of Sydney University in the electrical engineering involved in providing hydroelectric power to the mines and town of Hillgrove, [24] the first Australian town to be lit by water power. Brain left the Crompton Electric Co. in July 1896 to join the NSW Railways Department as chief assistant to P. B. Elwell, who was overseeing the electrification of Sydney trams.
Elwell died on 10 September 1899 and Brain succeeded to the position, made permanent in December 1899. [29] Brain was appointed chief electrical engineer in the Railway Department, and in 1902 was sent by the department on a world fact-finding tour to investigate railways practices in England, Europe and the USA. [30]
Brain was the first lecturer in Electrical Engineering at Sydney, retiring 1903 [31] on account of pressure of departmental duties. [3]
He represented New South Wales at the International Railway Conference at Bern, Switzerland, in 1910. [3]
A power station at White Bay was commenced in 1912 to supplement that at Ultimo, its completion being delayed by the Great War. [32] These plants not only provided power for the trains and trams, but for much of the city's lights, industry, and residential use. In 1924 Brain predicted that another power house would be required by 1930. [33]
In 1925 Cabinet appointed Brain and A. D. J. Forster as Assistant Railway Commissioners to Chief Railway Commissioner William James Cleary. [34]
In 1930 the Lang parliament passed an amendment to the Industrial Arbitration (Eight Hours) Act, which came into force January 1931, giving Cabinet the power to suspend payment to the Railway Commissioners in line with "rationing" of working hours, used to counter some of the effects of the Great Depression. "Rationing" could not however prevent them from exercising their powers, even when stood down. [35]
He retired in January 1932. [36] He died at his home in Killara, and his remains were privately cremated.
He was elected president of the Electrical Association of New South Wales in 1900 and 1912 [37] and in 1915 unanimously elected foundation president of its successor, the Electrical Association of Australia, [38] later a section of the Institution of Engineers of Australia.
Brain Street, Monash, ACT, was named for him. [39]
Brain married Amy Foxton Robertson of Wollongong on 29 December 1894. [40] They had two sons: [41]
They had a home, "Winslow", on Greengate Road, Killara.
Florence Aureola Brain (c. 1863 – 22 July 1897) was a sister. [44] She may have come out on the SS Dupleix in 1889. [45] She was married to engineer Arthur Legge Goold, had daughter (Violet ?) on 25 April 1886. [46] She died at her parents' home, in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand, [47]
Austin Lionel Bennett Brain (c. 1865 – 8 September 1920) was an elder brother. [16] In 1888 he came to Victoria, and took charge of the Coalville colliery in Gippsland, the first good coal found in Victoria. The following year he surveyed the West Wallsend coal mine New South Wales. In 1890 he was manager of the Latrobe mine. [48] and the East Coast mine, Tasmania in 1892. [49] In 1898 he was manager of the South-West Curtin-Davis mine; in 1899 he was appointed mining manager of the 60-acre block mine in Gundagai, followed by Forbes, Hermidale and Cobar. [50] On 5 December 1900 in Gunning, New South Wales, he married Katherine Mary "Kitty" Murray [51] (died 13 February 1941). They had a home, "St Annals" on The Boulevarde, Punchbowl Road, Enfield, New South Wales. [16] They had two sons, Lionel Esmond Brain (28 October 1901 – 5 November 1974) and Lester Joseph Brain (27 February 1903 – 30 June 1980). [52] of CSR and the Commercial Bank respectively. Both were notable aviators.
Carl Thomas Blanch Brain, of Devonport Cottage, Helsby, Chester, England, in 1891 patented an improved form of electrical conduit for tramways and railways. [53] This may be the type of power reticulation referred to as an alternative to overhead lines.
Orlando William Brain M.I.E.E. (c. 1866 – 6 June 1936), usually referred to as O. W. Brain or O.W.B., [1] was an English electrical engineer who had a considerable career in Australia, notably as chief electrical engineer in New South Wales Railways Department 1899–1924 and Assistant Railway Commissioner 1924–1932. He oversaw the development of Sydney's original tram network, which dwarfed that of Melbourne. [2]
Brain was born in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, second son of Elizabeth Brain (c. 1846 – 29 December 1929) and William Blanch Brain, M.I.E.E. (6 January 1843 – 22 June 1908), colliery proprietor and electrical engineering pioneer. [3]
Brain was trained as an electrical engineer, and had experience in application of electricity to pumps in coal mines. [17] He emigrated to Australia around 1885, following his father, brother, and A. L. Goold. [18] and found work in Tasmania, most likely with his father. He moved to Melbourne in 1888, possibly with his mother, sisters and a younger brother, [19] who also left for New Zealand.
Brain was appointed electrician by the Tamworth Council in 1889 [20] and tasked with replacing their gas and kerosene street lamps with incandescent and arc lamps, the generator being driven by a steam engine, with a similar setup as backup. [21] Tamworth was the first Australian town to have streets lit by electricity.
He was next employed by Crompton Electric Supply Company of Australia Ltd (founded 1889 [22]), installing generator plant in mines and factories. [17] [23] He worked with Professor Threlfall of Sydney University in the electrical engineering involved in providing hydroelectric power to the mines and town of Hillgrove, [24] the first Australian town to be lit by water power. Brain left the Crompton Electric Co. in July 1896 to join the NSW Railways Department as chief assistant to P. B. Elwell, who was overseeing the electrification of Sydney trams.
Elwell died on 10 September 1899 and Brain succeeded to the position, made permanent in December 1899. [29] Brain was appointed chief electrical engineer in the Railway Department, and in 1902 was sent by the department on a world fact-finding tour to investigate railways practices in England, Europe and the USA. [30]
Brain was the first lecturer in Electrical Engineering at Sydney, retiring 1903 [31] on account of pressure of departmental duties. [3]
He represented New South Wales at the International Railway Conference at Bern, Switzerland, in 1910. [3]
A power station at White Bay was commenced in 1912 to supplement that at Ultimo, its completion being delayed by the Great War. [32] These plants not only provided power for the trains and trams, but for much of the city's lights, industry, and residential use. In 1924 Brain predicted that another power house would be required by 1930. [33]
In 1925 Cabinet appointed Brain and A. D. J. Forster as Assistant Railway Commissioners to Chief Railway Commissioner William James Cleary. [34]
In 1930 the Lang parliament passed an amendment to the Industrial Arbitration (Eight Hours) Act, which came into force January 1931, giving Cabinet the power to suspend payment to the Railway Commissioners in line with "rationing" of working hours, used to counter some of the effects of the Great Depression. "Rationing" could not however prevent them from exercising their powers, even when stood down. [35]
He retired in January 1932. [36] He died at his home in Killara, and his remains were privately cremated.
He was elected president of the Electrical Association of New South Wales in 1900 and 1912 [37] and in 1915 unanimously elected foundation president of its successor, the Electrical Association of Australia, [38] later a section of the Institution of Engineers of Australia.
Brain Street, Monash, ACT, was named for him. [39]
Brain married Amy Foxton Robertson of Wollongong on 29 December 1894. [40] They had two sons: [41]
They had a home, "Winslow", on Greengate Road, Killara.
Florence Aureola Brain (c. 1863 – 22 July 1897) was a sister. [44] She may have come out on the SS Dupleix in 1889. [45] She was married to engineer Arthur Legge Goold, had daughter (Violet ?) on 25 April 1886. [46] She died at her parents' home, in Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand, [47]
Austin Lionel Bennett Brain (c. 1865 – 8 September 1920) was an elder brother. [16] In 1888 he came to Victoria, and took charge of the Coalville colliery in Gippsland, the first good coal found in Victoria. The following year he surveyed the West Wallsend coal mine New South Wales. In 1890 he was manager of the Latrobe mine. [48] and the East Coast mine, Tasmania in 1892. [49] In 1898 he was manager of the South-West Curtin-Davis mine; in 1899 he was appointed mining manager of the 60-acre block mine in Gundagai, followed by Forbes, Hermidale and Cobar. [50] On 5 December 1900 in Gunning, New South Wales, he married Katherine Mary "Kitty" Murray [51] (died 13 February 1941). They had a home, "St Annals" on The Boulevarde, Punchbowl Road, Enfield, New South Wales. [16] They had two sons, Lionel Esmond Brain (28 October 1901 – 5 November 1974) and Lester Joseph Brain (27 February 1903 – 30 June 1980). [52] of CSR and the Commercial Bank respectively. Both were notable aviators.
Carl Thomas Blanch Brain, of Devonport Cottage, Helsby, Chester, England, in 1891 patented an improved form of electrical conduit for tramways and railways. [53] This may be the type of power reticulation referred to as an alternative to overhead lines.