Page 101 - Bulletin 11 2007

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some ratepayers. But when unification of the municipalities, other than Wynberg, came
about in 1913, their requirements were of course undertaken by the unified council,

though on a semi-bulk basis. Royal Road was then run for 24 hours per day but on an
entirely separate system from the City. Maximum annual generation at Royal Road

occurred in 1917. (Figs. 2.20 & 2.21).

In 1913 the generating plant at Claremont was shut down and the building became a

Distribution Station. The tariff for lighting was reduced to 7d. per unit, but the outbreak
of war in 1914 made it impossible to further reduce the tariff or to expand the plant in

the city, in spite of a 30% increase in sales. In 1918 Dock Road and Royal Road could
be interconnected via the Claremont Distribution Station and Royal Road was again run

only from 6 p.m. to midnight.

In 1913 George Swingler joined the City Electrical Department and on 1 January 1918

was appointed to the post of City Electrical Engineer. From 1919 to 1922 Dock Road

was completely remodelled and about four times the capacity was installed in the same
floor space as the earlier plant. Royal Road was run for only a few hours per day to

relieve peak loads on the transmission system between Wynberg and Muizenberg. The
station was finally shut down on 17 February 1923. The boiler plant was sold to D.

Drury and Co. in 1925 for the sum of ₤1,000, and the engines and generators to G. H.
Langler and Co. in 1926 for the sum of ₤400. The building continued to function as a

distribution station and sewage pumping station until 1935, when the pumps were

removed to a new pump station and the building was demolished.

In 1920 the Government provided funds for the electrification of the suburban railway
line, but due to the serious financial situation this was postponed for two years. The

Railways nevertheless selected a site for a power station at the mouth of the Salt River
in 1921. The interests of the Railways clashed with those of the Cape Town City

Council, which wanted to maintain their right to supply electricity within their own

boundaries.