Hewittic Mercury-arc Rectifier of Manx Electric Railway

This is the Hewittic Mercury-arc Rectifier of Manx Electric Railway at Laxey in the Isle of Man. Its purpose is to transform AC current into DC which is then used to power the Manx Electric Railway Trams travelling between Douglas and Ramsey, and also the Mountain Railway between Laxey and the summit of Snaefell.
If you would like to see photographs of this video and many more like them, then please visit my spaces site at the following address and browse my albums at your convenience: http://manxviews.spaces.live.com/photos/ or on my Picasa site at the following address: http://picasaweb.google.com/threelegsoman/20090927LaxeyGlenGardensWalk#

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Hewittic
• Mercury-arc
• Rectifier
• of
• Manx
• Electric
• Railway
• threelegsoman
• Laxey
• Isle
• Man

[sac78008]

Michael Caine?

[threelegsoman]

@sac78008 I am sure the gentleman would be delighted to think he sounds like Michael Caine, but no he is not.

[Ickuarous]

All that UV can't be good for your eyes

[threelegsoman]

@Ickuarous That is probably why it is closed in behind a solid steel cabinet door most of the time.

[threelegsoman]

@Pilotgeek Sorry I am an old codger who does not understand geekspeak. Could you be so kind as to translate into english so that I can understand it please.

[gordongate]

all that lovely UV emission.

[ericperic66]

I have only just come across this video and am thrilled to have found it. I did my apprenticeship at Hackbridge & Hewittic back in the 1950/60's and worked in the test department for these rectifiers. A big bank of these bulbs running at full load was most impressive. Somehow, the germanium and silicon rectifiers that replaced these were never so exciting to test.

[HorizonDelta]

Jeez ! That is whta I call High Voltage !! Not that modern electronic toys ; -)))

[MrSciencetificsasuke]

that thing is HUGE!!!

[spadge2356]

@LinuxRaymaker I agree. Love the old nixie tube clocks and things like that. LED's look pretty but have taken all the rustic value out of stuff like that

[LinuxRaymaker]

I love how vintage electronics is so physical in operation. A modern semiconductor rectifier may be much more efficient but is much more boring too.

[PanJawelDrugi]

i'd love to get one just to break it and get all that mercury

[SteveTheCart]

Only the devil himself could design something so beautiful.

[SteveTheCart]

It is not turning AC into DC; it is turning good into evil. If it was possible to see pure evil it would look like ths.

[sac78008]

@threelegsoman ;)