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The Turon Technology Museum
(Museum of Power) displays the engines of the Industrial Revolution
covering the period 1850-1950.
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What
is it?
Our exhibits show the development of steam
and internal engine, the transition to the internal combustion engine
and its development, also the lateral thinking which developed the
turbine - the steam engine of the 20th century.
Yes, this computer is steam powered - whether
the steam is generated by coal or nuclear fuel is immaterial - a
steam engine turned the alternator to make the electricity to make
your computer work.
Where
is it?
Situated just three hours drive from Sydney
lies one of Australia's more unusual museums. It's at 5833 Ilford
Road, Sofala, in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales.
If you are in a rush, don't come! Our guided
tours take two hours and many visitors stay five hours or more,
enjoying the surroundings while they have a lazy lunch.
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Our
exhibits
The exhibits are set out in seven buildings:
starting with an c1845 horizontal steam engine and an 1866 Marshall
portable engine (believed to be the oldest Marshall product in the
world and the oldest documented portable in Australia) through to
vertical and horizontal engines of the early 1900s. Then to kerosene
diesel (1904) and on to the internal combustion engines of the 1930s,
'40s and '50s, culminating with an English Electric Diesel engine
of 2,200 BHP weighing in at 61 tons.
Charles Parsons' inventions are represented
by a diminutive 32 volt locomotive turbine, a 67 BHP Parsons turbine
and a 750BHP Metropolitan Vickers turbine.

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The Museum complex
Collection
Highlights
- Tangye Suction Gas Engine
- Fowler steam roller
- 3 Marshall portable engines
- Hornsby portable engine
- Ransom Portable Engine
- 14 vertical steam engines
- 5 horizontal steam engines
- "V" twin steam engine
- 3-cylinder radial steam engine
- 3 turbines
- 2 steam winches
- 10 non-rotating steam pumps
- 7 compressors
- 10 of the above are all of heritage significance
- 13 internal combustion engines (diesel,
petrol and kerosene)
- Stirling Hot Air Engine
- 6 tractors
- plus numerous instruments, gauges and
pumps
Features
Each exhibit has a display card giving full
information, while the cards on the walls of the museum list the
engineering achievements of the century.
Our guides reveal the personal history behind
the exhibits, how they fitted into society and how the needs of
society changed the design of the engines.
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Hours
Open every weekend and public holidays (except
Christmas Day) 10 am to 4 pm, and available at other times by appointment.
In steam first full weekend of the month
(except February). Plus Public Holidays.

Inside the live steam display
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Cost*
Admission $8 per person inc GST
$24 family, (2 Adults,Children under 18)
Free for Children under 12
*The Admission Charge includes a
guided tour of the exhibits, after which visitors are encouraged
to revisit exhibits which particularly interest them.
Facilities
- Toilets
- Picnic area
- Kiosk, hot snacks
- Disabled access
- Buses welcome (groups please book)
- Catering arranged
- Parking for up to 100 vehicles
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