Patea Historical Society bought the old Patea ANZ Bank Building (built 1972) in January 1999 to house the two rare ammonia compressors that ran the freezers at the Patea Freezing Works.
The Compressors were gifted to Patea Historical by the Australian Company that owned the Freezing Works site at the time, to save them from becoming scrap metal.
The Linde Compressor (the green machine) was made in 1902. The Patea Freezing Company bought it and installed to start freezing meat in 1904. The Gordon Compressor (the yellow machine) was made in Melbourne, Australia around 1930. When the Vestey Group purchased the Works in 1934, they introduced the 'chain' which allowed more meat to be processed, therefore requiring bigger freezing capacity.
Our building was officially opened on 26 November 2005, by Chester Borrows MP, as a static Freezing Works Display, also containing information and photos of The Works.
The Linde Compressor was made in London in 1902, it is thought there are only two of them left in the world. It is a Horizontal Single Cylinder Compressor, belt driven by an electric motor. The Flywheel alone weighs 1.8 tons and has been set up so the wheel can be turned on and drive the belts.
The Gordon Compressor was made in Melbourne, Australia around 1930. It is a twin cylinder machine which compressed ammonia for refrigeration. Driven by an electric motor with 14 vee-belts.
There are also realistic models of freezing works men and sheep being butchered in the display. Old photos and other memorabilia from the Works also features. We hold our committee meetings here, amongst the history of The Works.
The Compressors were gifted to Patea Historical by the Australian Company that owned the Freezing Works site at the time, to save them from becoming scrap metal.
The Linde Compressor (the green machine) was made in 1902. The Patea Freezing Company bought it and installed to start freezing meat in 1904. The Gordon Compressor (the yellow machine) was made in Melbourne, Australia around 1930. When the Vestey Group purchased the Works in 1934, they introduced the 'chain' which allowed more meat to be processed, therefore requiring bigger freezing capacity.
Our building was officially opened on 26 November 2005, by Chester Borrows MP, as a static Freezing Works Display, also containing information and photos of The Works.
The Linde Compressor was made in London in 1902, it is thought there are only two of them left in the world. It is a Horizontal Single Cylinder Compressor, belt driven by an electric motor. The Flywheel alone weighs 1.8 tons and has been set up so the wheel can be turned on and drive the belts.
The Gordon Compressor was made in Melbourne, Australia around 1930. It is a twin cylinder machine which compressed ammonia for refrigeration. Driven by an electric motor with 14 vee-belts.
There are also realistic models of freezing works men and sheep being butchered in the display. Old photos and other memorabilia from the Works also features. We hold our committee meetings here, amongst the history of The Works.
