2014 – March – Blakeley-Smith – Forty Years of 25 kV Electrification in Australia

Andrew Blakeley-Smith BSc (Hons), MIEAust, MIRSE
 Director, Andrew Blakeley-Smith & Associates The first 25kV system planning in Australia started in 1974 for Adelaide but the first system commenced revenue service in 1979 in Brisbane. 25kV system planning and implementation is one of the most interdisciplinary exercises around and many things have changed and lessons learnt in the past 40 years. This paper looks at the basic elements and options: power supply, signalling & communications and rollingstock for 25kV and why it so often the preferred choice. Particular emphasis is given to the interdisciplinary relationship with signalling and communications, including immunization and earthing and bonding and how this has changed over the years. Finally, the proof of the design, the short circuit test, is discussed.