Genuine Stobie Poles wearing centenary branding for the invention of Cyril Stobie, patented by him 1924: made by SA Power Networks. Angle Vale South Australia

2024 is the Centenary year for “Stobie” Poles. They were invented and patented in 1924 by Cyril Stobie. The poles carry power around our state.

 

Mechanised Stobie Pole Plant

The official opening of the Mechanised Stobie Pole Plant occurred 1 April 2008 by The Honourable Patrick Conlon MP, Minister for Transport, Minister for Infrastructure, Minister for Energy.

 

“Cyril” Stobie 1895 – 1953

James Cyril Stobie, engineer and inventor, was born on 15 September 1895 at Parkside, Adelaide. He was the only son and eldest of four children of South Australian born parents James Tobie (grocer and his wife Alice, nee Ingleby.

 

Known as Cyril or “C”, he attended Glenelg Public and Pulteney Street schools. A brilliant student, he won a scholarship to the Preparatory School, South Australian School Mines and Industries. His education was made difficult by his father’s business struggles and his untimely death in 1912.

 

Cyril took over the family grocery shop at Mile End to support his mother and sisters. In 1915 he enrolled as an evening student at the School of Mines. He gained an associate diploma in mechanical and electrical engineering that year and a fellowship diploma in 1919.

 

Fond of sport, he excelled at long distance swimming and won the race from Grange to Henley Beach in 1922.

 

In 1916, Stobie had joined the staff of the Adelaide Electric Supply Co Ltd. He continued his engineering studies part time at the University of Adelaide (BE 1921, ME 1932). Frederick Wheadon, A E S Co’s chief executive, became his mentor and the two formed a lifelong friendship. Stobie’s career began to prosper. In 1923 he was appointed chief draftsman.

 

At the Church of Christ, Unley, on 19 March 1924 he married Rita Muriel Maddern.

 

In 1924 Stobie invented the “Stobie pole” to carry electricity cables and telegraph wires. It was constructed of two steel-l beams, held together by tie bolts: the space between them was filled with concrete. A E S Co paid him £500 for the patent rights. Although hopes of selling design interstate and worldwide remained unfulfilled, the poles were used extensively in South Australia.

 

In 1936 a Sterling coal truck was converted into a heavy pole-erector, designed by Stobie: it could install 70-ft (21m) long, concrete-steel poles that weighed 8½ tons.

 

Stobie was the founding editor (1926–40) of A E S Co’s in-house magazine Adelect. Through this publication, he conveyed his vision of the company’s future, interest in research, sense of fun and Christian values (he was a staunch Methodist). His face, with its full features, deep smile-lines and clear eyes, reflected his jovial disposition. Despite bouts of recurring illness, he became chief design engineer in 1946, when the Electricity Trust of South Australia took over from the A E S Co. In 1950 he was appointed assistant to the manager of engineering research.

He died of coronary thrombosis on 15 August 1953 at his Malvern home and was buried in Centennial Park cemetery. His estate was sworn for probate at £6,092. The Stobie pole continues to be regarded with affection by many South Australians who consider it part of their heritage.

 

About the “Stobies”

The original design did not have the “pointy” bit at the bottom. This was designed at a later date to: increase the strength of the pole at ground level – make the installation and removal of the pole easier – stop the pole from ‘walking’ out of the ground.

There are preformed holes in the concrete to help reduce the overall weight of the pole.

The number of Stobie poles made in 1955 was 25,000.

The number of Stobie poles in 2006 was 4045.

The Stobie pole is a National Trust, BankSA Heritage Icon.

There have been four metropolitan sites for the Stobie pole yard – Mile End, Marleston, Kilkenny and Angle Park (Woodville Gardens).

In the early years of pole production, poles were made on the side of the road and then erected when ready.

The original work gangs could make seven poles per day.

The first poles were made in 1924 and were installed on South Terrace, city of Adelaide.

Although Stobie poles are more expensive than wooden poles, they have a longer serviceable life – 100 years compared with 15 to 30 for wood. They are also fire and termite proof and they are stronger and lighter than the all-steel poles that are used interstate.

The Stobie pole has saved an estimated two million trees.

Members of the original syndicate formed by Adelaide Electrical Supply Company to develop the Stobie pole and to promote its sale interstate and overseas were – F W H Wheadon, J R Brookman, J C Stobie, Miss D Wakelin (secretary).

 

In the early years some poles were exported to the Islands and as far north as Singapore, a royalty being paid to the syndicate for the poles.

 

Stobie Poles have been made at:

Waikerie – 9,500

Hilton – 50,000

Marleston – 45,000

Wallaroo – 84,000

Angle Park – 230,000

They were then used extensively in building the electricity transmission and distribution network throughout the state.

 

Although it is reviled by some as “hard” and “mechanical”, it is actually an elegant design solution to a resource problem.

 

The first example – less than 20 metres high – was erected on South Terrace in 1924, but it was soon being manufactured twice as high. It was employed in 1925 on the new powerlines from Adelaide south to Willunga and north to Jamestown.

 

The use of wooden poles ceased in 1926 and the storage yard at Mile End – the present site of the former ETSA Utilities building – became the site for manufacturing the Stobie poles. Many thousands were produced after the second world war for the state-wide electrification.

 

*All old Stobie poles are fully recycled.

 

Reference:

James Cyril Stobie story boards, ETSA Museum.

S A Power site tour.

 

 

 

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