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 Radio Factories Today?
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 Return to top of page · Post #: 1 · Written at 12:17:44 AM on 9 May 2014.
NewVista's avatar
 Location: Silver City WI, US
 Member since 10 May 2013
 Member #: 1340
 Postcount: 977

Anyone have actual address of AWA factories (and other brands) so they can be seen today with 'street view'?

I got a kick out of looking at iconic AWA tower on York St with HD street view. AWA execs actually still worked there when I was employed by them!


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 2 · Written at 12:43:49 AM on 9 May 2014.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

Just type in "Parramatta Road, Ashfield, NSW" for the Radio Electric Works. The complex is no longer there, having been mowed down and replaced with blocks of flats. The former site is at the intersection of Parramatta Road and Great North Road. A BP servo is nearby with a solar array on the roof above the driveway.

The original radio-Electric Works was in Knox Street, Darlington which runs off City Road opposite the University of Sydney. The original building is still there but has been converted to a block of flats. Sadly there is no plaque to explain what this historic building was once used for.

AWA's original head office (ie: before 47 York Street was built) was at 97 Clarence Street. The Kent Telephone Exchange now occupies that site.

Other factories that I know about but don't remember the finer details are Airzone at 16 Australia Street, Camperdown; Kriesler at 43 Alice Street, Newtown; His Master's Voice at Parramatta Road, Homebush (next to the Arnotts railway bridge); Standard Telephones and Cables at Alexandria; AWA (televisions) at Victoria Road, Rydalmere; AWA (totalisator equipment) at Nancarrow Avenue, Meadowbank and Airzone in Dalley Street, Sydney (Wynyard) just off George Street.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 3 · Written at 1:15:21 AM on 9 May 2014.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
 Postcount: 7290

I remember back to around 1994-1995 when an Eriksson air crane lifted most of the antenna tower off the AWA building so it could be restored. The neon AWA logos on each side of the tower's footing were also restored at this time though they have since been removed (the building's owner at the time blaming maintenance costs) exposing the original AWA logos formed from glazed brick.

The tower still has its viewing platform but is no longer accessible, most likely for safety reasons although there wouldn't be much to look at from there now, apart from a good view of Wynyard Park.

There is talk of building height limits in Sydney being removed as developers want to build skyscrapers higher than 100 storeys and this will choke any views from the AWA building even further.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 4 · Written at 1:35:30 AM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I researched Kriesler's address history some time ago:

1951: 43 Alice St, Newtown. Phones: LA-3763 & LA-2577

1952: 43 Alice St, Newtown. Phones: LA-3763, LA-5853, LA-2577

1957: 43 Alice St, Newtown. Phones: LA-0400, LA-2577

1960: 43 Alice St, Newtown. Phone: LA-0400
... and 109 Euston Rd, Alexandria. Phone: 51-6651

1961: 43 Alice St, Newtown. Phones: 51-0400
... and 109 Euston Rd, Alexandria. Phones: 51-6651, 51-2577

1962: 43 Alice St, Newtown. Phones: 51-0400
... and 109 Euston Rd, Alexandria. Phones: 51-6651, 51-2577
... and Carrawa Rd, Carringbah. Phone: 5-2044

1965: 12-30 Carrawa Rd, Carringbah. Phones: (Engineers) 5-2044, (Factory)
524-2670

1966: 12-30 Carrawa Rd, Carringbah. Phones: (Engineers) 524-0444,
(Factory) 524-2670

1968: 12-30 Carrawa Rd, Carringbah. Phone: 524-0444


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 5 · Written at 1:42:44 AM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I gather that the final address of AWV and AWA Television was 348 Victoria Rd, Rydalmere, occupied today by Mitsubishi Electric Australia P/L.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 6 · Written at 1:48:40 AM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

Amazingly, the large Philips valve factory complex is still standing at 100 Mallett St, Camperdown. It is now occupied by Sydney Uni's Brain and Mind Research Institute.

Philips manufactured valves there between 1936 and 1946, before moving their operations to Adelaide.

Here's how it looked back in the day:

Philips Valve Factory


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 7 · Written at 7:25:58 AM on 9 May 2014.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
 Member #: 1
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I gather that the final address of AWV and AWA Television was 348 Victoria Rd, Rydalmere, occupied today by Mitsubishi Electric Australia P/L.

Yes, AWA then AWA Thorn, then Mitsubishi Electric AWA and finally Mitsubishi Electric. No longer a factory just a warehouse and sales office these days.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 8 · Written at 1:36:32 PM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

The former [AWA radio works] site is at the intersection of Parramatta Road and Great North Road

I think that should be cnr Parramatta Rd and Frederick St, Ashfield.

AWA took over the factory that was once used to manufacture The Australian Six motor car, and the place mushroomed along Parramatta Rd from there.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 9 · Written at 4:14:29 PM on 9 May 2014.
NewVista's avatar
 Location: Silver City WI, US
 Member since 10 May 2013
 Member #: 1340
 Postcount: 977

Thanks for addresses, Rydalmere and Ashfield are mysterious AWA connections one heard bandied around, whether being immersed in their employment (in another state) or scanning archive literature.

So great to see, by the wonder of HD street view, the remnants of their - and other - actual factories. Even better if one is able to do a little "urban-exploration" in person for a more complete experience so that the structural artifact can communicate more of its rich past.

Old Cawarra Rd and Victoria Rd buildings have "sawtooth" skylight structures on flat roof (better light for radio assemblers!)

Philips' multi-story had steel-framed-"crosshatch" factory windows that have been retained in re-hab (at least in style if not substance).

Old houses near Kriesler (Alice St) have narrow frontage and no apparent off street parking (pre-date cars)


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 10 · Written at 5:01:37 PM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

Old houses near Kriesler (Alice St) have narrow frontage and no apparent off street parking (pre-date cars)

Yep, parking in Newtown is always problematic. Lots of narrow streets with associated lanes (e.g. Alice Lane) and what parking space exists is mostly reserved for residents.

Unless Alice St has been renumbered, I think the former Kriesler site is now the Matt Hogan Reserve park.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 11 · Written at 5:13:28 PM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

I think we've covered the AWA Totalisator site in Meadowbank elsewhere some time ago, but here it is in its original splendour:

Image Link


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 12 · Written at 5:24:52 PM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

AWA also had development and testing facilities in North Ryde, off Talavera Rd facing Lane Cove Rd.

The space is now occupied by the Marriot Courtyard Hotel. To view it, put 293 Lane Cove Rd, North Ryde into Street View and look across the road from there.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 13 · Written at 6:02:45 PM on 9 May 2014.
Brad's avatar
 Administrator
 Location: Naremburn, NSW
 Member since 15 November 2005
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I think that should be cnr Parramatta Rd and Frederick St, Ashfield.

No - that was Peek Freans who made Vitaweat bikkies before Arnotts took over the company. That site is now Bunnings Hardware.

The Radio-Electric Works was just a little further down the road though, yes, it was owned by Dodge beforehand and used as an assembly plant for the Australian Six.


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A valve a day keeps the transistor away...

 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 14 · Written at 7:09:16 PM on 9 May 2014.
GTC's avatar
 GTC
 Location: Sydney, NSW
 Member since 28 January 2011
 Member #: 823
 Postcount: 6678

No - that was Peek Freans

Peek Freans (now Bunnings) is on the other side of Frederick St, heading towards the city.

Reason I mentioned Frederick St is I was told that's where the Aussie Six plant was. I called up AWA historian John McIllwaine and he confirmed that the AWA complex started at 554 Parramatta Rd and eventually stretched along to Page Ave (a short walk from Frederick St), and went as deep as Henry St behind Parramatta Rd, an area of 6.75 acres.

I note that 554 Parramatta Rd is now the address of the Victory Motorcycles dealership.


 
 Return to top of page · Post #: 15 · Written at 7:47:00 PM on 9 May 2014.
Scraps's Gravatar
 Location: Blue Mountains, NSW
 Member since 10 March 2013
 Member #: 1312
 Postcount: 401

I wish I could remember where I read this but I only kept note of the address. The AWA service dept for warranty repairs was at 152 Parramatta Road, Stanmore. The building is still there and has, amongst other tenants, a tyre service called Carneeds. Google Street view also has a good view of the loading dock in the rear laneway as well as the interior of Carneeds.


 
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