This town municipal utility actively was continuing their conversion from 2,400 volts primary delta to 4,160 volts wye starting in the latter 1950s. This program continued through the later 1960s into the 1970s. Such conversions were dependent on substation changes that provided the 4kv voltage. In this photo are Hingham lineworkers replacing one of hundreds of old delta transformers with higher voltage ones (4kv). Photo might actually be from the later 1960s. FYI..the new transformers from 1966-forwards were fused by Line Materials/McGraw Edison box-type cutouts on the towns 4kv system. Prior ones were brown Kearney cutout boxes, many with a fragile yellow plastic dot on their bakelite door handles indicating medium amperage fuse protection. The 4kv upgrading was made possible by expensive substation changeovers, providing less voltage fluctuation and overall better service. Among the first substations was near Main Street (built in the 1930s). It connected to the 23kv transmission line that directly fed the Hull Municipal Light Plant a few miles away. The new transformers were installed in the late 1950s were in perfect working order until they were disconnected around 1990 when Hingham was going to 13.8kv primary distribution. Those old transformers were kept "alive" by light plant substation staff making sure that they had enough nitrogen inside them. Although electrically disconnected, the nitrogen kept them from deteriorating inside despite no longer having any electricity connected to them (so I was told). The town did this with hope these 23kv delta to 4kv wye transformers were resaleable on the used electric utility equipment market. They were perfect working order when disconnected. Apparently they were attractive since they were sold to another municipal utility in 1992.

I do not know what kva the forementioned transformers were. However they were pretty hefty and were made by Allis-Chalmers. I was so pleased to see these big brutes reused!

Highway expansion across Boston, Massachusetts and the rest of America was at an all-time high during 1959-1960. Construction of MA Route 3 which eventually led to Cape Cod in later years meant that access roads to this new highway had to be built and rebuilt. Roads leading to new exit and entry ramps (notably Derby and Whiting Streets in Hingham) required relocating all of the overhead utilities along those roads. New Light Plant poles, wire and equipment were installed; the cost of doing so was reimbursed by the State. Conveniently, this project provided system upgrading at no cost to the town. This is true many other municipal utilities adjacent to highway expansion stretches here in the Boston area who benefitted from these nicely-timed projects.

Growth continued at an unprecedented rate in Hingham with 112 new accounts added, bringing a year-end total to 5,748. During June of that year a special town meeting was held which officially transferred a parcel of land in the southernmost part of town (on Cushing Street) to the Light Plant. This was the location of a new substation built in 1960 (photos will be posted here in the near future); also serving as a switchyard for the 23kv takeoff from a local private utility to in serving the new Industrial Park in the southernmost part of town. Two circuits were strung from the yard to the Industrial Park, using very large solid Hendrix spreader insulators in dark gray. The forementioned station/switchyard was entirely constructed using alunimum framing, one of two on the East Coast at that time. Details will soon follow.