Lumorail brings new light to Ulumbarra Theatre
The $28 million transformation of Bendigo’s Gaol to Ulumbarra Theatre was an exciting and unique undertaking, converting an old goldfields gaol into a stunning modern theatre that seats almost 1000 guests. As part of the works an Illuminated handrail was written into the scope. Somehow, somewhere along the way, the illuminated handrail was overlooked and a typical 50mm round stainless steel handrail was installed to the grand staircase at the front of the building.
Lumorail were called upon to offer a solution by retrofitting something resembling the original requirements.
After a drive up to Bendigo to investigate, it was fortunate we discovered that sufficient wiring had been fed through to the posts at the centre of the stairs.
With a requirement for the rail to be rotated to a particular pitch, we were able to offer our Forrest Range as an easy option.
The Work
The biggest challenge was timing. Approached only weeks before the opening and asked to come up with a solution, Lumorail managed to install the illuminated handrail merely hours before opening night commenced.
Getting power from the upright centre posts to the offset pin fixed handrails proved a bit of a challenge, but nothing the team couldn’t handle. With wiring running through the upright pins, and a requirement for a welded finish, there was a high risk of melting wiring and other damage from heat.
We custom made special pins, including a select number of hollow pins. We then cut out 3 meter sections of the existing rail and welded in our patented slotted rail. This made fitting our lighting a breeze, and the results speak for themselves.
Posted: February 4, 2016