Article: Key role in digging rail loop

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Key role in digging rail loop

Key role in digging rail loop
May 24, 2010

JOHN GEOFFREY KEEGAN, AM
ENGINEER, CONSULTANT
20-10-1924 - 22-4-2010

FEW outside the esoteric fields of heavy engineering and rock crushing would recognise the name Jack Keegan, but commuters travelling through Melbourne's underground rail network every day have him to thank. He was the man behind The Mole, the massive boring machine that excavated the rocks and earth to create tunnels for the trains.

In 1979, Jack was managing director of Jacques Brothers, a 100-year-old Australian manufacturer, when he led the building of The Mole at the company's factory in Richmond, from design drawings acquired from Italy. The mechanical behemoth stood more than three storeys high and weighed several hundred tonnes.

But then, Jack, who was filled with big ideas, liked all things big, down to his family. He had 12 children.

Jack, who has died of a stroke at a nursing home in Blackburn, aged 85, was born at a fortunate time: he was too young to serve in World War II, but old enough to complete diplomas and degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering at Footscray Technical College and Melbourne University in time to take part in the postwar building boom.

His working life began at the Government Ordnance Factory at Maribyrnong, where more than 20,000 men and women were employed in the 1940s. He learnt his manufacturing management craft there and was particularly proud of his re-engineering of a metal-cutting process that reduced boring time for machining a ship's gun barrel from 30 hours to one hour - a boon for the Royal Australian Navy.

This job also gave Jack his first taste of international travel, a trip to Britain in 1948, which provoked a lifelong appetite for travel and an interest in people and cultures. His second career began in 1955 in management consulting with WDScott, where for 12 years he consulted on manufacturing to a wide range of industries - from metals to plastics to furniture to food.

His knowledge extended beyond pure engineering and embraced organisational design, methods, human factors, and incentive systems.

He was a student of Taylor and Gilbreth, both pioneers of the scientific management theory. He was particularly inspired by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, who also had 12 children and often used their large family in experiments. Their family exploits are lovingly detailed in the 1948 book Cheaper by the Dozen, which was made into two films.

Jack married Patricia Curtain in 1953, and they met Lillian Gilbreth at a WDScott dinner in 1968 when the discussion revolved around Jack and Pat's domestic arrangements, including the most efficient way to simultaneously plate up ''meat and three veg'' for multiple diners.

They must have picked up some positive vibes because their eight children grew to 12 children, and no child ever starved.

When Jack became general manager at Jaques Brothers in 1967, Sir Walter Scott, the founder and CEO of WDScott, wrote: "You must surely know that you take with you everything that our good wishes can bring and we know that your uncommon abilities and complete integrity are bound to bring you satisfaction, progress, and success in any position you undertake."

Jack's key contribution to Jaques over the next 18 years was the establishment and growth of export markets. He recognised earlier than most that rock-crushing equipment was vital to the development of Asia and successfully built subsidiary companies and export markets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Thailand, to name a few. He was particularly proud of the skills of the Jaques craftsmen.

The company's Mole played a massive part in helping to create Melbourne's underground network, which was completed in 1985 at a cost of $500 million. In all, 900,000 cubic metres of material was excavated, and today 471,000 passenger trips are made each day on the system's 13 kilometres of track, plus two kilometres of approach ramps.

Jack retired as managing director at 60, and not long after Jaques was sold to Clyde Industries.

Later, Jack was appointed to a portfolio of private sector directorships.

He enjoyed making a contribution to public sector management and promoting the economic and social benefits of a strong, exporting, Australian manufacturing industry. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 1987 for services to industry.

The Irish culture and Catholic Church were strong influences in his life, and he participated fully in both.

Jack was also a student of genealogy and took great joy in tracing his Irish lineage, often noting how successive generations had enjoyed greater prosperity, usually on the back of hard work, considered risk, and a little bit of luck.

Jack is survived by Patricia, his wife of 57 years, 11 of his 12 children, Christopher, John, Michael, Julie, Sally, Catherine, Joanne, James, Kevin, Patrick, and Timothy, as well as 28 of his 29 grandchildren, Bridget, Gabrielle, Tess, Elizabeth, Jessica, Rachael, Emily, Georgie, Lucy, Timothy, Laura, Stephanie, Thomas, Danny, Alice, Michael, Charlie, Jacqui, Grace, Henry, Monica, James, Holly, Nicholas, Molly, Madeline, Matilda and Archie. He was predeceased by his daughter Susan, and grandson, Jack.

With Gerry Carman