BIG CHANGE OVER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 107, 9 May 1927, Page 8

BIG CHANGE OVER.

AT FRANKTON STATION.

SIDINGS ELECTRICALLY OPERATED. MECHANICAL SIGNALS CUT OUT. TRAFFIC EASED ON THE MAIN TRUNK. . CBjr Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") FRANKTON JUNCTION, this day. It has long been evident to the "powers that be" that Frankton railway station must be enlarged, and some even go as far as to say it should be rebuilt to meet modern needs. Finance and other things have held up the job. However, yesterday saw about three miles of sidings added, and the north end of the station changed from a mechanically-operated station to an electrically operated one. It was a great job. For months past gang-s have been busy making ready, and after midday Saturday, the stage was set for the change over. Shortly after the midday rush the mechanical signals were cut out, and for the rest of the day trains were brought into the station by hand signals, flags and lamps —back to the old days.

One big feature on Saturday was the lifting out by a steam crane of a five ton signal gantry. All through the night signalmen and electricians worked, the one disconnecting the old system and the other linking up the new. At daybreak yesterday there came on the scene a gang of forty permanent-way men under Mr. Lambein (assistant district engineer), and their very capable inspector, Mr. H. Nelson, with two seven ton cranes. These were divided into two gangs, and, here again, one was breaking down and number two filling in the gaps left by the other, linking up the new sidings.

Down would come the jib arm of one crane and its hook was pushed into some chains which were around the points, then the engine would puff a little, and seven tons of points were wrenched from the earth and swung into the air. With the crane master pulling another lever, the crane turned .round towards an empty truck, the crossing dropped off and No. 1 crane moved on to the next lot. Up came No. 2 crane, its arm hooks on to some straight lengths of lines already on the sleepers, and one by one these were dropped in the place of the points. Soon the permanent way men were bolting and packing it up with-the old and new lines, adding another length to Frankton's shunting yard. And so all day longs this went on, until some fifteen sets of points and cross-overs had been shifted, together with about thirty chains of tracks, by No. 1 gang while No. 2 did the linking up. Dark was falling fast as the last crossing, one weighing nearly fifteen tons, was pulled out.

Extending the Main Lines. The object of the job has been to extend the lengths or all existing main line loops and sidings at the north or Auckland end, and as this meant long lengths of lines to be dealt with, it also became necessary to electrically work the signals and points. The railway track is all electrically track circuited in the vicinity of all new points and cross-overs, so that the positions of the trains approaching the junction at the Auckland end can be seen on an illuminated diagram in the signal box. This also meant that the present mechanical interlocking under the signal box had to be rebuilt entirely, ail the "saw" irons requiring to be recut in a temporary engineer's shop nearby.

The points are operated by 110 volt A.C. motors, and the home signals by motors of the same class. The distance signals are now coloured lights similar to those in use in the automatic signals around Auckland.

The electric work has been put in by Mr. E. H. Pritchard, signal foreman of the Department, under Mr. R. A. Abel, signal inspector of the district, and Mr. C. Hollis, electric inspector. Quite a number of the head office officials were present all day and were keenly interested in the work. They included Messrs. Wyles (assistant chief signal and electric engineer, New Zealand Railways,) H. Grapes (automatic signal inspector) and H. Henderson (chief signal draughtsman.) Mr. Wyles stated that he was wonderfully pleased with the whole work, In which nearly a hundred men engaged, as this was the biggest change over since the Dunedin station some years ago.

In place of the signal stick gantry holding the home signals, a very fine "bridge" type gantry has been erected holding _ six signals. Experts declare that this is one of the finest in NewZealand.