ELECTRIFICATION AT OTIRA.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17749, 28 April 1923, Page 12

ELECTRIFICATION AT OTIRA.

MR EVAN PARRY'S VISIT. DESCRIPTION OF THE WORK. (FSOU OTO OWN KEPORTEB.) OTIRA, April 27. Mr Evan Parry, engineer-in-chief of the English Electric Company, and his party were again favoured with glorious weather for the inspection of the works at Otira. The (very good weather of the last few weeks has been much appreciated by the contractors, and considerable progress has been mateAuxiliary Plant. The first two hours this morning were devoted to an inspection ot the auxiliary plant, the power 01 which is derived from Goat Creek at a height of about 620 feet above the main power-house. A lead of ninety feet was required for the conuensors, but it was found more convenient and more economical to go 530 teetfm'* her up the hill, thus generating 200 h-P----at the automatic plant controlled in the main power-house, which could more than take the place of steam alternators for general power and lighting, including the village supply. inis course is economical in operation ana in fuel. The pipe line up the luU was commenced about a year ago. lne steel pipes were made by Stewart and Lloyd, Ltd., Glasgow. The work or constructing the pipe line through the bush on the steep hill must have been very arduous. As little damage as possible was done to the bush, and the party ascending to-day obtained beautiful views at various stages of the journey up the hill. The sunshine streamed down on the neighbouring hills, and from certain aspects there was absolutely no sign of the march ot civilisation. From other points of vantage the line of pipes coum be seen descending the hill to the small reservoir, while in tho background the handsome power-house made an excellent finish to the pictuie. Nature has indeed bestowed her favours bountifully on the Otira district According to inclination, one could view the beautiful native bush and listen to the music of the bell birds or reflect upon tho power generated from the mountain creek which was to help in the work of sending trains through tlie tunnel. However strong the former inclination might be, it was upon the more utilitarian aspects of Nature that the party had come to gaze, and it was horse-power and heads of water rather than, bush s-ienes and music of birds which claimed the attention. Nevertheless, the beauty of the hill elopes of Otira will not soon fade from 'memory.

Ascending the slope, the various technical features of the line were pointed out. The intake is a very suitable one, and a considerable amount more water than that actually needed could be taken in. A small reseiwoir serves to still the water, and allows the silt to settle before fihe water is sent down the pipes. This feature is particularly important, in case of a landslide above the intake, when the mount of silt would be very considerable. Otira Village. There is in process of formation at Otira a village of forty-three houses for the use of the men employed on the permanent staff. The houses are much tJetter looking than is usual in buildings of this type. They are not uniform in appearance, and each house has a fair amount of space aroxind it. The houses are well-equipped inside,' although the rooms are rather small. Some Of 'the houses are already occupied, but most of them are not yet out of the contractors' hands. The street between the houses is in process of formation, and fencing has also to be done. Electric light has been installed in all the houses. It is probable that the school which is at present about a mile away from the Otira station, will be shifted to the site of the new village, just by the station: The railway refreshment and dining rooms are now being completed, and they should be as good as any in the Dominion. Judging by present appearances, the lay out is similar to that at Oamaru, and the material'used appears to be of very high quality. The hostel for waitresses who will be employed at the refreshment rooms is also nearly completed, and it is a very neat building in etvery respect. Love Bros., Port Chalmers, are the contractors for the houses, hostel, and refreshment, rooms, and they appear to be doing good work under which are naturally not ideal in so isolated a, place. The subway under the railway lines is a very substantial work, and a vast improvement on the overhead' bridge arrangement, although naturally more expensive. The appearance of £he railway yards at Otira will be very fine when all the work is completed. The overhead electrical work is esoecially praised by Mr Parry for its neatness and, efficiency. Visitors to Canterbury would R et a far better first impression if they could approach the nrovince by way of the Otira tunnel instead of through the dust and grime of the Lyttelton tunnel. Signals and Batteries. A trial was being made this niomiiig of the eiectric £>igimi system to he useu at the otira station. 'JL'iie apparatus, which is supplied by tlie Brake and (signal Company, is said to be the very *\test in electrical signal devices. A similar system is iu use on the London tube railways, but at Otira the working is complicated by the single hue system, since trathc has to travel in two uilteieiit directions on the same line, while on tlie tubes there are double lines. The device installed at Otira is claimed to be absolutely accident-proof, for no clear signal can be given when there is any traffic whatever on tlie section concerned. Even the light trollies in the station yard have proved rather a nuisance during the testing owing to this feature of the signal system.

Locomotive Battery. Your representative was also fortunate enough to strike the initial charging of the big exide ironclad battery for the battery locomotive, which is one of the largest batteries of its kind ever turned out. It was manufactured by the Chloride Electrical .Storage Company, of Manchester. It consists of .two batteries, each of 216 cells, and the capacity at the five-hour rating is 387 ampere hours. The initial charging, which will take about a week, includes the reading of voltage, specific, gravity, and temperature every four hours. Each of the main line locomotives is equipped with a battery of sixty cells of the same make, and the capacity is 96 ampere hours at the five hour rutin?. The charging of these, which commenced tnis morning, will ] take a, week.

Mr Parry'B Views. When asked to give his impression of the work, Mr Parry made the following replv: The scheme is notable in that this is the first section of mainline electrification in Australasia, the Melbourne railways being suburban, and it will no doubt be the forerunner of large extensions on the mountain and tunnel sections of the New Zealand railways, including the electrification of the balance of the Mi™:md line

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betwen Springfield and Jacksons, and the Lyttelton tunnel. Regarding the Lyttelton tunnel electrification, besides removing the smoke which is the main justification for the [ work at Otira, it would be more econoi mical in working, while it would enable a very large increase of traffic to be carried through the tunnel, and avoid j the necessity for duplication. ] Bailing of Sheep. While the party was at Otira, it ! was noticed that large locks of sheep were being unloaded at the station for . the journey over the Gorge to Ohrist- ' church, while other flocks were being brought over the Gorge and railed at Otira. It was stated that 20,000 sheep had been driven over the Gorge this season, (l nd the advantages of railway communication, facilitating the exchange of sheep, are thus -sufficiently obvious.

Personal. The party returns to-morrow mornS?\ ,M r » n d Mrs Parry will be in Chnstchurch till Tuesday. After the opening of the tunne] they will proceed to Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide, and to India,- in each of which places Mr Parry has to transact business ror his company. Mr L. Birks wul leave for Wellington to-morrow night. The visitors have thoroughly enjoyed their stay at Otira IncidentUv, they affirm that the strictures on the hotel accommodation on the West Coast do not apply to utira, winch must be the'exception which proves the xul<*r