BRANCH RAILWAY LINES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28805, 28 January 1959, Page 9

BRANCH RAILWAY LINES

Oxford Among Six To Be Closed "The Press*" Special Service WELLINGTON, Jan. 27. The one-train-a-week Oxford branch railway line may be closed down. This 21-mile line, and the 13-mile Ngapara line, beyond Weston, in Waitaki county, are among six which the Minister of Railways (Mr Moohan) is considering dosing. In the last financial year the six branch lines, which total 132 miles in length, cost the taxpayer £84,000, and in the last five years the losses have been about £400,000. To put them in order for proper running, an expenditure of £665,000 would be needed over the next few years, according to a comprehensive survey by the Railways Department. An announcement has already been made about the closing of the- Gisborne-Motuhora line, of 49 miles, and similar steps can be expected shortly for the remaining five lines. ~~ The first indication will be a letter from the general manager of Railways, Mr A. T. Gandell. to all local authorities concerned with these lines, setting out the full facts and figures and suggesting the intention to cease running. Details of the state of the Oxford and Ngapara lines are: OXFORD: Losses—Last year, £8690; in the four previous years —£8469, £10,722, £7574 and £6898. There is one return train a week, or two, if required in season. The line is 84 years old and most of the sleepers are almost useless. Sleeper renewals costing £55.000 are essential. Little use is being made of the line, and the need appears to have passed. The whole area is extensively served by road operators over good-quality shingle and sealed roads. At two centres, Oxford and Cust, there are 155 heavy trucks, 97 light trucks and 106 trailers registered, and 95 per cent, of these are owned by farmers. Last year, one-tenth of the wool grown in the area was carried by rail. It is estimated that there could be an 80 per cent, increase in wool this year, but this would produce only £lO7 in revenue. NGAPARA: Last year there was a profit of £ll3O, preceded by a profit of £6OO in the previous year and £382 in 1954-55, but these were offset by losses of. £B9B in 1953-54 and £1227 in 1955-56. The line operates one shunt train from Oamaru as required, and there is a 10-mile-an-hour restriction. Traffic is almost wholly wheat, railed from Oamaru to the mill at Ngapara. and flour railed back to ship at Oamaru. The volume is small, and operating expenses are only met because no new material is being used on the track, which is completely run down. The sum of £25,000 would be required to be spent on the track immediately. The three other lines likely to be affected are Donnelly’s Crossing, near Dargaville (22 miles long); Foxton, near Palmerston North (13 miles); and Waikaia, in Southland county (14 miles).