BY TRAM TO WADESTOWN

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 124, 18 February 1908, Page 10

BY TRAM TO WADESTOWN

ENGINEERS' REPORT. IS WELLINGTON TENDING TO , EXTRAVAGANCE? • Tlio question of oxtonding tho electric ' tram system to Karori was threshed out | protty fully by tlio Onslow Borough Council , over a year ago, and was finally* abandoned because satisfactory arrangements' could not be mado with tho landowner, who would derive tho greatest benefit from the institution of. such a service.' But thero are influences at work,.and the result of them appears in a joint report by Messrs. W. H. Morton (City Engineer) and Stuart Richardson (Electrical Engineer) on tho question of tram extension to Wadestown. The engineers, in their report, present • three alternative routes as follow': — NO. 1 ROUTE. 1. From the present terminus at Thornddn Quay along Sar Street, Rhodes Street, Barnard Street, Ann Street, Sefton Street, and William Street, to the present main road near, the entrance to the Grange; thence along the main road to tho post office, proposed terminus at Elizabeth Street. (This route was the one recommended by the New Zealand' Electric Company, and known as route "D.") Running distance, 166 chains. £ Earthwork ... ... ... 7,000 Permanent Way ... 1 ... .12,900 Purchase of Land 1,500 Overhead Equipment _ ... 3,000 i Feeders Underground in City 6,600 Feeders Overhead ... ... 1,800 ' . Boosters, Panels, Signals, etc.' 1,000 Contingencies ... ... 1,200' ' 1 £35,000 . 1 ' No. 2 ROUTE. 2. From a point on the existing tramway in Tinakori Road at Molesworth Street; alongStreet and Grant Road to tho Town Belt (where the trolley pole would require to bo reversed); thence through the Town Belt to a point on tho,main road opposite Mr. Tolhurst's property; thence through tho Queen's Park and through privato property to Elizabeth Street, Wadestown. The terminus would be located on ground belonging to. tho corporation, but which would reqmro to be filled in to the required, level. Running distance, 93 chains. '. . £ .Earthwork : ...■ ... 6,580 Permanent Way ... ... 6,066 ■ Purchase of Land ... 1,000 , Overhead Equipment • ... 2,100 Cables ...' , , ;.. ' • ~■ • ■•'• 6,536 Boosters, Panels, and Signals ; 1,000 . 'Contingencies ... ;.. ... ...; 1,718 ' . £25,000 . No. 3 ROUTE. .. ' 3. Commencing as-in route. 2, and extend- ; irig along Park Streot to Grant Road into • the Town Belt, thenco by a tunnel to a point; on the main Wadestown Road, nearly op--1 posito Woodward's Gully. To serve the pre--1 sent population of Wadestown, this route 1 would require to bo extended in an easterly 1 direction along the' main road to tho : post | office. - ~. ■ :t .'. i. Running distance,' 81' chains..... ; '. !v £ ' [ Tunnel and Approaches ... 40,000 )• -. . Earthwork (road widening' at ' • i' Wadestown'end) .*• .... 2,500 Permanent Way . ..; ... 5,952 Overhead Equipment ...'2,500 Cables ... " ... ... • 9,500 Boosters, Panels; and Signals 1,000 ■ Contingencies ... •••. . ... 2,548

. £64,000 Note.—Tho, tunnel estimated; for is similar to that constn'ictcd on the Ivilbirnio' route, ahd the cost allowed £750,, -per chain. From the tunnel excavation prooably £1600 to £2000 worth of metal may .be' expected to boootaincd for road-making, -oto. -■ THE ROUTE FAVOURED.' No. 2 route is facoured by the engineers. They review it in the following terms:— "The connection of a new lino to that oxisting in Molesworth Street is rather unsatisfactory to deal with. It can be done by con-, nectirig to the present .track in Molesworth Street, opposite Fitzherbert Terrace,' and a third.track continued along the outer track ,of existing. line; to, Park Street. ,In our opinion the best and most inexpensive connection would be inado in Tinakori Road, immediately beyond Park Street, at .which point .the cars wo.uld bo reversed. For tho - prosent it seoms-that it would be, better to make.Park Street the' terminus for ordinaryWadestown traffic. Gradients of about lin 15 can.be obtained froiri tho commencement of the route to the cutting opposite Mr. Tolhiirst's property..- , . i ; "Tho track from Grant Road to this latter point would bo cut through the Town Belt,.and facilities: exist for the,removal of. surplus spoil. From Mr. Tolh.urst's proporty tho track would be constructed at a grade of about 1 in 13.5 -tb George Street, Wadestown, the track being kept insido the Queen's Park and bolow the. level of the present road, and continued through Mrs.' Rhodes's property and the Highland Park Estate immediately below the present- road; Along this portion of the track it will be lieccssary to straighten up tho existing main road, and in one or two cases retaining walls may. be necessary. Tho level of the rails at George. Street', Wadestown, would be about 25 feet bolovr tho level of the main road at' that point. Tho track should then be continued across a gully through private property, and still below tho lovol of tho main road to Pitt Street, under which' it would be carried in a subway. From Pitt Street to Elizaboth Street we recommend'that privato properties bo purchased-having frontago to,.the main road to allow for the continuation of , the tramway track approximately parallel to and below the level of tho present: majn road to a proposed terminus at Elizabeth Street. , "We consider'the tramways to , out-lying districts with steep gradients and of such a character as any tramway to Wadestown must be, should preferably be placed off the roads carrying tho ordinal vehicular traffic. This advantage is ga,ined in the routo. now being considered, lhis route is more direct than that previously described at No.; 1. It will serve tho greater part of tho Highland Park Estate fairly, well, the greater , portion of the properties being within a half-mile of the entrance to the' Grange. The, grades are as satisfactory as can be obtained without tunnelling. The curves will be fairly, easy, and the line admits of extension to tho Wilton, Halswell, and other estates beyond the proposed present terminus. "Considerable earthwork ' will ho - required in alteration to the 1 main; road'to suit the line of the proposed ; We would: havo preferred to'avoid 'tile proposed bacK shunts in the Town Belt and at Molesworth Street but to do otherwise than proposed would, however, be costly, and the additional expense is, in our opinion, unjustifiable. If ■ at any as has been proposed,, the Ka-' 1 rori traffic is taken via Sydney Street, the curve at. tho junction of Molesworth Street and Tinakori Road should be altered and tho track taken across Tinakori . Road direct into Park Street."