HUTT VALLEY TRAMWAYS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 148, 17 March 1908, Page 8

HUTT VALLEY TRAMWAYS

full' details' of the scheme. 7 REPORT BY THE ENGINEERS. , - COST, ESTIMATED AT £85,766 'VThe proposal for a Hutt Valley tramway' scheme, which lias been in tho air for somo time past; has now taken definite form, and . . . below wo print tjie report of the engineers • /; to Lower and Petone /Borough Coun-. > .7 cjls,-Messrs. H. Rix-Trott and W. H. Cook, \ ■■- who-wero instructed some time back to'draw ; up a scheme. for submission to the Joint -. Tramway Committee appointed by the two , bodies to. go. into'the-matter. ■:■, ■ ■: ■ , i March 10, 1908 To tho Chairman and Members of the Tram- '' way Committee. .'iV '. '-.V -i*.-,-. . Gontlemon,—ln accordance with your m'i.:- structions to prepare a scheme for tramways ; in tho above-named boroughs, 1 -we have tho , honour to'submit: the. following:—... • ' ' ' ROUTES The routes >shownm colours upon the ac- . - companying'tracing' were .agreed) to at'the . ; last • meeting) of . .your. committee, and aro ' scheduled as'-hereunder':—.; {' ; ■ ■ ' " ■ >. Y . - Chains. From (Petono Railway Station via Jack-. , •'.'■ son Street to.Cuba Street. ...'■' -...'7o.' W- ;■ ? From'' Jackson • Street',via' Cuba, Street. to 1 , ■ •/ 1 j :■'. vj White's Lino .■ ... .55 From.Cuba.Streot via Jackson.Street to; ' i Hutt Park 78 From Pctono Railway : Station via Mam . ' road-to White's Lino '63 ' ' From:,'White's"Line via 1 - Mam Road to , Hutt'Railway, Ration ... ',47i'.'i *>Frbm-'Hutt ; .Railwa,A. Station'via -.. ' The. .-. , . ;• Avenue to Railway Hotel •: 20 I ■ From White's . Line via Victoria Street . .■ to Railway, Hotel -. ;...; ... u 53 ~ From Railway Hotel via Main Road to . -"v-',Bridge (west end). .'..v ... 91 < From,Bridgo to Feist's Comer ... : .8 From '.-Feist's ■ Corner via Main Road to sl'ark Avcuuo -... '. ii ....177 From Main Road via-Mid. Waiwetu Road to Back Wanvetu Road, '-... ... 108 : ■ ■ \ .-! -From Hutt Park via' Racecourse Road to i White's Lino ... '... ... ... 62 ' - - IJrom White's Lino via Bellovue Gafdens. : - to Feist's Comer ■ ... ' ... ... 72 ' : : ' • ■ From, Main Road to 1 Park-Avenuo " ./. - 35 Allowances/tor y turnouts': and'J: passing ''-'A places ( . . . 43 " Or 11 miles '20 chains ... ... 900 METHODS'OF TRACTION After;,; carefully';,.considenng,'.; :the." various ; mothods adepted at Homo and von.-the Con/tinehfe)ve'havesdecided:tliat'inrvi(!w;;of..tho, '•:.-'.possible'linking iip in ,tho •futUTe-of-ihe-tram-jvN-V; ''-jvay, WelHhgtbn ' andHhisidistrict;.. : v ■" • ■ no•.other 'than the overhead trolley system, as'prevails m .tho city, would - meet thi'j rc- :•• ■ •' quirement; we have therefore.based our esti-' ■: of.'costs :',upbn "this'system : 'j CONSTRUCTION 'OF PERMANENT WAY ' •-.. •We propose to adopt what is known as the :.<••: -' " sleeperrconstruction,". and to' Utilise: a rail 68lDt!. .per ; '>lineal''^oirdspikiad'..to' Aiiistrdlian■' sleepers,'/.these'' latter being ■■- : spaced at 2ft. 6in. centres, and bedded on a ' ■•layer: of Abroken metal: ballast, .which, v.'ill bo- •:, ■ brought.up.flush with the rails,^'-well.rolled to solidity ; and' th'p' top . surfa'ce.;finished' with tari . 'and> sand. -Tliosrails will belaidrto -a' gauge- : of ,4ft. : Tlie. line, which is,-practically level throughout, will .bo single;<with tlie necessary ,turri6utis, r and 'for; tho ■ purpose's -of e^tiraatiug; :•; -...-. tho . cost, of tho mileage, wo have allowed ...-twenty-eight of tho position 1 of-which , are shown upon,the accompanying tracing, sc-••Hie; track.can.be so laid- that, duplication : can ibe .carried out without difficulty over tho' W. "''."greater;leri^h'; ( without ..the'necbssiiy of . mg extra polest. : : . ■;.■■ ■■ OVERHEAD,EQUIPMENT v . vriras.<sirill: be..suspended ••'from. •V: ■ brackets attached: to,hardwood poles, having hexagon/bases sft. -from ground; ilevfil;: ■ tho romaimng l portion being' : rounded. In a: , ■:•. .few. insEanees where the streets are narrow it," w:ll.bo,necessary;to have-poles on"jeither-sido, and to> carry ithe- .trolley..wires ifrom- span • •. - wires.'. ''••. ....'v :";.v r '.{'l'v'" 1 "' : -r. ..'■ ,The -poles when painted should not form . - ( . an -unpleasantly , conspicuousj,feature.! of tlie • .- system.,,-Includedin-tho,estimate<under this heading allowanco has .been- made for , junc- ; • . tion boxes, ,bnck chambers, cables,, and Vvood- - troughing,--together'• ; .with.-4he- items; me'ntioned in tho preceding paragraph. CARS. ■ 'I x - It'is proposed to obtain .ten cars of, variable ~ :types..v The .combination rand , cldsed-in c*r^ • ; are a necessity ■ during 'the (winter■' months;' ~ . whereas the. double-deckcar 1 favbured, . ,moie especially, for long .'distonca jemraey*, ( ' during the.'sjimmer months' arid' holiasjs. --In dealing with, this question, " spares " to ..take v..'. the place of those under trepair;:,haT'e.''not : -been overlooked, thereforo there should lie at"! .. . "least eight :cars (always available. ,- We have .. not,.mado allowance - for " trailers," which', can-be /procured if .found ;necessary:• 'i 1 POWEIt STATION, PLANT, ETC. ■ .: v Wo. propose' .to erect the: power- station -brick or concrete uponi a-./site as' : nearly' con-! ;;i';;.;toal^-in?:thej''system v as . , uoon - later.--< : We» have Tallowed for,:, tho pur- ■ cnaso .of i an area of .land' arid fbr the , erec- , ; tira: ; ; 'pf'y : substaritiarvhrit Vnot .: , ' buildings; • engines,'bbilers, generators:jwould; p.;';', •bo erected ,in duplicate, the ,sum' put down •";for'_this: i is;'^o''b6fiev6i' ; : ample.: ; .Tlie car Sheds'. bF :■' and workshops ' will;.be'^erected'-ingalvanised iron; a.store,-foreman's:officej ana:'cieaftin'g' : are'; also -.provided ' in, .the ; festimifcs.' Wo are of the;o'piniori'fthat:'sigriallihg''ap- ' . . paratus will bo reouired. in • some places, ' :''.certainly in connection . with, that portion of :f ;;'• v the line between the Railway Jloteland ./.<••( Feist's -Conier; fprpvision has: thereforo: been . mido for.'this. •-. - . - -'; • _• \ ESTIMATED COST. . ' >v.V) liereunder wo, submit a schcdulci .of cost ' , : for. ono milo and. for tho' elcven and a', quarter .- (lli) miles',^togetherwith^^'the'totals' for the- ' . various : biiildings, etc. : '•: - . ', ■ ''i '. - 'r?-. ■-. Porma'nent way, ll j .milos,Vat £3735 . .'' •' P" r railo ; ' ;W. , ... £42,019 Overhead equipment, at.£ll6B per. .. > • , Boosters,' signals,-etc. ; ,V.; SGO- - ;,- '--P6wer'>h'ouso : :aAd'plant./- ...9,000 1 i, Ten 'cars',v ; ': ' v.v.v:^. ; :. ' v.U... ' 9,000 .:. v.■•' Car -;shed - pits; arid,, equipirient fv : ..•;;i J 9OO 1 . 'WaitiilgVs'tatioris'' '■: .250 :. ; .vLand'..:.J;, 1,200 * - ' • £77,009 - ...Engineenrig .-charges,'l'clerical/; and' : ' 7i . ;/ pontirigencies, etc.,; 10'per;.cont...' ' .7,700. - , £84,709 ■•'■: .'."Promoting* Bill, Praising.'loan,' etc;,- - - : >' '. '■ estimatskl , .. ... ,1,057 '. : 'V /v£85,766 ' This gives an average cost .per mile of tramway;,laid. complete at ; £7602 13s. 6d.' OPERATING EXPENSES. .We have taken - into consideration under ■Xl'}. this"; Heading tho necessary staff-for- efficiently working.tho mileage of.tramways r.iider consideration, and in doing so ,have : allowed for • management, \ electricians, engine-drivers, motormen, -conductors,; cleaner's, repair fore- ; manj . track men,; arid all generating ex-,' , which ; we estimate will amount to £5000 psr annum. To; this amount ..must .be vadded interest,- sinking fund,, and deprecia-' tion, the totals of which arc as follow:— . Operating:expenses as above ' .... £5000 .. Interest at' 4.} on. £85,766'; ' . ... , 3860 / Sinking fund, 2 per cent. 1715 ~ - Depreciation, 2 per. cent. :...' , 1715 Total annual charge ... ■ \ ... £12,290 REVENUE. . • .Tliis'has_ required very careful consideration, as it is generally from the revenue-pro- .- ' ducing point of view that the. success sought for is criticised. We would therefore particularly. draw your ' attention to; th'ei_ fact • that whilst all -other schemes : previously brought .; forward dealing: with tramways in' ( ' - these-districts 1 have'been based on a revenue producing from 20s. to 30s. per head per annum, wo havo taken the low figure, of 18s.

per_ head per for a population, of 11,500, made up as follow:—' ' Petono and Lower Hutt ... ...£IO,OOO Epum Hamlet and outlying districts tapped by trams ... ... ... 1,500 '1 • ■ £11,500 Tho total estimated revonuo on the abovowill bo £10,450, or at tho rate of 4.15 pence per week per-head of population. Wo are, : as'you', all must be, cognisant of tho fact that 1 holiday .trailic will, materially assist tho revenue.' Wo thereforo feel confideiititbat; tho 'above rates will'bo maintained and:'probably ■ exceeded.* vWol suggest that tho,routes might :bo divided ; into, fourteen one penny sections; these are sliown upon' tho, tracing .tinted'in colours'. Deducting the revenue 'as given above, viz-i £10,i50 from the annual expeiidj,turo of .'£12,290, the loss' over the first year's 'working,will be£lS4o. Should tho-4 per cent, allowed: for'sinking , fund and depreciation bo, deducted, tho estimated profit; would' bo £1590,- or 1.47 pence per car mile. _ This is calculated;upon, a car/mileage of 259,600, . per annum.; Tho operating works put at *4.63 penco por car mile, , while' interest, sinking tund, and'depreciation, account for 6.74 pence per car mjle,' giving a total of 11.37' pence per 'car mile. . ; Trie revenue is ;equal to 9.66 pence , per car mile, 'whichy.deducted from the ex- : ponditure,leaves a -loss of 1.71 pence .per' car mil6!on.,thc( first .year's operation. : fii estimating tho.;car, miloago wo havo allowed for a .fifteen (15). minuto' serviee in th,e business portion of both boroughs, with a seven ■and a, half minute ■ service during tho busiest hour, and-an of thirty (30) minutes .for- other , parts." -We have also, taken into consideration,tho Sunday and holiday servico likely'.tb bo; required.. GENERAL. ' ' In conclusion we. wish to point out-that the'.estimates before{,ypu have'been' based upon, present conditions', and we would draw your';'attention to "tho "fact that ' should a' 'Tramway Board bo formed, powers should bo fought'.to, enable,'the,board to purchaso/existing pleasure grounds or sites, for forming ;such,'which would "tend to induco an increased ' traffic on' holidays, Sundays, - and summer evenings,': thus augmenting' the sourcos of revenue. , Another important fact which would riot ,be overlooked'is ihe.largo area of' lands available for'building purpoMs. ia both boroughs; '.which' : would: soon , built over, wero there and ready'nieaas'of transit to and from !-the.railway'"stotrons. ,' ; W.e have: the honour to be, gentlemen, your 'obediont-'ssryants,-.. • ■■'■■/ HK.VRY.RIX-TROTT, ' .Borough Engineer, Lower Hutt. W H COOK, .'.i; • Borough. Engineer, Petoue.