RAILWAY WORKS IN CANTERBURY

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 218, 10 June 1926, Page 6

RAILWAY WORKS IN CANTERBURY

NEW YARDS AT MIDDLETON LYTTELTON TUNNEL ELECTRIFICATION ry Telegbafh.—Pbess Association. Christchurch, June 9. The new railway marshalling yards at Middleton are now definitely taking shape. All the earthwork has been finished and the men have started to lay rails for 15 sidings. Over 70 men have been engaged there, but now that the earthworks are finished some of the casual labour will be dismissed, as plate-laying requires men who are experienced in such work. To-day an officer of the Railway Department stated that it would be possible to complete the Middleton yards in a year, but the Department wished to synchronise the work with that being done at Lyttelton and the Lyttelton tunnel. A large number of men is at present employed making alterations at Addington. Some old buildings are being removed in preparation for the new car and wagon shops which will be erected there. The tenders for these shops will close in November. The board which was appointed to go into the quesion of ascertaining whether to electrify only the Lyttelton tunnel or from the tunnel itself into Lyttelton, or the whole of the line from the port to Christchurch, has completed its observation, and will report to the Minister shortly. Plans have been made for minor alterations at Lyttelton, but these will be done by the Railway Department’s own men. It is expected that this work will be started in two months time. At present alterations are being carried out at the Gladstone pier. Quite shortly it is hoped to run motor rail cars on the Lyttelton-Christ-church line. Three have been sent to Invercargill, where they have been running for some time, but no report has yet been received about them. Tn future railway carriages are to be painted “Midland led” instead of the present “Pullman green.” Several other minor alterations are being made, all of which should improve railway travelling for the public.”