HILLSIDE WORKSHOPS

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 6, 2 October 1926, Page 9

HILLSIDE WORKSHOPS

TO BE MAIN LOCOMOTIVE BASE Dominion Special. Dunedin, October 1. Nearly £300,000 will be involved in the reconstruction of the Hillside Railway Workshops, for which tenders are due to close on November 30 Since February the preparatory work of clearing away the old buildings for the site of the massive concrete and steel shops to be erected has proceeded smoothly. At present a little preliminary work is being carried out. A covering is now being built between the blacksmiths’ and fitters’ shops, and that area will be utilised as a substore, toolroom, coppersmith’s shop, and foremen’s offices. All the new chimney-stacks for the furnaces have been completed. Tenders have not yet been called for the electrical equipment at Hillside. It .s tlie intention of the Railway Department to electrify the new works and instal the most modern types of machinery. For the present tlie work of clearing the sites will proceed, but as soon as the successful tenderer is announced Hillside will be the scene of great activity. Tlie reconstruction of the shops will be carried out under a scheme that will allow the engineering work to continue without interruption through the construction. ( Hillside is to be the main locotno five shop for the South Island, Addington being the car and wagon shop Manv men are to be transferred from Hillside to Addington and vice versa, but so far no announcements have been made as to the number and the period over which the transferences will be spread.