MAKING A START

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 136, 9 June 1926, Page 10

MAKING A START

PALMERSTON NORTH DEVIATION

CUTTING OUT THE SQUARE

PEOPOSED STATION AND YARDS.

Arrangements are now being made to purchase the necessary land for the deviation of the line and new station yard. Tho survey is in hand, and will be completed in about three months. When this is done arrangements will be made to start the earthworks. Designs for a new passenger and shunting yard at this important centre have been prepared, particular attention having been given to facilities for the marshalling and sorting of wagons. The existing yards are very congested, and inadequate for tho growing business. In these- words —characteristically brief and to the point—the Minister of Railways (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coates), in his annual statement to Parliament last session, summed up the intentions of the Department in regard to the proposed Palmerston North deviation. ' It will probably bo some time before the proposed deviation is completed, but, acting on the principle that everything must have a small beginning, the Railway Department has already made a commencement on the earthworks, and at present some of Palmorston North's unemployed arc engaged on tho site of the deviation. It is true that there are only a few men on the job— fifteen were at work yesterday when a representative of "Tho Post" visited the locality; but considering tho fact that a start was not made until 2nd June, good progress has already been made. It has been necessary for the Railway Department to acquire a fairly large area of land on the outskirts of Palmerston North, and hero it is proposed to erect a new station, an engine depot, and a goods sorting yard. The necessity for improved yarding facilities at Palmerston North has been patent for somo years. Palmerston North is one of the most important links in the North Island railway system, and as the North Island traffic grows so will the importance of tho town become greater. At present Palmerston North i; the central distributing point for traffic from the Wellington, Wairarapa, Napier, Main Trunk, New 7 lymouth, and Foxton lines, and increases in through traffic may be expected. In his statement in 1924 Mr. Coates stated that tho increase in through traffic requiring facilities for marshalling and sorting wagons for the various lines might bo put down at 100 per cent, in twelve and a half years. It is generally agreed—the Minister has admitted it himself—that the present yards at Palmerston North are extremely congested,°and quite inadequate for the business to be handled. If those are the existing conditions, it majr be judged how very necessary improved facilities will be in tho course of a few 3rears. THE NEW ROUTE. It is quito impossible to carry out any of the much-needed improvements on the present station and yards site, and the only alternative was to, shift the present station from the town. According to the plans which have bee* -prepared by the Department, tho present railway line will deviate at Longburn Junction, and proceed across to Boundary road, which runs parallel to, and about a milo and a half distant from, the present lino. It will join up with the Main Trunk line at Kelvin I Grove, a little over a mile from the present point at which the route to Auckland turns off from the -Napier line. There will be a junction station at Kelvin Grove, and the Napier line will make a deviation to tho eastward, joining up with the original line at Whakaronga. The new passenger sta^ tion will bo situated between Gillespie's line and Bangitikei line, so that passengers arriving at Palmerston North will be landed about a mile and a half from the centre of the town. No doubt taxi-proprietors and the Borough Council will see to it that they are well supplied with means of transport. The goods sorting yard wi. be established on an area of land between Eangitikei line and Milson's line. There is ample space there for tho .provision of adequate facilities, and complaints of congestion should not bo heard for very, very many years to come. Somo doubt exists at present as to the actual locality of the engine depot. On the plan issued in 1924 the depot was,shown on the southern side of Gillespie's line, but whether that plan will be adhered to or not has not been disclosed. ELIMINATING LEVEL CROSSINGS. Once the deviation is completed and the trains are actually running on the new line, residents of Palmerston North will hear no more the familiar tinkle of the bell that at present heralds the approach of a train through the Square. It will be possible to cross from one side of.. Palmerston to the other without stopping and looking out for the engine, for the deviation will result in the removal of the present lines through tho town. As is indicated above, Palmerston North is one of the busiest centres in New Zealand so far as railways are concerned, and the fact that all trains run through the Square has been a disadvantage. For that reason alone, residents of the district will no doubt welcome the deviation. There are other advantages as well. Terrace End has always been regarded as a dangerous level crossing, and the prospect of that crossing beii g eliminated will be welcomed. Tho new railway line will cross throe streets, but it is understood that the Department proposes to do away with 'evel crossings and erect overhead bridges.It is probable that the deviation will result in some changes in the general lay-out of Palmerston North, and those who are fortunato enough to own sections in the vicinity of the proposed now railway station may be expected to benefit. A "Post" representative spoke to one gentleman who recently purchased a quarter-acre section close t) tho proposed, goods sorting j->.rd for £200. Just the other day he was offered £250 for the section. Ho refused, to sell.