ORDERLY MAZE OF LINES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 143, 18 June 1937, Page 22

ORDERLY MAZE OF LINES

The enormous and minutely equipped station would be of no value were it not for the station yard^ with its provision for handling the rolling stock on a basis consistent with the importance of i the!- terminus. Situated between Thorndon Quay, and Waterloo Quay, the yard is admirably placed- for'its purpose, especially, in its relation to the wharves in general, and in particular to the Aotea Quay extensions now completed, by, the Wellington Harbour Board. The old Thorndon station was three-quarters of a mile further down, while the new station is a shade closer to the city than even the old Lambton station. The taxi and luggage departments on the platforms which form the. link between, the yard and the station are almost opposite the ferry wharf. The taxi ranks of the station moreover front what will be the new arterial route to, Wellington from the north when the city's traffic is diverted over the Thorndon ramp.. Nearby is the head office garage.

The Thorndon Quay side of the yard between the station platforms and Davis Street, which will be.closed when the footbridge is built, is devoted chiefly to suburban passenger cars. This is the part of the yard which was formerly the oldr Lambton passenger yard. Suburban cars and trains can be shunted here from practically

toy part of the yard. On the Waterloo; Quay side is the express car yard, where there will be provision for the steam J heating of the carriages, their : watering, cleaning, and the replacing of linen in the sleepers; etc. Here there are eleven tracks. The provision for steam heating is required on account of the electrification of the locomotives to Paekakariki. With the steam locomotive the circulation of steam was a simple matter, but with the electric locomotives this does not apply. There is provision for an exchange yard, rendered necessary because sometimes perishable goods are sent by passenger trains. A special exchange "road" adjoins the passenger car yard, giving access to the goods yard. There is a special siding where mails can be unloaded under cover clear of all trains. There are bulk andother stores, a special dining room which supplies the car staff, lockers, etc. A cup sorting room is a necessity to deal with the large number of cups which come off the cars, and there is a drying yard for linen.

THREE MAIN LINES,

Outside the station platforms there are three main lines, one to Johnsonville which will be electrified, and which crosses the Hutt, Road by its own overbridge; near the Thorndon ramp, about a mile out, one for Auckland and intermediate traffic, and one for Wairarapa and intermediate places. About a mile and a quarter out from the station the single Auckland and Wairarapa tracks are made double. The Auckland line has been electrified as far as Paekakariki, but owing to difficulties in obtaining copper and steel,; J owing to the munitions demands. abroad, it has not been possible to complete the supply of locomotives, and for the time, being this/section will be run through the tunnels bjr steam. The Lower Hutt and Wairarapa line will continue to be run with steam engines.

On the Waterloo Quay side of this part of the yard there are a dining room and accommodation for the car shunters, and nearby are the work rooms for painters, fitters, carpenters, and others who will do the minor repairs on passenger cars.

The goods yard extends from the old Davis Street about three-quarters of a mile down to the Thorndon ramp. The principal features of the goods yard are three arrival sidings each capable of taking 75 wagons, and four, departure sidings each of the same capacity.-.. Adjoining the arrival sidings there are the "breaking up" sidings where the trains are split up, and handy to .the departure sidings are the marshalling sidings where the outward trains are made up, and between these activities there are exchange sidings, and run-around sidings for engine removals. These are all connected up with all tracks running to the wharves, while another set of sidings leads to the goods shed and local loading yard. The. goods shed contains three sidings, each about 450 ft long under cover. A travelling overhung jib crane runs the full length pt the building, enabling goods to be lifted to incfefrom__lorries_ iTheiegi^a^oodsßoffice«afethQ

south end of the shed handy to Waterloo Quay. Every facility is given for the handling of goods, including run-about cranes for use in the shed .yard.In a central position in the goods yard is the wagon shunters' shelter, containing a large dining room, lockers, etc., arid? ?. full conveniences such as showers. The foreman's office on the roof of this building, overlooks tlie whole of the yard, and there, is a locking, frame from which he -works the' points admitting to the arrival sidings, etc. . Alongside are lamp rooms, weighbridges, etc.

ROOM FOR-EXTENSION.

Along the Aotea ()uay side of the goods yard there is ample space for almost entirely duplicating the yard should it be required, and there is also a frontage of land, supplied with rail sidings, which is being let for warehouses. At present there are delivery sidings at Kaiwarra, which will in future not be worked.by passing trains, but by a special shunting engine which will run out from Wellington yard, and which will deal with tlie private sidings en route as well.

On one side of, the goods shed there will be two sidings for "cripples" or wagons needing

immediate attention, and will feed into the repair shed which forms partof the locomotive section. There are separate sidings in the'shed for carpenters,:fitters, etc.

Between the goods yard and the present Thorndon station, and the main lines, is the locomotive depot. This is partly completed, but can only be brought into full use when the new line replaces the line at present in front of the old station, over the site of which J the? new line will go. The complete depot will measure some 235 ft square. One of the features of the yard will be tlie elevated coal bin, to which wagons loaded with coal will be drawn on a grade of 1 in 5 by an electric winch and steel cable to a height of 32ft, there, discharging into the bin, which will feed the engine tenders from a shoot. This will enable engines to be coaled very rapidly. The main coal storage heap will run the full length of the siding.

Close to the locomotive depot is the sand-dry-ing plant. Sand, carried in a box on. all locomotives, is of the greatest value on grades, or where, engines have to start a heavy load. The sand as it is- received is dropped into a hopper from which it goes into the drier, and- thence into an overhead bin which is in a position suitable for supplying all incoming engines. In addition there will be'_a subsidiary sand plant for dealing with electric locomotives, into which the sand is fed at a lower elevation. The elevated coal and sand bins will not be in use until the Thorndon station is removed.

There is a special plant for dealing with ashes.

The repair sheds in this depot are placed in

such a way that it is equally easy to get electric and steam engines in and out of them. Water for the locomotives will not be obtained from the water mains, but from a special reservoiri" .to avoid - shortages in the case of a failure of the,water supply. Associated with the depot are the loco, foreman's office, and the loco. J and oil. stores, and there is, the usual complete : accommodation for the operatives; including storage for employees' cycles and motor-cycles. An innovation in the yards is the provision for the housing and repair of rail-cars, (which have come to fill quite a need^n suburban and other services.' Between the passenger car.yard and the location of Davis Street is the necessary building, where the running.repairs of,twelve rail-cars may? be effected, and there is provision for dealing in this way with eight more nearby. A turntable is provided for reversing the Wairarapa rail-cars; others do not require turning. The shed is convenient to all platforms. The turntable used for the Wairarapa rail-cars can also be used for the turning: of, passenger coaches. Wear, and the effect of the sunlight on the paint of one side of a car continuously, as well as the requirements of passenger traffic, make it necessary J? to , turn ■ these coaches periodically. Pits provide access to the rail-car mechanism, and there are hoists-: for the lifting of any part needing repairs. The shed is completely glassed in along both sides, and there is a skylight running the full length of the' building, with a special' type of ventilator in the roof. This building was erected by the designing engineer of the railways and his staff. The rail-car service was inaugurated. on the railways for the first time in July last year, with the "20" type, for the conveyance of passengers between Christchurch and tlie West Coast via the Otira tunnel.: This, type seats 20 passengers. Its power is derived from a Leyland-Diesel engine with a maximum capacity of 95 h.p. This regular service has been extended. The. second regular mail-car service was .inaugurated in August last year over the Wairarapa line which, on the Rimutaka incline, has a grade for three miles of lin 14. Previously all trains had been worked by Fell engines with X centre rail grip brakes. The rail-cars on this run have six wheels, with a bogie in front, and a drive on the two rear wheels, and seat 49 passengers. The 130 h.p. Leyland six-cylinder petrol engine has coil ignition and electric starting. The type was designed especially for the steep grades and short radius curves of this run. It is also extensively used in the Upper Hutt suburban traffic.