ROSLYN TRAMWAYS.

Evening Star, Issue 18256, 21 April 1923, Page 4

ROSLYN TRAMWAYS.

STATEMENT BY OR SCOTT. MARKED IMPROVEMENTS CLAIMED. At a meeting arranged to bo hold in the Wakari Hall last night under tho auspices of tho Dunedin Citizens’ League, Cr W. A. Scott (chairman of tho Tramways Committee) was to have spoken on tho subject of the Uoslyn trams. Unfortunately there was a very small attendance, and it was not thought advisable to go on with tho mooting. Subsequently Cr Scott handed the following statement to our representative : ROPE TROUBLES. “ Tho Roslyn service was taken over by the city on February 1, 1921. The rope then in had run thirty-nine weeks. This was a flattened ■awm! r 0".., .lit!',cult to splice, and was removed. The next rope, was put in on ivbuv.h of, and ran sixty-two weeks. The present, rope was mil; in m June, 1922. The average life of a ropo is sixty-eight weeks, based on figures taken from 1905 up to now. 11, has been tho practice to have a new rope, at tho power-house nine months after tho previous one was put in, which is usually six months before it is required, in September, 1922, the engineer was instructed to prepare specifications for a new rope. His report was submitted to the committee on October 4- and confirmed. Tho following day we unexpectedly had our first ropo trouble. Wo got prices for a now rope cabled out, and on November 11, 1921, wo accepted quotations for a While Cross rope.. This ropo is now ready to put in the line, and, despite unavoidable delays, it is only a littlo over nine months since tho previous ropo was installed.

“ The highest price for ropo for Roslyn was £I,BOO. Tho landed cost of the present rope is £983. To have bought on the highest market and kept a ropo in stock for months, lying idle, would have laid the council open to serious criticism, considering that such a situation as this had not arisen before. In the light of recent experience tho committee has adopted the policy of ordering another rope as soon as a new rope has been installed. “ Tho committee’s policy has over been to bring the Roslyn rolling stock and permanent way np to the same standard as Mornington. To gain this result wo have already spent a largo amount of money. Wo have taken £2,250 out of the renewal fund each year, plus £1,412 by which wo have overdrawn tho renewal account, making a total expenditure in the two years of £5,972. The present"year the committee has agreed to 'the overdrawing of the renewal account to the extent of £5,000, which moans tho present year's expenditure can bo £3,523, plus £2,250, or a total of £5,778. This expenditure should enable the committee to make very decided improvements during tho coming year. Ropo trouble was the fly in tho ointment. With the installing of tho new rope wo hope to remove the fly and maintain a regular time-table. “ This line from the time wo owned it has boon gradually improved. Wo carried out the same procedure when wo took over Mornington, but there wo had no ropo trouble.

“ The running of the Roslyn line bristles with difficulties compared with Kaikorai and Mornington, the electric and Kaikorai Valley sections always being run at a loss. Tin's lino has been run by other companies and syndicates, and I do not think any one of them ever made it pay. Yet under city management wo show a profit of £lB7 and £4lO for the first two years and give a more frequent service. “ One of the great difficulties which (ho committee has to overcome is the peak-load hour. Tho people who come down during tho slacker part of the day very often want to go home during the hour between 5 and 6 o’clock. A representative of tho Press was afforded tho opportunity of thoroughly inspecting this line. This led to the writing of a leading article, in which it was staled: •It is not overstating the case to assert that the popular belief in tho past fortnight has been that matters have been going from bad to worse with tins line. From facilities that have been afforded us by tho tramways management v/e are in a position to combat that view. Prom an engineering aspect the Koslyn system is being restored to efficiency.’ Now this restoration started as soon as the lino was taken over, and lias gone on apaco up to tho present time. An old employee, with over fifteen years’ experience, stated at this timo that the undergoar had never been in such good condition.

“ The time-table run by the old company has boon considerably improved. For instance, a ton minutes’ service replaces the old fifteen minutes' service between 7 a.m. and p a.m. Thorn is practically a four minutes’ service between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. instead of the old five minutes’ service. An improved service is also run on Saturday at midday. A twenty minutes’ service is run in the mornings from Maori Hill, instead of the thirty minutes’ nm by the company. This is only the first step towards giving better facilities to the, hill people, to reach their business. Wc get at least four passengers to Die junction and back for every one that rides tho whole way. POSSIBLE NEW HILL LINE.

“ With the available rolling stock and plant very little improvement can be effected. Before building additional cars and increasing the plant the council must bo satisfied that it is not possible to construct a line direct to Maori Hill. In the event of the construction of this hue the cable lino would be afforded such relief that tho present cable plant would meet all requirements for somo years.

“If this new line cannot be constructed, then the committee will immediately go inlo the question of improvements on tho Roslyn cable and electric linos in order to meet (bo cvcr-incrcasing load. It may bo necessary io divide tho lino at Hie top of the bill. The idea is to give a more frequent service. We recognise that it is impossible to run big cars on this line, and my idea to get over (ho overcrowding would bo to run a speedier service. Tho traffic now warrants a two and n-Jialf minutes’ in crush times. The department is now asking the Government for the rigid to put a crossover at tho junction. When this permission is granted the two and a-lialf minutes’ service will bo installed, and thus relievo the congestion at the crush limes. “ The Roslyn tram service has been a difficult problem to us since first wo look it over. The improved service that the committee lias already installed has afforded a certain amount of relief. I would like Hie residents to remember that tho ears arc not always overcrowded—in fact, (he average number of passengers carried per (rip does not exceed fifteen, whereas we have seating accommodation for thirty-two. Since tho installation of the last ropo (ho percentage of time lost through all stoppages has amounted to 1.58 per cent, of traffic hours, therefore there has boon about one and c-haff chances in 100 of not gelling a car. With tho previous ropo tho chances were one in 500.

"With regard io tho electric lino, I think we can confidently claim that the service lias been well maintained, and tho rolling stock is in belter condition limn for years.

“ Anyone conversant with the construction of the Roslyn lino will know the difficulties wo have to rent end with in the conduit on account of it being too shallow. This moans it js extremely difficult to keep the rope off (lie. bottom of name if it is running the least bit slack. Tho question umv be asked, Why not deepen tho conduit? The answer to this is that it would ho more difficult and eodly than to reconstruct tho lino. Extensive repairs have been made to one of the boilers, and extensive alterations are being made to the, foundations of tho driving plant, and willjic carried out without interruption to traffic. New points have been put m at Rattray street, and this crossover improved, part of the Crown Hotel curve has been improved, the track liar, been raised and lined up in many places, a new crossover has been made and installed at the Knikorai terminus, and at the present time we are making a new crossover for the Highgate shunt. OTHER LINES. “ I have already stated that the committee looks for the proposed line to Maori Hill via Pitt street to give relief to the Roslyn service. The 'electors can accept my definite assurance that immediately cm the consent of the Government being obtained a workable scheme will be put before the ratepayers for their sanction. “ When the new drive on tho main Morning’ton lino is installed, which will enable another (lummy and trainer to bo used and the rope to travel ten miles instead of eiglu, thus providing a Tnofe frequent .service, this may induce a few to travel on this route rather than Roslyn, and when tho Mornington lino is carried through to Kcnmuro road a large number of people will travel on it that live in the Belleknowes district. FINANCE. “ Tho first year the corporation controlled this line tho receipts were £2,868 higher than the earnings of the company. This enabled {he department to carry out more work

than wns anticipated. During the last tw6 years an endeavor has been made to bring this line into first class working condition* “ Wo have spout a lot of money on ro* pairs and painting at tho power house and car sheds. Three of the cars have been thoroughly overhauled and practically re* built, the fourth car is now at tho city depot receiving 'similar treatment. “ Amongst the works contemplated is the installing of electric lighting, though to equip tho cars' willi this 'system is expend sive.

“ When tho question of Hie ability of the engines to carry the load was queried I was informed by one of tho best authorities in New Zealand that the engines were in thoroughly good condition, and were capable of carrying the load for some time to come, as there was a good margin between the actual load that is being carried and the load that the engines were capable of taking. Another ’diiliculty that we have to contend with is that the rails aro of n bad design and an obsolete typo, so it is impossible for the fishplates when bolted up to remain tight. Arrangements for welding tho joint# arc in hand.

” Wc have taken over a non-paying concern and made it yield a profit. The rolling' stock, plant, and permanent way have been vastly improved, and a more frequent service has been provided. Our other can only toll you whnt they are going to do if they got*in. Wo have told you what we have done after we have been in.”