RAILWAY WORKS

Evening Star, Issue 19275, 14 June 1926, Page 6

RAILWAY WORKS

KENSINGTON SIDINGS FITTING IN WITH WORKSHOPS EXTENSION An important work has just been carried to completion as iar as possible in the meantime by the district railway engineer and bis staff. A new building measuring 200 ft by 120 ft, to be known as the steel 6 wagon and repair shop, is to be erected, as part of the Hillside Workshops extension scheme, on the ground that was for years occupied by the two sidings that served the local traffic at Kensington. Those two sidings have been done away with, and two new ones constructed—long sidings, giving room for eighty wagons. All the construction work of that alteration is now finished, and the new siding will be available for use as soon as the two necessary approach streets to Anderson’s Bay road aro made. This matter of tho approach streets is the subject of negotiations between tho Harbor Board, tho City Council, and the Railways Department. A satisfactory fact about the new sidings is that they stand on an ample area, eo that tho engineer can plan a third siding for seventy more wagons, or oven a fourth, when the traffic requires an extension. At present tho two now made will answer very well. NEW OVERBRIDGE CONNECTING MAIN HIGHWAY AND STREET PRELIMINARY WORK STARTED. A start has been made with the formation of one of the ramps that aro required in connection with tho overbridge which is to give access to the wharves from the Main Highway. The position of the overbridge is halfway between Hanover street and Frederick street. It is to cross the railway lines from the Highway to Ward street. The width will bo 60ft. Each of the two footways is to be Bft wide, leaving a roadway of 44ft. The approaches in tho Main Highway and in Ward street are to bo by two ramps each the length of a block; that is to say, the Highway ramp will be as long as the width from Hanover to Frederick street, and tho Ward street ramp will extend from Halsey street to what is shown on the plans as Wicklilfo street (as yet unformed). These ramps are designed for a width of 40ft, of which 32ft is taken up by the roadway and Bft by tho footpath. The grade of each is 1 in 2U, The bridge is to be built of reinforced concrete, probajily with a decking of Trinidad asphalt, though that is as yet subject to the requirements of the city engineer. Two spans aro shown on tho plans of the bridge, > no 31ft, the other 41ft. The underneath height of tho bridge is to be 14ft. Space is provided for two main lines of railway and two sidings under the bridge, with room for a third siding in tho future.

The main quantities in the bridge will bo about 1,500 cubic yards of concrete and about .seventy tons of steelwork, this latter mostly being for joists to set in the concrete.

By an arrangement which is mutually convenient and profitable, the spoil which has been dug out of the Hanover street sower by the City Corporation and deposited near to the site of the bridge will be available for the making of the ramps. Contractors have at various times also added to those clumps of spoil. All so deposited will he at the sendee of the district railway engineer, thus saving labor and expense. It is estimated that 30,000 cubic yards of filling will be needed for the ramps, and at present about 15,000 cubic yards of spoil lying handy. Drays are now carting material to the right place for starting tho ramps. That is a practical commencement of this important undertaking. This time of tho year is not the best for beginning such a job, since winter weather may be expected, and it so happens that this year the foreman of works has several other jobs on hand; but the ramp-making will bo pushed on according to circumstances. It is probable that a start will be made with the bridge-building in the coming spring. A concrete wall will, he necessary on tho line of the Highway to keep the ramp there from spilling into the Highway. This wall will be 7ft high. A start on it is to be made soon. No retaining wall is required for the Ward street ramp. There is plenty of room there for the spoil to spread in a natural batter.

The total cost of (he bridge and the supplementary work is put down approximately as £20,000.