RAILWAYS ENTERPRISE

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 April 1937, Page 7

RAILWAYS ENTERPRISE

WELLINGTON’S NEW STATION

OPENING DATE FIXED

[PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

CHRISTCHURCH, April 19. Cabinet has fixed June 19 as the date for the official opening of the new railway station at Wellington. The ceremony will be performed by Lord Galway at 10.30 a.m. Phis ainonncement was made by Mi Sum van to-day. „ ~ “Before leaving Wellington sa d th Minister. “I took the opportunity to inspect the capital city’s, new station, and! was delighted with what 1 “The building is fast approaching completion, and has reached the stage where one may gain some adequa conception of the huge amount of work entailed in (this undei taking, and the very high degree of architectural and engineering art and the excellence of workmanship, which have been displayed in design and erection of this _ great business sti uctii , which I believe is destined to he the most important centre ot the dominion’s transport.” SOUTH- ISLAND ..EXPENDITURE GOOD SHARE FOR CH.CH. CHRISTCHURCH, April 16. Some details of a contemplated expenditure of £850,000 in the South Island bv the Railways Depaitment were furnished to-day. by the Minister for Railways (Hon. D. G. Sullivan). The items mentioned by the Minister form part of the Department s £3,500,000 programme of new works, renewals,' and replacements for the financial year which commenced on April 1. In addition to a large expenditure in the Christchurch district, it is proposed to expend appreciably large sums elsewhere in the South The expenditure at Christchurch would fall under the following heads, said the Minister:—

Christchurch new station (including £lO,OOO for signal and electrical facilities) .. 160,000 Addington Workshops, new buildings and plant .. • • 4.„vou Christchurch railway district, track renewals • • • • ,vov Christchurch, new turntable.. 1.4U0 Christchurch, loud speakers on station platform and electrical facilities 350 Woolston, outside loading shelter 510 NEW ROLLING STOCK. The Minister added that considerable additions to the Department s present rolling stock were planned, along with substantial improvements to the existing equipment. Provision had accordingly been made, in the rolling stock building programme tor the following new stock for the South Island: —

6 “K” locomotives. 20 56ft passenger cars. 5 56ft luggage vans. 461 waggons of various types, including 120 four-wheeled sheep waggons, and 300 new steel general merchanise open goods waggons of the general utility type. S road motor-buses and one parlour coach. Other large items of expenditure in which the South Island would participate included £159,000 for bridge strengthening and renewal, £BO,OOO for grade easements in various localities, and £13,000 for the installation of hotwater service in railway dwellings. In addition, the programme proposed included, said the Minister, many improvements affecting South Island stations, such a station rearrangements, extensions of crossing loops to take longer trains to be handled by the use of more powerful locomotives, improved stockyard facilities, water service improvements, more up-to-date facilities at locomotive depots, new and improved goods sheds, new turntables and improved telephone and telegraph circuits, signalling facilities and safety appliances. The Minister said that full details of -the Departmental estimates had been furnished to him by the General Manager for Railways (Mr Mackley). and that Cabinet would give consideration to the same in due course. The Minister said that the programme for the expansion of railway facilities would apply to both islands.