WELLINGTON RAIL-YARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1937, Page 5

WELLINGTON RAIL-YARD

. IMPROVEMENT TN WORKING. [PER press association.] WELLINGTON, June 22. In contrast with the confusion which developed in the railway services operating from the new Wellington station yesterday, to-day’s time-tables were run reasonably to schedule. To obviate the chief cause of yesterday s dislocation— -difficulty in securing engines from the sheds up to time —the Railway Department temporarily increased the staff. Men of all sections of the service co-operated with enthusiasm to prevent a recurrence of the disruption and, in spite of the handicap of uncompleted yard facilities. they were able to handle the traffic with little inconvenience to the travelling public. During the evening suburban rush period, some trains arrived or departed a few minutes late, bm otherwise passengers had little to complain of. >

At present only one road is available from the engine sheds to the lines giving access to the platforms and the staff did well to get the locomotives out in lhe manner they did. The main lines in and out of the station, two down and two up, are not. yet in rhe designed positions and could not have been moved before the Thorndon station closed, as one is to go right over the site of the Thorndon platforms. A gang of 200 men is working on Ulis job at present. As soon as possible lhe rest of the yard will be laid out as lhe plans prescribe. The final lay-out provides for four roads from the engine depot to the station. Had these been ready yesterday the trouble could sooner have been overtaken. “I should like to make it clear, said the District. Traffic Manager (Mr. W. Schierning this evening, “that the reasons ascribed in my statement about last evening’s delay do not reflect upon the locomotive crews. It is true, as I stated, that lhe delay originated with an engine that should have been out of the shed earlier than it was, but this was by no means the fault of the locomotive men. This should be made clear, in case of any misunderstanding by the public. The locomotive staff has worked willingly and extraordirnr”y ■'’•Ml to bring about the change-o- ,-serves every credit for die important part its members have played.”

The General Manager of Railways (Mr. G. H. Mackley), in a statement this morning, said that there was no defect in the lay-out. of the station yard, which would not. be altered, nor was the delay yesterday attributable to a defect in the locomotive which caused the initial trouble. The congestion was caused entirel.v by their inability during the change-over to provide in tho time at their disposal more than one road between the locomotive depot and the station. There were 2ou men busily engaged now providing the necessary roads, which would give greater frequency of movement as between the platforms and the locomotive depot. This could not be done in 21 hours. He indicated that (he inconvon-ienee would be temporary but unavoidable. The main lines had still to be shifted over, and could not be shifted until the Thorndon station had been dismantled. When the.main lines had been shifted there were five additional roads to c o down.