AFTER SOME YEARS

Grey River Argus, 1 July 1925, Page 4

AFTER SOME YEARS

ELMER LANE WORKSHOPS Work to Proceed OTHER RAILWAY CHANGES. Definite information has been received in Greymouth that the long-contem-plated railway workshops at Elmer Lane are to be proceeded with, and the work will be commenced forthwith. This is no doubt a result of the visit of the various Railway officials last week. The proposal to transfer the Railway workshops to Elmer Lane was fust mooted some years ago, and was to be one of the many big changes to be expected when the Otira Tunnel was opened, but for various reasons it has been hung up. Mr J. O’Brien has frequently brought the matter up in Parliament, ami the Borough Council and Chamber of Commerce have agitated for it repeatedly. On one occasion it was the subject of a protest from the Ratepayers’ Association to the Borough Council Mid the Chamber of Commerce, on the grounds that the transference of the workshops to Elmer Latte would cause a smoke nuisance to residents in the locality. During the next week three “Q” engines will arrive in Greymouth in order to cope with the ever-increasing traffic through the Otira Tunnel. Last week’s tunnel traffic, approximated 9000 tons. Last evening a class “F” engine arrived direct front Christchurch, and under her own steam. This engine has been purchased by Messrs Stuart and Chapman front the Railway Department for their private line at Ross, and will leave for its destination at 9.50 o'clock this morning. The engine now in use on Messrs Stuart and Chapman's line (a class “C” engine) will be brought back to Greymouth, and will be usetl in the Harbour Board’s development work, which (as announced in the “Argus” last week) is to be carried out by the Railway Department.