RAILWAYS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 October 1924, Page 7

RAILWAYS.

OTHER WORKS. In addition to the extracts from the Minister’s proposals published on page 5 the report of the Chief Engineer includes tile following : The report of the Chief Engineer includes the following: New Plymouth. “The New Plymouth Harbour Board proposes to seek authority to raise a loan of £600,000 for the construction of wharves at Moturoa. The new wharves will be equipped with sheds, and the business now dealt with at the railway sheds at New Plymouth wall then be dealt with at Moturoa. The construction period will extend over six years. In the meantime, to cover this period’ with its growing traffic, additional accommodation at New Plymouth will be required, principally good sheds widening and. sidings-. The amount of £IO,OOO is to cover this. The accommodation at present is inadequate.” The £IO,OOO is to be spent in the first year. Stratford Rearrangement. The land available on the present site of the Stratford station is too limited to enable the yard to be extended to give the accommodation necessary with the increasing traffic fiom the branch line. A design for shifting the station to the south side of the Patea river has been prepared. The estimated cost of this is £64,000. When the connection is made with the Okahukui-a end of the branch there w ill be a large traffic to he dealt with at Stratford for distribution north and south. The proposal is to take tlie land now (value, say, £17,000) and carry out the rearrangement later as required. It is necessary to take the land now as it is being rapidly built upon. . The schedule provides for the spending of £IO.OOO "of the £64,000 in the eighth y«ar. Eastown Workshops. New oar shop, extension of erecting and old car shops, increased , lavatory accommodation, engine shed for shunting engine, fire station, and alterations lor electrification at Eastown workshops at a cost of £21,000! Taihape. / The extension of the shed at Taihape fiokl 30 AB locomotives, at a cost of £30,000. This work is scheduled to be commenced at once. Wanganui. The extension of shed and provision A'9A P nm ro j[ ds .> ete -’ a , fc Wanganui for ±20,600. _ Owing to shortage of shed accommodation a number of engines have to stand outside nightly. Marton. m T -n?^° VGineuts at Marton, costing oitorvl • al ' e P/ovided for as follows: ±500) in the fourth year and £IO,OOO m the fifth year. Rearrangements at Wanganui. Rearrangements at Wa 11 ganui will cost £IO,OOO, but it is not proposed to commence them until the fifth year of the programme. The Chief Engineer says : There has been considerable controversy as to where the future Wanganui, station' will eventually he placed. Until thisis settled it is impossible to formulate proposals with estimates. Assuming tha V. we remain on the present site, until the expense of business necessi-1 tates a drastic change, it will be necessary to improve the conditions. To nUi ,V, S ? ver period an amount of £lO-000 has been included for this purpose. 1 . Marton Requirements. Regarding Marton, the Chief Engineer says: Marton is a busv junction. and improved facilities are necessary. Approximately 60 per cent of the goods traffic passing through is between the Alain Trunk' and south of Marton. Twenty-five per cent of the goods traffic passing through is: between the New Plymouth line and the Main Trunk. The average traffic to and from Marton station is as follows: Av r n¥ a r ton 4,A per cent > to aild fi'oin Welliftgton-Mam Trunk, 59 Per cent; to and from Wellington-New Ply! mouth, 12 per cent; to and from New I lymouth-Mam Trunk, 23 per cent ,1 a maximum day about 750 waggons aie dealt with. No plans have so far r °P osed ’ ])ut an amount ’of £15,000 has been included, which should be sufficient to give the accommodation necessary.