Hutt Railways

Hutt News, Volume XII, Issue 22, 10 November 1948, Page 6

Hutt Railways

ELECTRIFICATION PLANS

START WITHIN FEW MONTHS

The Minister of Railways, Mr. R. Semple, stated last week that a start will be made within a few months' with the largest railway electrification scheme in New Zealand, which will cover the Hufc Valley route. Eventually there will be a 15-minute service to Taita and* a 30-minute service to Upper Hutt, but at peak periods trains will leave Wellington at minimum intervals of two minutes.

Travelling time to Taita will be reduced to 29 minutes and to Upper Hutt to 47 minutes by stopping trains and 37 minutes by those with limited stops.

Extensive permanent way alterations will be involved to facilitate the handling of fast and frequent electric train services envisaged for the Hutt Valley. Overhead traffic bridges are under consideration for parts of the route. Pedestrian subways and footbridges will have to bo constructed here and there and many existing structures modified. If the Petone level crossing is replaced by a concrete road overbridge, an accompanying feature v/ill be a half-mile "long deviation of the railway just south of Petone with a corresponding reconstruction of the protective sea wall.

Crossing; Hutt River

Plans provide for the electrification of two main lines to Upper Hutt, with provision for the construction of a third to Taita when the volume of traffic requires U. Beyond Taita the railway will cross the Hutt River by means of an 800 ft. bridge and link up with ihe existing youte 'near Haywards, between which station and Silverstream an improved alignment to give .easier curves is contemplated. South of Haywards the Western Hutt line will be lifted for part of its length along the river bank. A total of 40 motor-coaches and 71 driving ’crailer-coaches will be required to operate the proposed Hutt Valley passenger services, and when the electrification scheme is complete more than 40 steam locomotives will be released for service elsewhere.