RAILWAY PROGRAMME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 254, 24 September 1935, Page 6

RAILWAY PROGRAMME.

NEW ROLLING STOCK. AUCKLAND, Sept. 23. Extensive works to be carried out by the Railway Department during the current financial year were mentioned by Mr G. H. Mackley (General Manager of Railways), who is on a business visit to Auckland. He said the- capital expenditure authorised by the Railways Board for special works throughout the Dominion was approximately £1.500,000. About two-thirds of this would be provided from the department’s depreciation and renewal reserves, the balance being new capital from loan funds.

Mr Mackley said new capital was mainly required to cover expenditure on important works that were in progress in Wellington and its immediate vicinity; relaying and renewal of the permanent way, apart from bridges in the Auckland province, were estimated to cost £51,800, and bridge strengthening and renewal work to be undertaken would cost about £30.000 for the year. It was mentioned by Mr Mackley that the railway workshops at Otahuhu would be very active this year in the construction of new rolling stock. In addition, the workshops would carry on a programme of improvements to the seating, heating and lighting in existing carriages. The whole programme for the Otahuhu workshops would absorb about £163,000. A somewhat similar programme was being undertaken at tho Addington workshops to meet the South Island’s requirements, the estimated cost there being £115,000.