TEAMS IN WASH-TUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18710, 16 May 1924, Page 5

TEAMS IN WASH-TUB.

THE NIGHT SHIFT ON DUTY.

REPAIRING "AND CLEANING.

BT ,SARSACXB.;"'_/.•.','' ' " Tram it out," says one; " one minute to the penny section," reads the land agent's ad., and so on, from Ato Z. '"The trams!" Where would..See bo .without them. . Not one person in a thousand probably ever thinks of the matter, taking the trams as a dispensation of providence —like the sua. % The general manager was most genial, ! and his assistant the best of good fellows. Between them, when - the errand "of the present writer was explained his investigations were cast in pleasant' places, including a run by moonlight to that hive of industry Epsom depot. The time is 10.30 p.m. Let us follow th© processes, for, it must be remembered, not only must the cars be kept clean, but constant attention must also be given to every part of their complicated mechanism if they are to be kept going. Hence the watch-word of the tram men, "Keep 'em running.'' The night-shift men work while we sleep that the cars may be ready to. our comfort in the morning. " Like clock-work " only dimly conveys the order and method necessary if that slogan is to be realised.

As the cars, singly or in bunches, swing off the main line to take their places in the immense sheds lit up with hundreds of electric lights, the first duty of the motorman is to attend at the night foreman's box and hand in his report, a printed form carrying in detail all the ailments to. which a car is heir, filled up and signed by the men who have had charge during the day.; Let it be remembered each car is driven on three shifts— a.m., middle, and p.m. shifts, and this bit of paper is handled by each motorman in:turn. ...'..•';

With this information to guide him the "boss" (per docket signed by him tells off his different experts—the whole of the work is carried out by specialists— to doctor up the various ailments. Pr, if the reports reads O.K. (which need not be translated), he passes the car over to the brake-adjusting and cleaning gangs. No heavy repair work is carried oat by the night shift. Such work is undertaken at the workshops. . The Night Shift at Work. So, there they are, all at it, the experts —the armature . men, brakes men, bells, wiring, destination signs and controller men, and, where a car marked ''0.K." is handled, exports with spanners go round testing nuts, etc., in every part. These men carry small acetylene "pit" lamps and peer into every por-. tion of the machinery and gear. The changing of the brake-shoes is also very interesting. To some of them, fitted to th& inner curve of the "shoe," is a slab of carborundum. Its purpose is to grind wheels which have developed "flats" into true "rounds." This simple invention saves a large sum per annum in lathe work alone. Each car tire is computed to have a life equal to a journey to England and back—five times. That is "going some" as a Yankee would say. Then there "are the oilers (they use about 200 gallons a week), who go round with buckets full of evil looking, treacly stuff and, with long handled dippers, apply the liquid wherever neededand where is it not ; - needed except on- the seats. ?'• '■'-'.': i*y ?;';■'„J"');'-\!-} . -.'".:.''

. Then . there are those very necessary men, the car cleaners, the men who sweep out the cars and disinfect, them. Their "finds" in the shape of coins of the realm are said to be almost 1 nothing. They are a thrifty lot/ those v;ho use the trams. ■■ Also tWo are window cleaners,, and the outside body of the car is hosed down by. other : men. Finally, each car ha* to pass "inspection rounds." '. ',j All these men work for the comfort i of the citizens' of f - Auckland from 10 p.m. to 6 a-rri., with half an hour "crib" time. How would that suit you, ye, who after a good night's rest, in comfortable slippers sit and enjoy your ham and eggs and coffee— read this between sips , s - • The Course of Duties. The machinery governing ; the . running of the cars is controlled by a wonderfully tabulated system of course of duties. As each man comes on duty he "signs the clock." ; Simultaneously the officer in charge within the "tapu" glassed in room supplies oach -conductor with his "outfit" box (taken from a huge revolving "bird-cage" affair). J This contains ail that is needful, way-bill tickets,' and ticket case. On going off duty the conductor first "cashes up," that is, fills in Lis docket with the amount he hag in his bag; then,; '■ approaching .a /huge ritadel affair (the general manager takes;.more than a fatherly interest in the solidity of this construction), he pokes his bo? into a hole in the masonry, presses a lever with his foot and presto! it has tjone to that bourne ; from which no - outfit box ever returns, unless empty. - On the opposite side to the ■Vf'tapu'*.room is another with tabids, seats, hot-water apparatus, etc. ..Round the walls, set out in tabulated form, is-: the course of duty for every car and ma a— easy to follow by those who understand it; of course, a" very necessary provision. As part of this system each motormaa carries a "clock" key, and once each way stopsv his car and "records up" on the wayside clock, a. cunning affair which keeps tab of every car and motorman that pass his way. Thus, the head office is able to keep check on each car midI way on its journey throughout the. day. i This enforces keeping station. -• The Motonnen. and Conductors' Club.

If the demands on the men are exacting, the general manager ia also careful of i their -comfort.; Given-over entirely to them, the upper' fioo*. 6f. the offices at Epsom is laid out as a cluhroom, floors well covered and ■ the whole place neatly finished off and lit up with electric light. A comfortable room ; is set apart for the club secretary. Hero he sits in state, v £ere all the men can get at him as req**lred, the grousers and the kickers—, if any— well as the cheerful ones. Further along one comes to a large welllighted room, the > general room of the club. Here have been fitted up two new full-sized billiard tables, with, of course, lighting and other accessories. A glassedin bookcase contains a library of interesting literature, and near this a reading stand on which are filed daily copies of the papers. Lavatory accommodation with neat wash basins is fitted at one end of the room, and near by a kitchenette for washing up cups and saucers, the aftermath of soiree evenings. Small tables are also supplied in plenty, with chairs and so on, the whole forming a ; pain and simple but very comfortab.e little .club. All the world over trams, are just "trams," and as is usually the case, the men from the highest to the less exalted seem to carry with them that air of genial goodfellowship which seems to be a characteristic of those who, while working for their daily bread and. butter, are also working in direct contact with, and for the comfort of, the great general public. We should all wish them well.