NEW RAILWAY STATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20175, 8 February 1929, Page 13

NEW RAILWAY STATION.

BUILDING TAKING SHAPE.

ITEEL FRAMEWORK ERECTED.

SIZE OF STRUCTURE INDICATED

WORK AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Tho construction of Auckland's new Tailway terminus has reached tho stago when it is possible to visualise the dimensions of tho station . building, its approaches, tho platforms and the facilities for handling tho traffic. The contractors, J. T. Julian and Son, Ltd., are a month ahead of their schedule, and nothing appeal's to bo in tho way to prevent the station from being in use by next Christmas. Tho incessant clatter of automatic riveting machines drowns conversation on the work as the gaunt steel frame of the facado of the station is being raised. Tho girders on tho front are now to the full height of tho building, except that a gabled roof will slope back from tho parapet, adding a few more feet to Auckland's new skyline. The frame is up to the full width. Viewed from Beach Road the line defined by the tops of railway carriages in the yard is that of tho inclined way along which the tramcars will run at the main entrance to the station. The ramp giving access to this portion of the station is near completion on the harbour side, and it will be continued along the girders now in position down a similar j.imp on the city side. Below will be the parcels and light goods entrance, as well i.s a subway giving a quick approach to the platform without going through the building proper. Pile-driver Costing £3OOO. Two large derricks are in use for lifting the heavy pieces of the frame into position. There they are bolted together until tho riveters take charge, a steady supply of glowing rivets being available from a foTge kept to white heat by a current of air from an engine-driven pump, another instance of the replacement of manual labour by machinery. The steel frames-ill be covered with concrete and the walls completed with brick and stone-work. Until a settlement is reached in tho' dispute with the stoneworkers, who object to the machine dressing of the Coromandel granite, little can bo done with regard to the stone facings, but beyond annoyance that any part of tho work should be delayed this aspect of the undertaking is not giving tho contractors any concern. The stone does not play a vital part in the job. All the piles for the remainder of the building have been driven and connected ■with concrete girders, forming a network of concrete and steel necessary to carry the heavy weight. Tho huge pile-driver which pushed tho piles in under a pressure of over 90 tons will bo dismantled next week. That piece of machinery represents an investment of about £3OOO, and unless some other big undertaking presents itself it will have to-be written off tne books as a pile-driver, although its constituent parts may bo of some other use. It is too large for the majority of pile-driving jobs. Relics of Another Day. The draining of the yards and building cite is also/nearing completion, and men wero engaged yesterday in laying the last lengths of pipes in a drain which will Le under the staircase and subway leading from the'inclined approach on the city side to the platforms. In excavating the trench for tho pipes further reminders of old-time sawmilling activity in Mechanics' Bay were encountered. Yesterday a fcauri log over a foot square was found Jying across the track of the trench and just sufficiently above the bottom level lo require removal. It was impossible to shift the whole of the log without disturbing permanent work, so a piece of it had to be cut out. The timber was in excellent condition, and cutting it under the adverse conditions in the trench was no light task. Last week the same men came across the furnace ftf one of the old timber mills of the bay and unearthed a number of firebars. Levelling is now in progress over this area in preparation for the erection of pther parts of tho frame of tho station. Nearly all of the platform work has been completed and the boxing is being removed from the concrete preparatory to the fixing of tho tile-facings on tho verandah posts and in tho subways which connect the platforms and give access lo tlum. The platforms are long, but do not seem to bo over wide, although this impression may be removed when the Work is seen in its finished state. The «übway approaches are on au easy grade and are room v.

Over 200 men are being employed. The jwork has reached the slago where the greater part of the labour required will ibe that of skilled men.