TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20385, 14 October 1929, Page 12

TRAMWAY EXTENSIONS.

POINT. CHEVALIER TRACK.

PROGRESS IN FIRST WEEK.

DOMINION ROAD PLATE-LAYiNG

Work on tho Point Chovqjier and Dominion Road tramway extensions is being pushed ahead and already considerable progress has been made. Operations on both sections were commenced a week ago.

Transport Board workmen are undertaking £he plate-laying on both jobs and tho excavation is being done by contract. On tho Point Chevalier track tho excavation has been carried out for about a quarter of a milo down tho slope from the Grey Lynn tramlines at Surrey Crescent and a temporary set of points has boen installed to provide access to tho job for tho freight car carrying rails. Foundation work consisting of laying and spreading scoria has been attended to for a considerable distance and plate-laying will commonco in earnest this week.

Tho plate-laying,'was temporarily held up owing to the difficulty in laying tho points, as tho concrete on tho main road had to bo torn up, and a water main was revealed. Now that initial difficulties havo been overcome the laying of rails will bo pushed ahead quickly. Considerably more work has been done at Dominion Road. Plate-laying has progressed quickly and already over 870 yards of rail have been laid and are uow being consolidated. Tho plate-laying was started some distance from tho tram terminus. Excavation is being extended to the terminus and the laying of a further 80 yards of rail will connect with tho present lino and enable tho job to bo served by tho freight car. The work is all being done by the Transport Board, no outside labour having been employed so far. There are about 30 men on the Point Chevalier job and 25 at Dominion Road, but it is expected that additional labour will be required to liandlo work other than actual rail-laying, which is classed as skilled.

Provision for widening the footpath on tho west side of Dominion Road past the present terminus by setting back the shop frontages was made some time ago. Advantage is now being taken of the tramway extension to carry out this work and (ho footpath is being widened by 7ft. and properly surfaced and levelled.