TRAMS HELD UP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22344, 15 February 1936, Page 12

TRAMS HELD UP

TRAFFIC DISORGANISED. ' OVERHEAD WIRES BROKEN CITY CROWDS DELAYED» All tramway traffic in the city was disorganised for half an hour last night when a section of the overhead wires at the junction of Queen Street and Wellesloy Street was torn away by the trolley pole of a Point Chevalier car. Temporary repairs were, soon effected, . but trains had to negotiate the damaged section carefully, and it was nearly 10 o'clock before traffic was restored to normal. The accident happened shortly after -nine o'clock, as the tram was turning into Wellesley Street West. The trolley pole became loose and tore away a section of the overhead wires as it swung free. The broken wires were earthed automatically as they struck the tram rails amid a shower of brightly-coloured sparks, which was replated when the wires earthed a second time on the lifeguard of the tram. No damage was done, and the tram had sufficient speed to negotiate th« bend into Wellesley Street, where the trolley pole made contact again with a live section of the overhead wires. Traffic was soon disorganised, for the accident happened at a time when Queen Street was full of trams wait,ing for the Friday night shopping crowds. They were drawn up along half the length of the street for a-quarter of an hour, while incoming trams also had to stop in Wellesley Street and Upper Queen Street until the damage - was repaired by Auckland Transport Board employees working from an overhead lorry. Motor traffic was not completely interrupted, for the traffic officer who ■was on point duty when the accident happened assumed control as soon as the workmen had started their repairs. The fact that the broken section of the wires automatically became "dead" provided some entertainment for the crowds that collected on the pavements soon after • the accident. Each tram had to negotiate the junction of the two streets with the trolley pole held well down until the "dead" section had been passed, and several 'times trams turning east or west iitto Wellesley Street almost failed to carry on untii the live section of the wires was reached. The conductors were crouched at the "back of the trams, raising and lowering the poles aad guiding them through the maze of wires.

All the trams had to negotiate the junction in this way, except those coming into the city from Wellesley Street West, the section of wire on the United Service Hotel corner being unaffected. Later the break was permanently repaired.