ROLLING STOCK

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10559, 9 April 1920, Page 5

ROLLING STOCK

RAILWAYS PROGRAMME £1,730,000 EXPENDITURE TO MEET AVAR SHORTAGE. An important statement with reference to the shortage in railway rolling stock and the programme of the Railway Department for meeting tho same, was made by the Minister for Railways, the Rt. Hon. AV. F. Massey, to n “Times” representative yesterday afternoon. “At the present time,” stated -Air Massey, “tho department has in land u programme, which involves the building iu New Zealand of 40 i« comotives, 35 cars, 13 brake vans, and 693 wagons. Of the locomotives, 30 Sare being built under contract by Messrs A. and G. Price, and the balance will bo turned out of the department’s own workshops, likewise ha cars, vans, and wagons. To further provide for tho requirements and to meet the shortage of rolling stock resulting from war conditions, tenders are being invited in England for tho manufacture of 35 large locomotives and 2500 wagons. It is intended to supplement this by inviting tenders in New Zealand for the building oi 1000 wagons. . “Plans and‘specifications are m course of preparation and will he available shortly. In the event »>« eatisfactory tenders being received, contractors will be required to the earliest possible delivery of the wagons they contract to deliver. Assuming eatisfactory tenders are received, and the delivery of the hula of (he locomotives and wagons can be given by British firms within 12 months, the' present difficulties regarding the shortage of wagons t' ill be greatly relieved, if not cntrrelj' overcome.

65 ENGINES, 4092 AVAGONS,

"Summed up, the arrangements that are in hand involve the building of 6o locomotives, 47 cars and brake Vans, ard 4092 wagons at an expenditure of one and three-quarter million pounds . . ~ "In connection with the matter it may be of inter ast to note that, at the tmie when the restrictions imposed under the coal cut time-table were removed, there was a heavy accumulation of traffic of all classes throughout the system. The accumulations have been cleaned up, t„e full t>metable restored, and the traffic dealt with has been heavier than at any period in the previous history of'the railways "