DUNEDIN-TO-MOSGIEL RAILWAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 9

DUNEDIN-TO-MOSGIEL RAILWAY

THE OVERHEAD LINE. A SECTION OPENED. Quietly and without ostentation the first section—a small one, but important from different points of view—of the duplicated overhead railway lino from Dunedin to Mosgjel was opened for traffic "yesterday morning, the finst train running ovor at 5 o clock. Tho section referred to extends from tho south end of the goods sheds, where tho now line diverges, to a point opposite the Cayersham Gasworks. Although two sets of rails have been laid down ovor this length, only one is at present being used for ordinary traffic-that on the lefthand side looking southward, or what will bo the permanent "down" line. On Sunday Mr Macandrew. district engineer, made a, test of tho overhead bridges at tho Andersons Bay road. Kensington. Neville street, and Glen road crossings with two heavy engines thus placing on the structures a distributed load of 90 tons. The bridges stood the test ouito satisfactorily and yesterday's running on the new line was carried out with entire smoothness there being no interruptions and no hitches of any kind. It is matter of interest that the duplicating of tho Dunedin to Mcsgiol tine was put in hand about two years ago. A temporary platform is now in use at Kensington, but ultimately both a station and platform of the ".island" typo will bo constructed there. Traffic to tho Railway Workshops and to the coal and timber yards adjoining, with entrance from Kin" Edward _ road, is noff a H way of overhead line, and a new signal box erected n<av Kensington controls it. Special attention is now being directed to the excavation of the bottom of the new tunnel, and this should bo completed) by Christmas. A start will then bo made to lay down the two railway trades and form the necessary water table in the interior of thej tunnel Tho formation of tho sidings at Uttle Yards is progressing satisfactorily, and tho 'Station building and platforms there are in a fair way to completion. One section of tho overhead line having been opened, all attention will now bo concentrated! on opening tho scction oxtsnding from the Caversham Gasworks, through tho new tunnel, as far as Cattle Yards Station. As far as can be estimated at this stage, this section should bo opened about March of next year. The opening of the first section of tho overhead line is an event of considerable importance to tho municipal tramways system. As from yesterday the trams were run through a.t. both the Anderson's Bay road and Kensington crossings without intorruption; meaning, of course, that thoro was also no occasion for the maintaining of Tailway signalmen at the two points roferred to. The railway lines have not yot been lifted up, so that the cars have still to crass at redttoed speed, but these rails will be removed in the course of a few days, and a continuous tram lino may then be put down. Tht6, Mr Alexander, tramways manager, states, will facilitate tho running of the cars very considerably, quite apart from the saving which will be effected m dispensing with tho signalmen at tho two crossings, which actually costs the City Corporation about £850 per annum. Tho carrying out of -the proposed alteration in the of tho loop on the Caversham Jin# near Glen road has been dependent on the removal of the piles of the temporary railway bridge at the Glen road crossing. As tho bridge at this point on which the train service has been run is at a lower level than the permanent overhead lino, it will require to bo altered, which means that it will bo a few days before tho piles can be removed and the alteration of tho j tramway loop put in hand.