PLAN FOR ELECTRIFICATION OF NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS BELIEVED “ON THE VERGE”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26918, 2 November 1948, Page 4

PLAN FOR ELECTRIFICATION OF NEW ZEALAND RAILWAYS BELIEVED “ON THE VERGE”

By Harvey Blanks

LONDON, Oct. 25,

A 60-year plan for the complete electrification -of New Zealand main railways is on the verge of being put into operation, according to reports circulating in London technical circles. Two Dominion officials, Mr F. W. Aickin, general manager of the New Zealand Railways, and Mr C. A. Mackersey, electrical engineer in the department, are expected to arrive in England within the next two months to discuss the scheme with British experts and try to secure skilled - technicians to emigrate to the Dominion to put the plan under way. . The projected system will use the same type of overhead electrification equipment which is at present being installed on certain London suburban lines, and initially will probably operate on a power supply of 1500 volts. British technicians point out, however, that electric trains of the type New Zealand is considering employing can be operated on voltages double this figure, giving very righ traction power. This is an advantage where much of the traffic will consist of heavy goods trains.

The cost of each 24-mile section of electrified line of this type being installed in Britain to-day is about £750,000. Lacking knowledge of labour costs and the costs of certain raw materials which might be obtained in New Zealand. British engineers nevertheless estimate that the same figure would roughly apply to the New Zealand scheme. There are 3504 miles of main railway in the Dominion which presumably would be electrified under the plan. On the British cost schedule, therefore, the total cost of New Zealand’s 60-year plan can be estimated as not less than £109,500,000. Of this, £53,500,000 would be required for North Island tracks and £56.000,000 for the South Island. “ Third line ” electrification is considered unsuitable for New Zealand, as it usually operates only on 600 volts, and is more suitable for lines where the great majority of traffic is purely passenger trains. In addition, it would be almost impossible in a sparselypopulated country like New Zealand, adequately to fence off the tracks along their entire length, and protect the public and straying cattle from accidental electrocution. Technicians as Emigrants The largest firm in Britain which specialises in the electrification of rail-, ways is British Insulated Callender's Cables, Ltd., which is at present occupied on tracks outside London. Some of the technicians working there are discussing the New Zealand scheme, and considering emigrating with their families. Some of the firm's employees are already doing similar work in Brazil and South Africa. They point out that a project of this magnitude is a lifetime job. and they expect to live out their lives in the Dominion before the plan reaches completion. Long before then, however, portions of the new lines would already be in operation, as electrification is usually carried' out in complete 24-mile sections. Once each section is completed, it can immediately be placed in operation, and as running costs are barely one farthing a mile, they immediately begin to pay off their capital cost. Several British railway experts with whom I have discussed the plan state .that, while the initial cost of electrification will be a very heavy one for a small country like New Zealand, it is essential that no time should be

lost in beginning, as supplies of steam coal in the Dominion may not last more than 20 years at the present rate of consumption. Shortage of Skilled Men Considerable difficulty is likely to be encountered in securing an adequate number of technicians to launch the plan initially on the scale intended. Those men who are considering taking employment are swayed by a desire to emigrate for their families’ sakes, rather than attracted by the job itself. They point out that rates of pay in New Zealand compare unfavourably with various other countries which are also seeking British technicians, and the job would entail living for long periods under rough conditions away from large towns. They also point out that New Zealand is already experiencing difficulty in securing technicians for its Hutt Valley electrification scheme, and estimate that unless there is a fairly rapid and extensive improvement it may be 10 to 15 years before a start can even be made with the Auckland suburban electrification plan. Priority to the national scheme could be given only at the expense of the Auckland line. Although no official announcement has yet been made, it is believed that a number of foreign technicians have already arrived in New Zealand. These include Dutch and Polish electrical engineers, who, although some of them speak little or no English, have the necessary technical qualifications. Prime Minister’s Comment Asked in London: to comment upon reports that the main electrification scheme ,is.about to’ be launched/ the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, neither confirmed nor denied them. He thought that 60 years was rather too extreme an estimate of the period that would be required to electrify all main lines. Such a scheme was of the greatest importance to New Zealand’s future, he said, and there c’ould be no doubt that if left too long it would become a matter of considerable urgency. The Minister of .Works, Mr Semple, had given much thought to the project, and no doubt had his> plans “well advanced.” .* An official of British Insulated Callender’s Cables, Ltd., said that no statement could be issued at present. The matter was being discussed “at directorial level,” and in the meantime no comment whatsoever'could be made.