THE TRAMWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8315, 13 May 1905, Page 5

THE TRAMWAYS.

THE NEW CARS.

THE FIRST TRIAL TRIP.

The first trial trip of an electric car was made this morning on the South Belt section, in the presence of members of the Tramtvay Board, and of the Electric Construction Company's officers and others. A large crowd, representing the public, gathered at the gates of the carshed and along the line, and watched the car run ajong with great interest. It was 1 one of the imported American cars that was used for the purpose, and the smoothness with which it was run, and the manner in which all the appliances answered to the calls made upon them, gave great'satisfaction. The car was run up and down the South Belt line, from Falsgrave Street to near the Vailway station, for about half an hour at a speed of about seventeen miles an hour. During the trips the air-brake was used repeatedly, and acted excellently, bringing the car to a standstill within a few yards. The chairman of the Board (Mr W. Recce) and several members, as well as others of the party, took turns at driving the car, under the supervision of Mr Chamberlain, the Board's engineer, who took it out of the carshed. There was no hitch of any kind, and the passengers expressed their high appreciation of the new service.

The members of the party were: — Messrs W. Recce (chairman of the Board), and H. Pearce, F. Waymouth, A. W. Beaven, J. J. Dougall and G. Scott, members of the Board; Messrs J. L. Scott and T. E. Taylor, M.H.R., of the Electrical Construction Company; Messrs F. H. Chamberlain (the Board's engineer), R. M. Macdonald (manager of the Christcharch Tramway Company), J. Wood (the Board's traffic manager), L. Birks • (the contractors' electrical engineer), Scott-Symington (the Board's draughtsman), \C. Cordery (the contractors' engineer), H. Moult (who is erecting the equipments for the contractors) and H. Cole. Tho chairman of the Board and the members of the Construction Company said that they were highly pleased with the car itself, and with the workmanship it represented. The company has obtained the best skill and workmanship available in the world, and considers that the result of the trial justifies its selection in that respect beyond any doubt. Mr Chamberlain, when asked for his opinion in regard to the trial, said he thought that the contractors deserved much credit. The equipment was new and the car was not used to the lines, and the facility with which everything worked was therefore all the more gratifying. The contractors had evidently done iirstclass, work in regard' to the cars. The trip is regarded as merely a preliminary trial trip, and it was made over the section that will be used for training the motor mcii It is expected that the official opening run will be made at -the end of this month, when cars will be run from the car-shed in Falsgrave Street to Papanui. , Thirteen cars ard now fully equipped and ready to go on to the road, and nine more will be ready within three or four days. A short preliminary trip was made yesterday afternoon, and it also was very satisfactory-