TRAMWAY BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19889, 4 March 1920, Page 2

TRAMWAY BOARD.

THE WORK IN HAND. The Christchurch Tramway Board’s neu- loan prospectus is now in the printers’ hands. The Government has stipulated that an endeavour should be made to raise the money ot 5J per cent. Specifications for new material are now being typed, and probably within a few days tenders will be invited. The specifications will cover 1850 tons of rail,' with the necessary fishplates and bolts, 7000 copper bonds, 8 miles of trolley wire, 2700 sleepers and 830 ironbark poles. The now welding plant is now in operation, and the operators have had sufficient experience to enable it to be used on the roads for welding rail joints, which, as the tracks get older, are very liable to work loose. This is, in fact, one of the troubles that are developing fairly rapidly throughout the tramway system. The machine will, to a. veiy largo extent, overcome it, and make •j. very efficient job of what is doneAt the present time the board is short of labour on the permanent way. In addition, the output of its own quarry is being used wholly for repair purposes, and tlie supply of metal is being supplemented from, outside sources. The construction of the body of the new petrol jbus which is to replace the present Hornby storage battery ’bus, is being commenced by the board’s staff. The work of relaving the track in Colombo Street is within eight chains of completion. As soon as the job is finished, the special work in Cathedral Square, which has been in hand for some time, will bo gone on with. All the tracks in the Square, and those at-Cook and Hess's corner, will be put- in firstclass order. The plans of the new track in Manchester Street, from the Clock Toaer to ’Worcester Street, are beiim prepared, and will he submitted shortly? Quotations are being obtained for the construction of ten new, electric- cars, the. trucks of which arc already on order, whose delivery is expected very soon. The electric equinment. of the most modern type, j s to hand. The plans of the car bodies were considerably delayed because it was necessary to wait for the plans of the trucks.