THE TRAMWAYS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 13678, 11 May 1912, Page 6

THE TRAMWAYS.

A SUCCESSFUL YEAR. |. PROFIT OF £360 SS. 1 Enginesr’s Annual Report. The following annual report upon the Corporation Tramways was submitted to the liorotigh Couneil last evening by the 'Tramways Engineer (Mr F. P. Talboys): — 1 have the hoiiour to submit my third annual report upon the working of the 'Wanganui Corporation Tramways for the year ending 31st March, 1912. General.—l am pleased to be able to report that the tramways have again enjoyed a year of progress and success. The, upward tendency of receipts has been continued, and the net financial result of the year's working has been, according to the Town Clerk’s showing, to turn a debit balance of ,£263 14s 7d into a credit balance of £96 10s sd, or, in other words, a profit is shown of itiOO ss. A view of the results of the system since it came into operation affords material cause for satisfaction of the ratepayers. The cavnings have consistently improved with the growth of the population and w it hj a more general public appreciation of the usefulness of the tram ear. The expenditure on repairs and maintenance has been fairly heavy, a fact largely attributable to injudicious initial economy which provided a track the foundation of which was not sufficiently solid and also evils due to the smallness of the system from frequent straining of the power plant by abnormal overloads, liy careful watchfulness over expenditure and the strictest economy the results have been exceedingly good. Since coming into operation the system has added to its capital somewhere about £121)0 expended on the purchase of ear Xo. 6, etc., 2108 18s 5d paid into sinking fund, and .£4OO material on hand unused. The apparent profit arises, of course, from the insufficient allowance made for depreciation, the only provision of this nature being the sinking fund of I.’ per cent. As I dealt fully with this question of depreciation in my last annual report, there is no need for me to enlarge further on this point, beyond remarking that while in our present position, intelligent economy must lie our watchword, and tare concessions of any kind must be made with the utmost caution and further that any credit balance to traimvavs must necessarily be earmarked for tramway purposes only. In my last animal report T advocated Ihe institution of an accident insurance fund. I should like to intimate ihat, though we have hitherto enjoyed a fortunate immunity from serious accidents, such contingency is one that could reasonably bo allempted to be provided for. Car Fquipment.—During the year it was found necessary to renew some of (he working parts of the trucks. All the trucks arc now in good running order. The motors arc being maintained in first-class order. Du i lug he above period we have had 10 armatures burnt, out, but i( was found necessary to repair some of the windings which had become loose on the commutator segments. All these repairs having been effected, the armatures generally speaking are in good order. The controllers are in good order. Several of the minor parts have been renewed during (he year. The brake gear is all in good working older. Car Dodies.—Since the inauguration of the system, I have been placed at a great disadvantage as regards repairs to ear bodies through having no spare rolling stock. The system was opened with four ears, but before many months it. was found necessary to purchase a fifth ear,

:iud shortly thereafter, to co|>o with the increased t rathe, a s: i > 11). T)n rin f>f ilie ])ast year it was found necessary to run all six cars mi special occasions and on Saturday nights. There was therefore no chance of fretting the car bodies thoroughly overhauled. As soon as the new cars arrived I was placed in a posit ion to have ilie older cars overhauled. Already T have had No. 2 stayed and repainted, lint Nos. 1, •), and 4 arc in such a state that a considerable sum will have to bo spent in overhauling them. Xo. 1 will lie stayed and re-painted forthwith, hut Xos. S and

4 are two box ears, and the public generally do not- like this typo, and I have not yet decided what course to pursue j with them. The bodies of Xos. 5 and (1 want re-painting. Now that I have more rolling stock at my disposal, I intend to have the cars touched up periodically, which will he a more economical method i of dealing with car repairs. During the coniine- year the expense incurred in'overhauling the older cars will he fairly heavy.

i Overhead Fqnipment.—-The overhead i trolley and span wires throughout the svntem are in first-class order. During the year it was found necessary to renew ■j u ' trolley wire at Thain’s corner and at the corner of the Avenue and (llasgow ■Street. During next year I anticipate havino- to renew the curve leading iVam the Avenue into Onylon Sheet on the Dublin Street route. Apart from this I i do not think the cost of maintenance on the overhead equipment will show much increase in the next twelve months. I ermanent Vi av.-~Speaking generally, the permanent way is only in fair condition. The cost of upkeep'is fairly heavy lor practically a new track, and there-is no prospect of improvement in this respect. ,1 here is now being felt the consequences entailed by the polity adopted "hen the track was formed of preferring , cheapness to all other considerations , When originally laid the track was put 1 on a very poor foundation and the rails throughout the svstem, being only (Vilhs, are light, and will always given frouble at the joints in their present condition, especially when the foundation is had \t the beginning „f hist year I had the worst places between f'alver’s corner and Aramono attended !■■>. but these places uve again out of order, and practically (ho whole track, from Calver’s corner to the Aramoho term inns is in a had state. The pumice foundation is the chief cause of trouble, which, however, is accentuated by the fact that hero the road, being on a higher love], allows the surface water to dram on to the track. The only method m my opinion, for dealing ‘with (Ids trouble is to have each year a portion of the track re-laid on a good foundation During the year I have had all the joints luted and tightened up from the' Tost •tmee to the end of Glasgow Street. Tin's has made the track somewhat easier to ride upon. 1 also found it necessary to renew the curve at (he corner of" the .''vonne mid Glasgow Street. This curve showed signs ot wear, particularly at one point due ehietlv to (he original'lav out of the curve. This curve was sprung into position, and this process results in trouble at (me joints, the rails s< raMdenmg out and making an agh- there. In rounding such a curve (he car tracks change direction in jumps instead of m . dually, winch imparts a disagreeable, jerky mot ion to the car, and gj-eat w-ar and tear goes on at this noint removing the curve T substituted heavier rails lor those originally laid, and brought are. curve closer to the footpath in (his

Wav securing a better curve and more room to extend the present loop round Glasgow Street corner when trainee increase warrants the improvement. In carrying out necessary alterations and repairs 1 think it advisable to keep the future in view and carry out the work in such a way that further extensions may he made with as little expense as possible when the time for them arrives. Some of the other curves are showing signs of wear, due to the same cause, and also to the different radii used in plotting out the curves. In the coming year I shall probably renew one or two of the curves. iug heavier rails. When this projected work is completed these curves should last for a matter of 8 to 10 years. far I’outes.-—Mo alteration lias been made during the last twelve months.

Traffic.—A broken shift has been maintained on Guyton Street throughout the year. No alteration has been made in the regular service, four ears being in commission, running a twenty minutes’ .service between Guyton Street and Culver's corner on both routes, and a ten minutes’ service between the Heads railway and Guyton Street and between ('elver's corner and Aramebo. No opportunities have been, lost in meeting the theatre goers, special ears at no extra charge conveying them to their destination. The traffic on the racecourse varies great ly. During the race meetings and when there are other attractions on the racecourse the traffic is exceptionally heavy, lint at other times is very light. The Glasgow Street route shows a fairly steau*/ traffic, with very little lluetnation throughout the year, and the same can he said about the .Dublin Street route. Any iiicrome in

traffic is entirely due to the same conditions as on the Guyton SI reel route. During Saturday nights the traffic has .so increased on both routes that it has been found necessary to run out extra ears. Method of Collecting Parcs.---The coloured ticket system of dealing with fares ban been in use for the past twelve months, and the working oi same has 1 moved to fie satisfactory. Concessions.—The only com-Assion given is the workers’ weekly ticket, which enables workers to ride twice a day at certain hours. Tickets allowing workers to ride a lid section twice a day for six days in the week can be purchased for the sum of Is (id, and over a 2d .section twice a day for six days in the week for Is Hd. During the year this concession was extended to aliow these people who started work before !) o’clock in the morning to avail themselves of it.

i’usacs.- All tramway employees arc now supplied with an employee's ticket, which permits them to ride at any time. These have only heen in I'orcc since an agreement was arrived at between the Council and the tramway employees on October 4, 1911. Passes are issued to certain of the corporation officials. No alteration has been made regardin'; tares. Power-house Plectrical Tpuipiiumt.— During the past twelve months we have bad iiraerieally no trouble with the electrical plant; both generators have run exceedingly well, notwithstanding the great load fluctuations which they aresiibicet to owing to the small number of ears in operation. There is only on point that has given a little trouble during the year, and this is due to the mica segments being somewhat harder than the copper. This has been overcome on the No. 2 generator by catling down the mica between the copper bars, and i*o. 1 will be treated likewise during this next year. \\ e

are troubled a good deal in the engineroom with the dust, owing to the gas producers being in close proximity; this is drawn into the armatures, which in no way is beneficial to the running of the machines. 'I his, of course, will bo improved to a certain extent when (he now gas plant is in operation. Workshop. The system has now grown to that extent and the extra work entailed in making the different parts of tbeeipi.pmen.t lor the new ears has necessitated the building of a blacksmith’s shop and also a lilting shop, which I hope (Inlying the coming year to tit out with the iktc.sary appliances to cope with all onr own work. This will effect a considerable saying, and, in addition, will prevent a good deal ol vexations delay to which 1 have been subjected while waiting far outside repairers to get through with the work sent them.

(jas-engines.—Hoth engines are only in fair condition, and this is what one wound naturally expect, after running three yea's and three months under abnormal coudilions. During the past year the engines have not been given fair play, as they are sometimes called upon to gi-'e sne : i overloads that must result in undue wi;r add tear and shorten the life to l.i• ■ irgine.-,. Owing to the wear and (ear oi the liners due to Ihe above condition.-, i( was found that a good deal of i ompre.-sion was lost owing to leakage that goes on between the liner and the piston rings. This loss of compression naturally results in a great loss of power and an increased fuel bill,

and it lias been met to some extent by using a heavier grade cylinder oil of greater viscosity. U is my intention when the new plant 0 installed to run the present ones as little as possible, ami by so doing i( is (pule possible, providing the increase in traffic is not too great, that onr present engines may lie used as a stand-by for another year, by wliieb time, in my opinion, a duplicate of the new plant will have to be installed.

Producer Plant.—During the year a good deal lias boon spent on t :io producer plant. This is not surprising in viow of tho heavy overloads which they liavo boon subjected to from time to time. Some tow months ago it was found necessary to ronow tlio. vaporisers, tho old ones being cracked dee to the excessive lirating caused by ibe coniunions suction effort of the engines in coping with the heavy demands made it non I hem from outside. JJoth producers have also suffered in eon.seiincncc of (he abnormal demands, and it has been found necessary to enlarge them. Semi-detached vaporisers have been fitted to bulb producers, which puls them in a hotter condition to cope with (be

work ret| aired. Tramway limployees’ Award. On 1 he llli (Iny of Oilnlur, filll, 11: tramway award came ini - ) opera!inn, necessitating a enasideraMe increase in wages to motor-

men and conductors. The increase in wages iinee the award came into loive until the end of the linaneial year amonm - ed to £:io. It will lie understood (hat all the niotonnen and conductors were not eligible for the increase during the last six months, as the -a eeilied time for same had hot arrivid, hat daring the coming year the remainder of the men already m the system wiil'lie receiving the increase, which, when the ext elisions are complete, will amount approximately to .tlad per annum over ami above (lie amount paid out siner l the inaugu rai ion oi the system. r l lie award provide-, for free passes at all times for th" employees, al-o that they are now supplied with anilorni and coat at <|iia iter cost, where previously they were charged half cost. Personal. -I would like to state my appreciation ri guiding the manner in which my committee have dealt with my various reports and .suggestions during the year. This past yea I’ ha- been an entirely r.lcasant or.' in connect ion with my relations with the committee, and I have no hesitation in slating that such a condition undoubtedly serves to Iu i t her I lie best interests of' the depart men!. The success of the tramway undertaking is, to a verv great extent, line to the loyal siip--1 oil and assistance L have received Irma all officer, and men employed in this d<part menl. Attach ,1 to tlic report is a return giving statistics roam it rd with the year's operations, in which it is shown, inti"’ alia, that the total revenue was .£10,(218 1 l.s ‘id; the working cxpeii' s (exclusive o( interest and sinking fund). ,£7IBB (is 2d; tlm ear miles run, 1T!,221 : Hie revenue per ear mile, 12.Old; the average passe litre rs per ear mile. 7.01; the total passengers carried, 1.170.2:: 1. The power expenses were ,£lo2t 12s .nl: 1 rathe expenses, £:i7)9l :is 8d; repairs and maintenance, •£100.') 8- del; general expenses. £OO7 Is ‘.hi.