AUCKLAND IMPROVEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1696, 26 July 1875, Page 4

AUCKLAND IMPROVEMENTS.

THE PROJECTED RAILWAY PIER

At the last meeting of the Harbour Board it was resolved that the plans of the new Railway Pier as prepared be adopted and tenders invited for carrying out the work. Tenders are accordingly now invited, and it may not be amirs to give some porticulars of the undertaking which is shortly to be entered upon. Few peisons are aware of the magnitude of the proposed addition to our haibour accommodation. Next to the Dry Duck the Railway Pier is the most important feature in the scheme of improvements •which are to be carried out by the HarVour Board and paid for by the 'loan of £150,000 recently floated in the London market. Ihe pier is to be built out from the end of the Breakwater, which when Messrs. McCabe and Walsh have finished their present contract, will be widened at the top from its present widih of 30 feet to 90 feet throughout its entire ler.gth. The pier will extend out into the harbour a distance of 565 feet, "bringing the extremity nearly level with the end of the Queen-street Wharf. The width will be 40 feet. At the extremity a return or T will bs thrown off to the westward 400 ft. loi gby GOft. wide. At the junction of the return wiih the pier, a laige portion of the space in the angle will be built up to the level of the main structure, thus giving at this point an extensive triangular area, 200 ft. deep from the apex to the base me, on which receiving sheJs for goods from the mail steamers will be erected. The extra depth will also be required to allow of the rails being laid round fiom the pier to the return with a five-chain-radius curve. The new wharf when completed -will constitute the actual terminus of the Auckland and Wsikato Bsilway. The railway will be continued from the present station to the extremity of the pier, five workirg lines beirig laid down with the necessary turntables. The total length of fresh wharf accommodation afforded by the entire structure will be about 1 SOOffc. The outer berth 400 feet long, being reserved for the mail steamersr The pier will be of wood, and the general formatii n very Gimi'ar to that of the renovated portions of the Queen-street wharf. Totara piles will form the supports with bags of lift, and 24ft. Only three bsgs of the latter width will occur, these being Decesnary for the passage of the silt dredge. To each bay there will bo 6 bearing piles throughout the 40 feet wide poition, and 8 to the 60 feet portion : in addition to which two mooring piles will be provided at every bay. The planking will be 4-inch heart of kauri. Beneath this kauri stringers 18 inches by 9 inches will traverse the piles of each bay, supported on totara corbels, some 12 inches by 9 inches and others 12 inches by 10 inches. The headstocks or girders willmepsure 14 inches by 13 inches. The component parts of the structure will be secured together by bridge-blocks and braces in the usual way. In the principal berth a depth of water of 28 feet will be depended on at high tide. The depth of ruud above the solid reck varies from one foot close to the Breakwater to 10 feet at the end of the pier. The piles will be rendered secure by being driven 3 or 4 feet into the rock which will afford them an immovable bed. Some idea of the extensive nature of the project may be formed from the fact that it is estimated that the new wharf will rf quire close on one million feet of timber, and about 20,000 lineal feet of piles, and that the work will cover and area of one acre and three quarters. The entire cost will be paid by the Harbour Board, with the exception of providing and laying the rails, which the General Government is responsible for. ',■ The new pier will be connected w'th the receiving sheds on the reclaimed land to t>c westward of the Queen-streefc wharf by a line of rails along Custom-house-street. This will form a portion of the Government scheme of extension of the line from its present terminus to the silt basins where the ultimate station will stand. When the new pier, with all its accessories, is completed (according to the condition of the tenders this is to be within two years) there will be no further cause for complaints as to lack of shed accommodation or of any "receiving" difficulties. The Queen-street wharf will be relieved of half its present traffic ; the port will be provided with sufficient berthing Bpace to meet the requirements of the next twenty years, perhaps one or two T's being thrown out at inteivals ; and Auckland will bave the most extensive public wharf commodation not only in the colony of New Zealand, but in the whole of Australasia, the ports of Melbourne and Sydney not being excepted. Mr D. Macdonald, C.E., has prepared the plans, which are of a very elaborate character.