HOPPER WAGGONS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20104, 6 December 1930, Page 11

HOPPER WAGGONS.

WEST COAST SUPPLY. j "The Department considers i- has quite a reasonable supply," said Mr R. S. Kent, Divisional Superintendent of. the Hallways for the South Island, when asked yesterday if he would comment on the discussion at a meeting of the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce in which it was suggested that an insufficient number of coal .hoppers was being provided for the West Coast "Frequently the waggons, filled with coal, stand on the wharf waiting for a market or suitable conditions on the bar One of the causes of an_ occasional shortage is the lack of bin accommodation at the co-operative mines. An other is the delays resultmg when boats taking coal cargoes require them in a certain order, contrary to the convenience of the hopper supply." Mr Kent said that the same difficulties occurred at Westport. On the West Coast section of the railways there were about 470 hopper waggons in service, for dealing with coal for shipment, which was about equal to the number r n use before the Otira tunnel was opened. This development diverted a big quantity of coal to the railway, on which "it was transported to Canterbury in ordinary L.A. waggons, making the position considerably better now, so far as hoppers were concerned, than before Greymouth and Christchurch were joined by rail. Having no Westinghouse brake equipment, the hoppers could not bo used on the run to Canterburj.