NEW ENGINES & CARS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1427, 30 April 1912, Page 5

NEW ENGINES & CARS.

3IG PROGRAMME, a'HAMES-FIBM GETS FIRST-OllDl'T;, (By, (CeleKTiiph—Prcßs Association. 1 ) Auckland, April 29. 14n oxtcnslvo addition is to bo made (ft tho loeomotivo plant and rolling Block o{, tho Dominion railways in order to meet', _„ fclio increased demands of tlio "Service" in"' various parts of the Dominion. 'It'com-I'--*1 '--* prises CO now locomotives and 112 passen- . gor cars and goods wagons. A review cf tlio Department's building programme contemplated and in hand, was given (o a "Herald" reporter by the Mill- v „ / istor for Railways (the Hon, A. M. Myers). _ In the first place, said Mr. Myers, it is intended to place an older for ten class "A.D." locomotives with.»"i>'' Messrs. A. and G. Price, Ltd.,,,at. the Thames. This ordor is to bo completed, nt tlio end of June, 1913. "Messrs Price's foundry is well equipped for the manufac-' A turo of locomotives, said Mr, Myers, in explanation of this decision. "In the past tho firm has invariably secured tlio contracts for locomotive building let'by" "' tho Department inside the Dominion and, moreover, Mossrs. Price, wore the only tenderers for tho last contract. Their: workshop is equipped with machinery specially adapted for the work, and the'j havo a well-trained staft' of men, whohavo been employed in loeomotivo building only. This firm has already constructea .'. "i no fewer than 42 locomotives for the New Zealand* railways, exclusive of those.now;A',.'j under constructioli, and all engines from its shops have given complete satisfaction in everyday working." The Minister stated that tho loeomotivo building programme provided for the construction of GO engines. 45 of which were ' to be allocated In the North Island, and, in addition, there were five class X locomotives in various stages of construction. ■~;;., The material for the latter five engines would be ordered in good time to enable the continuity of the work to bo maintained until it was completed, ..,.:.,', Mr. Myers added that it would bo seen that the major portion of the locomotive programme went to the North Island. This was owing to tho rapid increase in business that had taken place during the ■ last few years, and tho probability thai ' that increase would be maintained fat : some considerable time. As settlement ■ and development continued apace, all do-, mauds for locomotive power, it-was an-' '' tioipated, would be met. and, by nest 1 holiday season, the position would _.bo I stronger in regard to rolling stock.

Mr. Myers went on to say that the North .Island programme comprised, the '.. construction of 41 ears, 14 bosy wagons, - and TSfl four-wheeled wagons, and for tho South Island there, were allocated 19 cars, ono brake-van, 13 bogy wacons. mid 214, four-wheeled wagons. Ho explained that, all the cars for (he North Island would - - he of tho SO-feet Main Trunk type, and , they had ordered specially for uso ' on the Main Trunk trains between Wei- > Huston and Auckland in order to enable .' the service to be duplicated next summer,