NEW TRAMSHEDS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2946, 5 December 1916, Page 6

NEW TRAMSHEDS

_ « AT SOUTH KILBIRNIE TO BE USED NEXT WEEK . The husje ucw tramshed on Oncpu Eoad. South Kilbirnie —the tirst part of a larger schenio of tramway works — lias been completed, and will come into usb next week. For somo time past the tramway authorities have been considerably worried and perhaps hampered a litfclo by not having sufficient, accommodation to bouse all tbe cars. l'Vom sixteen to twenty cars have bad to bo left out all night, no matter what the weather was like, which exposure was 'detrimental on the seoro of upkeep, as a tramcar suffers the same as. any other vehicle by unnecessary exposuro to the elements. It was not easy or perhaps advisable to provide further shed oxtension within the limits of the old city boundaries, and as all the indications pointed, and still do point, to the settlement of a largo population in the suburbs to the west of the Mount Victoria hills, it was decided that when further sheds were needed they_ should "go west." Without duplicating the connection between the city and tho western suburbs, the, now shed couH not bo of great benefit to the' serrico as a whole, so the Constable Street extension was laid down (to tako the strain off tho tunnel section), and unify the whole tramway system by creating a new centre right in tho heart of one of the most vigorously-growing suburbs Wellington possesses. From the now tramsheds in Oncpu Eoad radiato a system within a system. To tho south runs the straight-away lino fo Lyall Bay (in summer a valuable arm of the service), to the west trail tho rails to Miramar and Seatoun, to the east double tracks lead to populous Wellington South, and to tho north go the cars through Kilbirnio and Mount Victoria to tho heart of tho city. TJp_ to a few mouths ago-tho early morning trams from Seatoun, Miramar, and Lyall Bay had to start out from the sheds noxt to Newtown Park, traverse tho whole of Newtown, Adelaide Road, Kent Terrace, and then proceed via the tunnel to tho suburban termini. Tho Constable Street line shortened that journey a good deal, but with tho sheds housed in Onopui Eoad each of thoso cars will be but a few minutes' run from its starting point for tho day's work. The City Council is in perfect agreement with the tramways manager (Mr. \V. H. Morton) that Onopu Eoad is not only the sito for the shed now erected, but for the big tramway workshops of the future, and a large area of land has been secured on either side of tho shed to provide on the south sido for a big workshop and car-building 1 factory, and on the north side for an extension of the present shed. The land on tho south sido does not como out to tho Onepu Eoad alignment, but extends some hundreds of feet behind a row of houses that will one day front that thoroughfare. The new shed is 360 ft. long, with a width of 70ft. in the front half and S4ft. for the rest. With the exception of a few yards at either end of this vast shod the whole of the spaco is "pitted"—that is to say, that there are, six tracks in the shed, enabling 42 cars to rest over pits, so that tho underpays may be cleaned and examined with the greatest ease. In between the tracks are loose plank platforms of hardwood, which may be readily removed on the necessity arising. The pit floor is 4ft. Bin. below the rail, which is deemed to be the most" convenient working height for the men concerned. In addition to tho over-pit space there is probably house-room for another eight cars. On the south sido and in front the shed is built of reinforced concrote, and on the north there is a temporary wall, of corrugated iron, so that there will be no difficulty, when the shed has to he extended. The sawtooth roof is supported by substantial steel girders, which rest on eleven 6in. ■•! by lin.H steel standards, which, mark the centre of the building. The roof is sheathed with grey, asbestos slates, and tho roof-windows which traverse each "tooth" have an eastward aspect, away from the sun. That arrangement was a wise one, as could bo felt by the distinct variation between the interior and exterior temperatures. The cars enter 'the two big doublo doors on the Onepu' Eoad frontage on two tracks, each of which are divided inside by new' three-way points, that enablo the whole of the six tracks to be fed from two entranco tracks. The 6ix tracks traverse the full length of shed, and extend beyond it at the rear, in order that when the big motor-driven traverser_ is supplied, a oar can be driven on to it, and carried away to the repair shops of the future, and in a similar manner cars will be returned to the shed. The traverser will run on a special.track built up about Sft. from the ground,' and will travel at rightangles to the tracks in the shed from one end of tho works to the other. Owing to the difficulty in getting material and delivery, it is hardly likely that the traverser or any part of the workshops will be gone on with until after the war. In addition to the six tracks, there is a seventh, part in and part out of the shed, by which all damaged 1 cars will travel en route to the traverser • and repair shop. In the pit at tho sido of this supplementary track is a lino of light rails embedded in the concrete floor. is for a trolly that will bo strong enough to sustain the weight of any part or that may bo needed in connection with' a damaged car. Even this little track will liavo its fellow running parallel to tho traverser, ensuring economy of transport within tho shed. In the .designing of tho new shed ample office ante-rooms have been provided on tho northern side of tho shed, and projecting from its wall alignment. In tho front is tho time-room, then working backwards is tho ticket-room, a special strong-room for tho automatic ticket-machine (which receives conductors' cash -.and tickets at the conclusion of the day's work), a messroom for the men (29ft. x lift. 6in.), with gas cooker, a scullery, and lavatory; a lavatory for the officers,_ a store-room, and an office for the night foroman. ■ With this shed ready tlioro'is now shed accommodation for 139 cars, viz., Newtown, 65; Kilbirnie, 50; and Thorndon, 24. This is none too much, as in the Now Year there will be 110 passenger cars in commission, apart from freight cars and_ trnck-cleaners— and further car-building is in progross. Apart from tho steel work, tracks, and overhead wire work, the contract price was £13,258, but already £10,000 lias been spent on tho shod, and by tho time tho finishing touches aro applied, it is estimated that tho cost will bo approximately £20,000. Tho plans wore prepared hy tho Tramway Department's draughtsmen (under the supervision of the Tramways Manager Mr. W. H. Morton), and the building was crested by Mr. E. S. Knight, of Vivian Street.