WELLINGTON-JONNSONVILLE RAILWAY

Evening Star, Issue 22146, 28 September 1935, Page 22

WELLINGTON-JONNSON-VILLE RAILWAY

ELECTRIFICATION ANNOUNCED [Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 27. The Railways Board has decided, after careful investigation and subject to the passipg of a Bill ensuring to the Railways Board public transport rights in the district, to provide suitable multiple electric units for the Johnsonville line, which will be no longer a main line after the opening of the Tawa Flat deviation. The overhead reticulation involved costs totalling £90,000. Mr G. H. Mackley, general manager of railways, said to-night that the question of the disposal of the present line between Thorndoh and Johnsonville, when the Tawa Flat deviation ( was brought into full use had been the subject of discussion, and was offered to the council for a nominal sum representing

merely the salvage value of the materials in the track, including bridges, plus a sum for the area of land mentioned. The offer was no.t electrification. The proposal, involved considerable capital expenditure, and the Railways Board felt that it could riot incur the expenditure involved unless it could be assured of the whole of the transport business of the district served by the railway*. A fast and frequent train service would be provided at halfhourly intervals, with ample additional trains to cater for the morning and evening peak traffic. The over-all time for the journey, including five stops, is 20 minutes. V The proposal was to provide for additional stopping places at three new points. The fares would be arranged on a sectional basis somewhat similar to a tramway system. The proposed fares to Jbhfisonyille were as follows;—Ordinary single fares 9d, workers’ weekly tickets 3s 6d, 12-trip concession tickets 4s 6d. With the introduction of the proposed service coincident' with the opening of the new station the residents of the Ngaio, Khandallah, and Johnsonville area would have transport facilities unequalled in Dominion. It Was not the intention of the board to discontinue the road services in the district

which would be served by the department along those routes. Mr Mackley stated iri conclusion that in the event of the line being abandoned its residual value would be comparatively little. Consequently the board felt justified in discounting it as tangible, and had not taken the value of the existing track er its facilities into its calculations when considering the economic aspect- of the for electrification. This gave the district a decided advantage and enabled ths board to extend its policy of service to the public in a way that would otherwise have presented a more difficult economic problem. -