RAILWAY HOLD-IJP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 134, 23 June 1937, Page 3

RAILWAY HOLD-IJP

Wellington Station Now Runnmg Smoothly DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME ' (By Telegraph— Presa Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. In contrast to the confusion which developed in the Tailw.ay services operating from the new Wellington Station yesterday to-day's time-tables .were run reasonably to schedule. To iobviate the chief cause of yesterday 's idislocation — the difficulty of securing iengines from the sheds up to time — the Railway Department temporarily increased the staff. The men of all seetions of the service co-operated with enthusiasm to prevent a recurrence of the disruption and despite the handicap of uncompleted yard facilities they were able to handle the traffic with little inconvenience to the travelling public. During the evening suburban rush period a number of trains arrived or departed a few minutes late but otherwise passengers had little to complain of. At present only one road is available from the engine sheds to the lines giving access to the platforms and the staft Md well to get locomotives out in the mannerthey did. The main lines in and out of the station — two down and two np— are not yet in the designed positions and could not have been moved before the Thorndon Station was closed as one is to go right over the sito of the Thorndon platforms. A gang of 200 men are working on jthis job at present. As soon as possible Ithe remainder of the yard will be laid 'out as the plans prescribe. The final iay-out provides for four roads from the engine depot to the station — had these ;been ready yesterday the trouble could jsoon have been overtaken. "I should like to make it clear," said Ithe distriet traffic manager, Mr. W. jSchierning, to-night, "that the reasons !ascribed in my statement concerning ;last night 's delay do not reflect upon the locomotive orews. It is true, as I 'stated, that the delay originated with the engine that shou.i have been out of the shed earlier than it 'was, but this was by no mean? the fault of the locomotive men. This should be made quite clear in case of any' misunderstanding by the pnblic. The locomotive staffi has worked willingly and extraordinarily well to bring about the change-over and deserve every «redit for the important , part its members have played."