A MODEL PLANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 524, 29 November 1928, Page 9

A MODEL PLANT

COMMUNITY SPIRIT AT OTAHUHU RAILWAYS EFFICIENCY The magnitude of the plant, the efficiency of its mass production methods, and the accuracy of the organisation under which the new plant is absorbing the Newmarket shops, and, at the same time, attending to the always urgent maintenance requirements of the traffic department, without any hitch, are impressions which one cannot fail to carry away from the new Railway Workshops at Otahuhu. A Sun representative who visited the new Gtahuhu shops yesterday certainly found little to denote the difficulty that must confront the works manager, Mr. A. F. D. Sampson, and his staff in catering for the maintenance requirements of the traffic department with one plant partially dismantled and the other in process of equipment. The only indications are empty spaces still awaiting machinery and partially completed jobs passing to and fro between the two plants. At Otahuhu there is only to bo found well-ordered efficiency. The plant represents the new order in railway control and management. It is a carefully-planned job to meet present requirements on systematic lines, future expansion also being possible without any interference with the routine system. Either in buildings or equipment there is nothing superfluous, but at the same time, nothing has been spared that will add to the efficiency of the plant or the workmen. Likewise, everything moves according to plan. RUN TO TIMETABLE All jobs arriving at the shops are classified and scheduled according to the time that will be taken to complete them. For instance, a carriage for overhaul is run under the electrichoist, where its bogeys are replaced by a pair of service bogeys, which are temporarily fitted to take the car through the shop. While the bogeys are sent to the bogey shop the carriage is taken by the electric traverser along the traverse that runs between the two main shops to the bay nominated. A wide door rolls up and the car is pulled in over the pit. The bay number is also scheduled, along with other particulars of the job, and complete information is thus available at the office of every job in hand. By this system the traffic department can be kept advised of the date when the carriage or truck will be available for service. All work is done to standardised timetable, a fair margin of time being allowed on all jobs. “Everything must keep moving here,” said Mr. Sampson. Neither in time or material is waste allowed. An up-to-date dining-room, complete with a modern kitchen that can supply meals from a three-course dinner to a pie, a library, shortly to be equipped, and a concert hall furnished with a usetul-sized stage, have been provided for the use of the employees. WORKSHOPS SCHOOL A rather unusual but very wise provision is that of a schoolroom for the apprentices. When the plant is in full operation special hours will be set aside as school hours, when apprentices will receive tuition in the theoretical side of their trade by a qualified teacher. A special committee, of which the works* manager is a member, is to be set up, and this will take in hand questions affecting the welfare of the members of this very complete community. Separate sports committees will also work in conjunction with the general committee for the management of sports and recreations. Certainly it should not be the fault of the organisers if a happy and contented community spirit is not fostered in the model workshops of Otahuhu.