LIGHT AND TRAMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 May 1917, Page 6

LIGHT AND TRAMS.

the trouble at the dam. . ENGINEER'S REPORT. . The electrical engineer (Mr. R. 11. Hart ley) reports as follows to the 'New ,I'lvmouth Borough Council on the working of the electric light and tramways departments for the month ;:f April':— Tramways.—Much ha.s ii. :'ii uone during the month in restraining spans and regulating trolley wire anil insulator.-:, and these are now at regulation heights throughout the routes. Tlie ear equip-' ment, apart from the usual repairs and maintenance, has received its quarterly overhaul, and the only replacements found necessary were a few journal brasses. The tramways stock has been taken and sheets prepared and handed to the town clerk. The stocks of oils and grease in hand should bo sufficient to last out this year. The position Is fortunate, as we purchased at pre-war prices fifteen months ago, and the advance to date is very considerable. In my estimates I allowed a sum for re-varnishing the cars this year, and I purpose to put this work in hand as soon as the winter time-table is brought into force. It may be thought that this work is hardly necesasry just yet, but from experience I have found that a coat of varnish, before it is absolutely necessary„ will save money on painting and varnishing at a later date. This applies more to New Plymouth than most other towns, as we have no facilities to turn the cars round. Consequently the sides of cars facing the sea will require attention much sooner than will the opposite sides. Records.—The records for the month as compared with ' the corresponding month of last year show an increase of £370 16s 5d and 48,204 passengers carried. The details are as follow: Main route—Mileage run, 1-2,813; passengers carried, 108,496; passengers carried per car mile, 8.4; average fare per per passenger, 1.5 d; revenue fare per total fares, £OB7 12s 9d. Morlcy Street route.—Mileage run, 21811; passengers carried, 13,370; passengers carried per car mile.. 6; average fare per passenger 1.4 d; revenue per car mile, S.Sd; total fares, £SO 8s 3d. Combined routes. —Mileage run, 15,002; passengers carried, 121,803; passengers carried per ear mile, 8; average fare per passenger, l.Gd ; revenue fare per mile, 12.2d;'total fares, £768 la. Electric, light.—April has been a very busy month in this department, both from a point of business done, and in connection with work on the hydraulic portion of the undertaking. A full report on the proposed procedure at the Mangorei dam has already been presented to the council bv -the borough engineer, and as we are working jointly in this matter, it is not necessary for me to say more,, other than to endorse his remarks, and to confirm his statements as to the results of the examinations we have made. The failure of the dam has come at a very awkward time, and water supply available under the reduced head conditions is being taxed to the utmost. It was necessary on Saturday, April 21, to close the'tramways down for about one and a half hours, in order to keep the lighting and other requirements of the system working. The rapid failure of the water on this date induced me to suspect some obstruction in the tunnel, and arrangements were immediately mado for an inspection the same night, or rather early morning. At first I feared that a portion of the tunnel which is carrving the weight of the dam (approximately 200 tons) had collapsed, but fortunately this was not the case, and the trouble was traced to huge deposits of sand in the unlined parts of the tunnel and gradually banking up for a distance of fifteen or twenty chains, thus destroying approximately one-third of the tunnel area. The sand is of such a nature that the low velocity of the water in the tunnel will not move it. 'The only course left was to remove the sdnd with shovels, and to keep working it forward with as much water entering the tunnel as it was possible to work eventually bringing it to the forebay, where it can be easily removed. This work has taken a long time, as it could only be attempted between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m. Every effort was made to keep /lie supply of electricity going and to carry out the work at the same time, but owing to the sand blockage the quantity of dead water in the tunnel was too great, and it was there.fore necessary to cut the supply oiT on the occasions, as was done. To date the sand has been removed, except for a distance of approximately eight chains, and over this length the depth has been reduced to about one foot, and as this length is adjacent to the lined portion of the tunnel leading to the forebay. approximately 10 chains long, I am in hopes that the full head of water will remove it. If not, shovelling will again have to be resorted to. I am unable to say with any certainty as to how long the sand has been in the tunnel. It may possibly be an accumulation of years; but I am inclined to think that when the washout at the dam took place, the sand in the dam (of which there is a good quantity) would be agitated by the rush of water and enter the intake. I am in hopes that, with the extra water now available, due to the reto keep things going, with the exception moving of the sand, it will be possible of street lighting, over the hours of peak load. This may not be found' possible, owing to the peak load lengthening as we get further into the winter, and in that'case it will be necesasry to suspend a part of-the tramways service for as short a time as possible. I mention this in order that it will be known that all in my power will be done to cause as little inconvenience to the public as possible until conditions can assume normal. I think it well that I should not lose this opportunity of recording the cooperation of the staff, especially Messrs 'Huggett, Milne, Malt, and Lees, who, in addition to their ordinary duties, have given much time in pushing this important work forward.