THE RAILWAY WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1841, 24 April 1884, Page 2

THE RAILWAY WORKS.

Messrs Mulmnger and Brett's platelaying contract on the Waikato Thames Railway is making very satisfactory pro gress, though some delay has been caused by the difficulty experienced m getting totara sleepers. Tlip platelayer* aiu now out as fai as Jenkit.s , past the 13th mile post, reckoning fioiu the Frankton junction, and withiu five miles of Pia'co. The ballasting gangs jire close up, and in a very short time we may expect to sec the line completed and in a condition for ordinary railway traffic as far as, Moriiiis\ille. The contractors have over one hundred hands employed on the woik on the line and in the ballast pit at Claud'4ands, and the locomotive is kept fully employed. The giavel obtained in this p>t is one of the b°st in the district, and is well adapted for ballasting purposes. The ballast for a few nnle.s of the line near Piakr. will be proem ed on the spot, and a pit which the contractor have opened up tlieie will produce fust - rate material. The lads used are 401b steel nils, and o\er th.it poitiou of the line now pi ictieaF'y finished travelling is attended with much le^ discomfort than on the mam line to Auckland, even without making allowance foi the diffeience between a ballast waggon and a tint-class carriage. The line runs almost the whole distance over swamps, and the woik of laying the permanent way is theieby rendeied much more difficult than is the case on solid giound. The excellence of tho load, thciefoip, affords the best testimony to the thorough way m which the contractors have done their woik. The station grounds are all la ; d out, but the sidings, owing to the want ot sleepeis lefeired to above, ha\e not all been put in. Tho contractor for the station buildings has commenced woik at the junction, and considei able progioss has been made at Claudelands. The determi nation of the (Government not to eiect a goods station at the latter place lias gnen rise to much disappointment. Claudelanrls will bo one of the most important stations on the lino, being the depot for the gi eater poition of the Kuikinroa distuct and Hamilton East. We are convinced that a week's woiking of the line would demonstrate to the (xoverninent that a huge goods shed is absolutely necessary, and a gieat deal of unnecessary inconvenience will be saved bv erecting tho buildings at once. Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.R., visited the works on Monday, and we undoi stand that it is his intention to make lepiesentatioiis to the Minister for Public Woiks on this nuttei forthwith. Mr Whytt* also wont out on the ballast tram as far as Jenkins, and o\piesses himself as being much pleased with the progress and charactei of tho work. Mi Lo\ett is also making satisfactoiy pi ogi ess with the Cambridge railway coutiact, h.w nig now seemed the seiuees of a locomotive. The work of convoying the mateual fiotn Hamilton is pioceeding night and day.