LOWERING OF RAILWAY

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20270, 12 August 1937, Page 7

LOWERING OF RAILWAY

SCHEME FOR HAMILTON. PROGRESS OF SURVEY WORK. NEW LOW-LEVEL STATION. Further reference to the survey being- carried out by officials of the Hamilton Borough Council and officers of the Railways Department was made at last evening’s meeting of the Borough Council, when a report on the progress of the investigations was tabled by the borough engineer, Mr R. Worley. The report was prepared following a request from the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce for information on the progress of the survey. The Mayor, Mr J. R. Fow, presided, and also present were Messrs W. Bourne, C. Lafferty, A. J. Denz, F. Findlay, H. D. Caro, H. M. Hammond, J. E. Tidd, R. McCaw, and W. A. Curteis. Also present were Messrs W. L. Waddel (town clerk), R. Worley (borough engineer), I. Webster (eleotrioal engineer), J. H. Rishworth (gasworks engineer), and W. E. Nicholson (chief traffic inspector). “The following proposal," states the report, ‘‘is at present being Jointly Investigated by the Borough Council fcnd the Railways Department; surveys and estimates have been in course of preparation since April 19 and are now well forward. “It is suggested: (1) That a new goods shed and goods railhead serving Doth Hamilton and Frankton be conItructed on the area between Lake Road and High Street; (2) that Bryce Street be extended from Seddon Road to Lake Road, and the new railhead, olosely following the railway, serve B§ direot access from the railhead to Hamilton; (3) that the main line be lowered, commencing at the Frankton Station Junction, grading down to be llmost submerged at Seddon Road and Completely submerged between HinoInoa Street and River Road, rising lo the existing level at Heaphy Terrace crossing; (4) that the new railway be double track; (5) that a new railway bridge be built just downstream from the existing bridge and the existing Structure be converted into a traffic ridge; (6) that level overhead ridges be constructed at Victoria Street, at Barton Street (which is to be extended to Ward Street), at Anglesea Street and Hinemoa Street (footbridge only); (7) that a slightly ramped overhead bridge be constructed It Seddon Road, a half-level ramp at Lake Road, and a full ramp at River Road; (8) that a new low-level passenger Btation be constructed at the bresent situation at Hamilton. Explanation of Scheme. “In explanation of some of the items ft may be stated that at River Road it Will be necessary' to demolish the subway and construct an overhead bridge," commented the engineer. ‘‘The present railway embankment Would become the roadway as far as River Road; while a further scheme is bqing Investigated for using the prolent embankment from River Road to Terraoe as the foundations for a road traffloway which would tnake a very direot route from Hamilton to Claudel&nds station. “The new bridge Is being designed with the piers on the same line and the truss at the same level as the existing bridge, in this case the rail level being at the bottom of the truss, tn the conversion of the railway bridge to a trafflo bridge it may be necessary to oarry the footway under the road deoklng as a covered way. Heaphy Terraoe Crossing. “At the Lake Road end of the new hdlhead road from Seddon Road it Is proposed to branch the new road, one Branch going under Lake Road overhead bridge and in to the railhead, and the other branching off towards the corner of Somerset Street, thus providing a shorter general route to Frankton,” continued Mr Worley. “The demolition of a number of houses and possibly a shop at River Road subway is inevitable. It is not, proposed In this scheme lo provide for the elimination of the Heaphy Ter - race level crossing. This can only bo carried out by means of a subway which would have to extend round into O’Neill Street, Hukiinul Road and Station Road, as well as along Heaphy Terrace each way, and would be very expensive. If eventually required, its construction could equally well be oarried out at a later date. “In regard to the proposal to form one big station, to serve the whole of Hamilton, the Raialways Committeo Which waited on the Council Committee on April 12 indicated clearly that the difficulties appeared to bo insurmountable, and such a proposal was pot being considered by the Depart-

ment at the present time," he concluded. Opposition to Soheme. Several councillors voiced opposition to some of the suggestions, and declared that they did not desire the Chamber of Commerce to think that the scheme as set out In the report had been approved by the •council. A lengthy discussion on the pros and cons of the proposals seemed likely, hut the Mayor, Mr J. R. Fow, explained that the report only contained -suggestions, and I hat the investigations were being carried out at the request of the Railways Department. lie stated that ample opportunity of discussing the proposals would be available when concrete plans were submitted, and expressed the opinion that the present suggestions would be considerably modified before anything was done. It was decided to forward the report to tho Chamber of Commerce.