CENTENNIAL RUSH

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20907, 12 September 1939, Page 9

CENTENNIAL RUSH

RAILWAYS PREPARE GOOD BUSINESS EXPECTED WELLINGTON STATION ALTERED (Special to Times) WELLINGTON, Monday Described as the most modern “temple of transport” In the Southern Hemisphere, the Wellington railway station is now being altered and enlarged to cope with rapidly-expand-ing business, and also to provide improved facilities for the influx of visitors expected during the six months of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition at Rongotai. Alterations and additions, the contract price of which was stated to be about £60,000, are now well advanced, and it is expected that the work will be completed in time for the centennial. Included In the scheme of alterations is the enlargement of the cafeteria to the Featherston Street frontage, which will mean that the new cafeteria will have a floor space of 1738 square feet. Seating accommodation will toe provided for additional patrons. The extensions at the Featherston Street tfnd of the building will also provide additional accommodation for the traffic staff and extra storage room for the refreshment branch. On the upper floor of this extension, already practically completed, there will be offices for the district locomotive engineer and his assistants. The traffic staff has already been moved to the new quarters. When completed the additions will have a total length of 226 ft. by a width of 42ft. Actually, the extension of the building is a continuation northward of the Featherston Street wing. It is a three-storey structure dropping to one story, and so constructed that additional stories to the full height of the station building may be erected as required. Rush of Business Although details of the department’s plans for coping with the rush of business expected during the centennial are not yet available, it is understood that a comprehensive scheme is being prepared. The rush of traffic is expected to make heavy demands on passenger rolling stock and motive power, but the workshops building programme, which is stated to be well advanced, will make provision for many new cars and locomotives being in service by the end of the present year. In addition, some powerful new locomotives of the “J” class, constructed in Great Britain, are already in New Zealand, and others are on their way.