The existing station yard at Auckland has become inadequate to cope with its rapidly increasing passenger and goods traffic. Further extension, of the yard on its present site is impossible, and the time has arrived when the saving to be effected in operating expenses justifies considerable expenditure in the reconstruction of the station yard, and in the elimination of heavy gradients in the suburban area to the north and south of Auckland.

To this end the re-location (in double track) of a ten-mile stretch of line from Auckland southwards is in hand, and the construction of a new passenger and goods terminal is going on in conjunction with this work. Provision is also made for the re-location in the near future of the northern outlet in double track through a 1 1/2-mile tunnel under Auckland city.

The site of the new yard is on reclaimed ground near the present station.

The nature and extent of the design is limited by the position of the engine depot and by the surrounding city streets. The existing engine depot is of fairly recent construction and can be made serviceable for a further term by its extension and re-arrangement on the present site.

Further extension of the yard can be made possible by removing the engine depot to a site about one mile from its present position, which will become available for that purpose.

At present a busy street crosses main and shunting lines near the station platforms. This dangerous crossing is eliminated, and there are no level crossings in the new arrangement.

At the south-eastern end of the yard a street is carried over the tracks by means of a reinforced concrete overbridge, with ramped approaches from the adjoining streets. The construction of this bridge is described further on.

The projected route of the outlet to northward lies across a busy city street adjoining the station site, and the only way of effecting a crossing here satisfactorily is by means of elevated tracks over the street.

It has been necessary for this reason, and also to enable a connection to be made with the existing line to the northward, to construct the passenger yard on a level about 15 feet above the goods yard, which is on street level. The higher level has been attained by grading up on earth fill, the grade commencing at the overbridge at the south end of the yard.

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The station building will be founded on piles penetrating through 50ft of silt to a hard reef. A plan of the station lay-out is shown in Fig. 1.

Passenger Traffic.

As previously described, the station platforms are on a level 15ft. above street level. Access is provided from the present street level to the station basement, where all luggage will be received and conveyed through subways and lifts to the several platforms.

Graded ascents from the present street will be constructed so that passengers may alight from motor or tramcar at the main station entrance. They will pass through the booking hall to a concourse or circulating area, whence any of the platforms may be reached through subways and gently graded ramps.

A roadway is provided alongside the main arrival platform, so that passengers arriving may engage taxis drawn up on the opposite side of the platform, and have only the width of the Platform to negotiate with their effects.

Long distance night travellers will find every convenience awaiting them within the station concourse, such as dressing rooms, lavatories, hairdressing saloons, refreshment rooms, etc.

Subway Construction.

The structure is carried on piles, spaced generally at about three-feet centres. The side walls are of mass concrete construction designed to retain the filling and overload on either side with the assistance of the roofslab. The roof-slab is of concrete-encased rolled steel joists, carrying ballast and sleepers, the continuity of the permanent way structure being uninterrupted.

The construction of the luggage subway is similar to the above except in the roofslab. Rail level over this subway is three feet below that at the passenger subway. In order to avoid deeper excavation in wet and unstable ground, the top of the 20ft slab was brought to rail level, and the rails carried through it.

Reinforced Concrete Overbridge.

The overbridge at the south end of the yard carries a 46ft. roadway and two 10ft. footpaths, and has a total length of 190ft. There are five spans varying in length from 27ft. to 44ft. Cin.

Abutments and piers are of mass concrete construction, carried down about 15ft. through reclaimed ground to a foundation on a mudstone reef. The superstructure is of rolled steel joists encased in concrete and spaced at 5ft. 10 1/2in. centres. Skelton broad flange beams are used. The deck slab is 10in. deep, reinforced top and bottom with 1/2in. diameter rods, and covered by a 6in. wearing surface.

The parapet was built up of balusters, precast in short lengths, bedded in grooves left for that purpose in the plinth, and coped with a reinforced concrete railing spanning between massive posts erected at about 20ft intervals.

A plan illustration of the bridge is given in Fig. 2.

Concrete-encased joists have been used extensively in the work. This type of construction, although involving the use of a greater weight of steelwork than is required for rod-reinforcement, has proved to be cheaper because of saving effected in labour costs.

Reinforced Concrete Retaining Wall.

A low level roadway has had to be provided alongside one of the ramps to this overbridge in order to provide access to existing buildings. This has necessitated the construction of a retaining wall 400ft. long, varying in height from Oft. to 21ft. The cantilever type has here been adopted.

Description of Goods Yard.

The goods yard is level throughout, there being insufficient space in which to develop an arrangement suitable for “hump” working or other gravity device.

The problem of eliminating reverse movements has been dealt with in the arrangement page 12 as far as is possible with the restricted room available. It will be noticeable, however, from the placement of sorting sidings with respect to reception and departure sidings, considerable reverse movement will be involved in the working of the yard.

Reception and departure sidings are of similar number and length, viz., three sidings each holding about seventy four-wheeled wagons.

All trains arriving in the reception sidings will be sorted in the “inwards” sorting sidings adjoining, and wagons despatched either to the “inwards” goods shed or precincts, to the wharves, or else to exchange sidings where they may be picked up for re-sorting if destined for some station beyond Auckland.

Wagons loaded on the wharves are delivered on the wharf exchange sidings, and thence marshalled through two groups of sorting sidings (marshalling yards Nos. 1 and 2) along with wagons from the “outward” goods shed and precincts. The “made-up” trains will then be placed on the adjoining departure sidings.

The cross-over across the departure sidings will enable long trains to be placed in their sidings in two sections without shunting out on the main running lines.

Direct connection is provided from the reception sidings to adjoining wagon repair sidings and repair shop. Provision is also made for the uninterrupted movement of engines between the engine depot, station platforms, and goods arrival and departure sidings.

Facilities for Handling Goods.

The tonnage of goods handled at Auckland has increased at a fairly steady rate from 395,000 tons in 1916, to 630,000 tons in 1926. Of this present total tonnage, about 175,000 tons would pass through the “outward” shed, and 75,000 tons through the “inward” shed, the remaining 380,000 tons being dealt with on the wharves and on private and local sidings.

“Inward” and “outward” goods will be handled in separate sheds. The new sheds will provide greatly increased space for loading in comparison with the present inadequate buildings, besides improved arrangements for the quick handling of goods within the sheds. The siding arrangements in the new yard also will allow of quicker despatch of wagons to and from the sheds. In both sheds provision is made for extension in the future to twice the width at present being provided.

Outward Goods Shed.

The new outward goods shed has already been constructed.

The main dimensions of the building are 460ft. × 160ft. A length of about 50ft. is taken up at one end by offices, etc., the loading space being reduced in length to about 410ft. accordingly.

The new building has two 58ft. outer bays and a 44ft. centre bay. Each outer bay covers a 49ft. roadway adjoining a siding alongside the outer wall. Two tracks at 11ft. centres run down the middle of the centre bay, with platforms 12ft. wide adjoining. Lorries may unload either at one of these platforms or direct into trucks on the opposite side of the roadway. One-way traffic for road vehicles is provided for within the building.

The centre bay is served by two overhead 1 1/2ton travelling cranes spanning its entire width, each with traverser and underhung slewing jib to enable loads to be handled from lorries either on to the platform or direct into trucks. This arrangement was preferred to the installation of pillar cranes at intervals.

The 12ft. width of platform was adopted in preference to a wider platform, as it was considered to provide all the storage space necessary. The narrower platforms have the advantage of aiding the quick transhipment of goods, and also of allowing a greater width of roadway in the adjoining bay.

Description of Building.

The goods shed building is of reinforced concrete and steel construction.

The outer columns are rolled steel joists encased in concrete, spaced at 16ft. 6in. centres. Internal columns are of two steel channels laced, at 33ft. centres, carrying longitudinal crane and roof girders. Trusses are of the Fink type with frames for monitor ventilators. Side walls page 13 are of reinforced concrete 8in. thick, and roofing is of corrugated asbestos-protected metal. Side and roof lights have an area of about 22 per cent. of wall and roof area.

The construction of outward and inward sheds is similar, except that in the latter building, ridge ventilators spaced at 16ft. intervals are used instead of the monitor type.

A rock foundation is obtained at a small depth for both sheds.

Inwards Goods Shed.

The main dimensions of the building are 430ft. long by 50ft. wide. Office space amounts to 20ft. × 15ft. only. (Fig. 3.)

The building covers a siding (running its whole length) with a 35ft. platform adjoining.

The platform is recessed on the roadway side at intervals of 48ft. to permit lorries to load under cover. The size of these docks is 15ft deep by 12ft wide.

Two 1 1/2-ton travelling cranes are provided with traversers, the crane girder spanning the complete width of the building.

Good Service Appreciated.

To the District Traffic Manager, Auckland, from the General Manager of Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement Company, Limited:—

With the completion of the dam at Arapuni, our contract for the supply of cement to Messrs. Sir W. G. Armstrong and Company, Limited, Putaruru, is practically ended.

During the currency of our contract all supplies of cement have been carried direct from Portland to Putaruru by the New Zealand Railways, and we desire to thank you for the manner in which your Department has responded to calls for rolling stock, and for the prompt way in which consignments were handled and delivered.

The courtesy and advice of your officers has been greatly appreciated by this Company and has been of undoubted assistance in enabling us to successfully carry out the terms of our contract for the supply of so large a quantity of cement.

At all times we shall be pleased to work in with your Department wherever possible for the supply and delivery of our product, especially for large contracts.