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39. A revenue sub-head R-10 Auxiliary Operations Foreign Haulage was re-opened as considerable haulage was performed by British Section locomotives over the Chinese Section. from this source were $150,675.
Receipts
40. In order to keep separate accounts for work carried out at the workshops on behalf of outside firms and Government Departments, and the Railway, a workshop suspense account was opened in April, 1947. This has proved satisfactory and has worked quite efficiently, the main difficulty being caused by delay in receiving debits for costs of stores supplied from the Government Stores. Services rendered by Railway Workshops to the Canton Hankow Railway, outside firms and Government Departments amounted to $1,315,602, $24,405 and $31,534 respectively for the year under review.
The
41. The Imprest Account which was opened on behalf of the Chinese Section in November, 1946, has worked smoothly. account has been compiled by this Section, the average monthly debits deducted for work performed and stores supplied to the C.H.R. in connection with through running being $230,000.
WAY & STRUCTURES.
42. All way and structures were maintained in as satisfactory condition as the shortage of rails and supplies permitted.
43. The state of the track caused considerable anxiety as the rails were mostly over 30 years old, and whole sections required re-railing. No new rails were received during the year, and the Department was fortunate that there were no bad derailments which necessitated re-railing sections of the permanent way. As it was, 37 cracked and fractured rails in the main line had to be replaced with other old rails which were removed from sidings.
The track in Beacon Hill Tunnel had deteriorated to such an extent that 370 lengths of new 110-lb. rails and 375 pairs of fishplates were obtained from the Chinese Ministry of Communica- tions and the whole length of 1 miles was re-railed.
Owing to destruction and lack of maintenance during the war, it was found that the existing labour force was insufficient to deal with the arrears of maintenance, and at the same time, reduce the weeds and undergrowth which had been allowed to grow unchecked during the occupation. An extra gang of sixteen platelayers was therefore engaged in April, and by the end of the year most of the permanent way had been cleared of major undergrowth and weeds.
44. The work of repairing Beacon Hill and Taipo Tunnels. commenced in August, 1946, was completed in August, 1947, the final task being the repairing of cracks in these tunnels with a cement gun. The total cost of repairs which were necessary owing to damage caused by military demolitions in December, 1941 was $701,356.
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