1949-1950 — Page 15

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56. Permanent Way Materials. During the year, 2,129 tons of 95-lb. B.S.R. rails and 92 sets switches and crossings arrived from the United Kingdom.

An indent for 650 tons of rails and accessories was placed on the Crown Agents for the 1950/51 programme of renewal of the permanent way.

A local contractor failed to fulfil the contract for the supply of 12,100 hardwood sleepers. Only 1,479 were delivered. The successive non-fulfilment of contract for the supply of hardwood sleepers by local contractors in 1948/49 and 1949/50 has resulted in a shortage of 11,621 sleepers which means a delay in the renewal of 4 miles of tracks and 35 sets of points and crossings.

57. Track Renewals. The programme of replacing 85-lb. old rails with 95-lb. new rails in the main line was, as usual, carried out in the dry season. Work was commenced in December and had to be stopped in February due to the shortage of hardwood sleepers. Owing to the running of late military trains on Saturdays and Sundays the platelayers only worked 5 nights per week. Work was done without interference to the normal traffic. Curves at Mile 11, 5, 8, 14, 15 and 201 were re-railed. 571 rails and 1,867 sleepers were replaced. The total length of track renewed was 2 miles.

Other renewals in the main line were as follows:

(a) Hardwood sleepers

Bridge & Crossing timbers

Concrete sleepers (second hand)

(b) Ballast stone 2′′

Ballast stone 6"

(c) Rails 85-lb. (second hand)

Rails 110-lb.

(d) Crossings

Switches

2,946 pcs.

484

""

Nil

1,868 cu. yds.

173

99

113 lengths.

Nil

2 Nos. 4 pairs.

58. Sidings re-laid. The following sidings, which were removed during the Japanese occupation period, were re-laid:- Taipo Market Siding, 300 ft. long (with second hand

85-lb. rails).

Fanling siding No. 2, 190 ft. long (with second hand

85-lb. rails).

Lowu siding No. 3, 878 ft. long (with second hand

85-lb. rails).

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