Re: "Dragging the Road" Digest Number 405

John Fitzsimons
Wednesday, October 2, 2002 10:27 AM

Re one time tramway jargon - Dragging the road.
This afternoon about 4 pm on route 69 from Cotham Rd.
to Malvern station it was my profound misfortune to
strike a "PRINCE of the craft"
One thing I had not noticed before on Z class trams in
this case 75 was the extending rear vision mirror so
the driver can observe anyone running to catch the
tram before he left the off side safety zone at Cotham
Rd 69 terminus. He pulled on the string, the mirtror
extended
he pulled again the mirroe retracted. Very nifty I
thought.
Then came the most painful trip I have had in a long
time. At no time did he go more than about l5kmph. At
traffic lights he arrived with a green cycle, waited
till the right turners cleared, still had a green
light but sat there till it went red then took off
with alacrity when it turned green again till it
reached l5 kmph.
Even where there was little traffic we trundled at
about l5kmph. I was going to compliment him on his
professionalism at dragging the road but he left at
Coldblo Rd. The new driver came on and the
acceleration was remarkable!!!!
On a more psitive note the intersection of Wattletree
Rd-Glenferrie Rd. is apparently to be relaid this
coming weekend. Last time they relaid it they kept the
old trackwork with the remains of the west Wattletree
Rd to south Glenferrie Rd. curves. If the crossing is
to be completely replaced with new, this small piece
of tramway archaeolgy will disappear. If anyone wants
phots you have 2 days!!!!
John Fitzsimons.

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There are 10 messages in this issue.

Topics in this digest:

1. Aotea Quay
From: "Graeme Bennett"
<[email protected]>
2. RE: Wellington in the 1930s or '40s -
Willis Street
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
3. Re: Another forgotten trolleybus route
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
4. Wellington stuff
From: "Peter D. Ehrlich"
<[email protected]>
5. Re: Wellington stuff
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
6. Views of Wellington - 3
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
7. Re: Views of Wellington - 3
From: "Peter D. Ehrlich"
<[email protected]>
8. Re: Another trolley bus route
From: "Evan Collett"
<[email protected]>
9. Re: Digest Number 404
From: John Fitzsimons
<[email protected]>
10. Request for pic of Oxford St.
From: "Swash" <[email protected]>

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 12:00:47 -0000
From: "Graeme Bennett" <[email protected]>
Subject: Aotea Quay

For several years I worked for the NZR in Wellington
in the Signals
division, but in fact never worked on a signal
except for three
months at Kiawharra prefab unit.
Our electrician's workshop was situated behind the
Car and wagon
depot in a peculiar shaped building which I
understand was a gunnery
training depot during WW2.
There was a railtrack across from the wharf at this
point, but rarely
used.
Now of course covered by that enormous Cake Tin !!
It was not far from the Goods yard "Roundhouse".
It was however right on the Aotea Quay trolleybus
route.
Every morning I would watch the three trolleys go
down and back.
Lunch time produced a lunch time service. And in the
evening another
three trolleys would pass.
After a time I realised that sometimes the buses did
not come back !!!
I would then invent some reason to get down to the
terminus where
inevitably a trolley bus would have broken its
trolley poles backing
into the terminus.
WGB

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 06:49:07 -0700
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
Subject: RE: Wellington in the 1930s or '40s -
Willis Street

On 28 Sep 2002 at 11:09, Brent Efford wrote:

The large building on the
right - the Evening Post building - is still
standing but overshadowed by
many taller buildings now. The newspaper itself
ceased publication about 3
months ago, after continuous publication since
1861. Much of its regular
content was absorbed by its morning stablemate,
now called the 'Dominion
Post'.

Sigh.... I'd seen reference to the Dominion Post
recently. Didn't realise how
recent the merger had been, however.

OT trivia: my city still has two daily papers.
Barely.

More-or-less OT trivia: fairly early on, The Evening
Post was edited by
railfan's railfan Charles Rous-Marten.

As to your nice picture of Stewart Dawson's corner,
I'm wondering how late the
tracks were installed leading straight to
Customhouse Quay? No sign of them
here.

Oh, and yeah, that shot is north of mine. Towards
the sun, y'know. You going
northern hemisphere on us?

Wellington frenzy? This is nothing. You should see
the furious traffic and
esoterica at another group in the Ehrlich Empire,
San Francisco Muni History.

Don

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 3
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 06:49:07 -0700
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Another forgotten trolleybus route

On 29 Sep 2002 at 16:26, graeme bennett wrote:

Lucky shot this one on a cold winter's morning at
Aotea Quay.

So, when was the Aotea Quay line built and when did
it close?

And do you by chance have a(n approximate, even)
date for the photo?

Thanks,

Don

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 4
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 10:43:37 -0700
From: "Peter D. Ehrlich" <[email protected]>
Subject: Wellington stuff

Hi, gang!

I've been marveling at the recent Wellington
pictures and history posted on
TramsDownUnder. Keep that great stuff coming. as
we come up to our 4000th
post in a little over a year, that's what we're all
about--history, memories
and contemporary news. Thanks, mates, for making
this a most interesting,
informative and educational group!

Milantram
listowner and emperor (according to Don G...LOL)

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 5
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2002 15:38:14 -0700
From: "Donald Galt" <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Wellington stuff

On 29 Sep 2002 at 10:43, Peter D. Ehrlich wrote:

Milantram
listowner and emperor

Too right! And if we disagree with any of your
calls, we shall roll our eyes
and groan "oh, emp!"

Don

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