Planning ahead is an essential function of management. It will be interesting, therefore, to explain the plan of production of the new Otahuhu car and wagon shops. These are specially designed to expedite repairs of carriages and wagons, and the building of all new carriages and wagons required for the North Island.

A glance at the plan reveals the workshops grouped on each side of what is called the “midway.” This midway is the central avenue of distribution of materials received either by wagons or lorries. An electric overhead gantry crane traverses the entire length of the midway thus facilitating loading and unloading operations. One end of each building abuts on the midway, and the other end of each building may be extended in length as required without cramping or disturbing the system of doing the work.

The buildings comprise three groups. The car shops, the wagon shops, and the supply group, constituting the stores, machine shop, blacksmith shop, mill and structural steel shop. These shops manufacture parts for the car shops and the wagon shops, and are located on the midway, as close as possible to the point of the greatest material requirements.