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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 4 (September 1, 1931.)

After Forty Years — Retirement of Chief Engineer

page 14

After Forty Years
Retirement of Chief Engineer.

Mr. F. C. Widdop Farewelled.

“The fact that they were running fast passenger trains in the dead of night without accident” said Mr. H. H. Sterling, General Manager of Railways at Mr. Widdop's farewell, “was a tribute to the Maintenance Branch (and its head, Mr. Widdop) which, in regard to the safety of the public, left nothing to chance.”

(Rly. Publicity Photo.) Mr. F. C. Widdop.

(Rly. Publicity Photo.)
Mr. F. C. Widdop.

A long list of big jobs has been in the charge of Mr. F. C. Widdop, Chief Engineer of the New Zealand Railways, who retired on 2nd September, on the completion of forty years service. The Tawa Flat deviation, which he initiated, and all the other railway facilities and expansions that this completed project will mean, is only one of many large undertakings, such as the Railway Workshops, Auckland station, the reconstruction of many bridges, and the acquisition of the land and development of the Eastern Hutt Valley scheme, which have been carried out under his supervision. There was a gathering of the executive heads of all departments in the Railway Board's room to bid him farewell, the General Manager (Mr. H. H. Sterling) presiding.

Mr. Sterling said that after forty years of service Mr. Widdop was leaving with a record to his credit, one that earned their entire admiration. As a railway officer they had learned to appreciate his ability, thoroughness, and team work, without which latter quality many other qualifications were often nullified. When inevitable differences arose, his invariable good temper was such that they were ironed out in a manner that took the sting out of the disagreements. His record with the service dated from boyhood, and he had grown up with it and passed through the various grades to his present position, which must leave him with a fund of experience and knowledge, and with happy memories that would stand to him in the years to come. He had spent thirteen months in the Locomotive Superintendent's office, and then threw his lot in with the civil engineering side.

High Standard of Work.

In the course of his work Mr. Widdop had been associated with works of great importance. He understood that in co-operation with the District Engineer he was responsible for the construction of the Greymouth wharves as they were to-day. What would no doubt be the greatest monument to his memory was that his was practically the inception of the present big scheme for extended railway facilities at Wellington, now in course of fruition. As General Manager, he greatly appreciated the great help, very loyal assistance, and sound judgment he had had from Mr. Widdop. The time had been a strenuous one, with a tremendous programme of work, and the greater portion of page 15 the work had fallen on Mr. Widdop and his branch, but it had been carried out on a high standard entirely to their credit. It was traditional in the service that the standard of the Maintenance Branch should be a high one. Commission after Commission had stated that the track left nothing to be desired, a great tribute to Mr. Widdop and the men who went before him, especially when the nature of the country was taken into consideration. The fact that they were running fast passenger trains in the dead of night without accident was a tribute to the branch and its head, which, in regard to the safety of the public, left nothing to chance. He thanked him sincerely for his loyalty in difficult times, and he was charged by his colleagues to express their appreciation of his co-operation.

Mr. Sterling also spoke in high terms of Mr. Widdop's helpful association with his staff, and of his life in general, which was an example of what the lives of the heads of branches should be.

Tried to do his Best.

Mr. Widdop said that he had always endeavoured to do his best, and felt that he had earned his rest. He would always look back to his connection with the railway service with great pleasure. He had joined the service in 1891 in the Locomotive Branch, at that time a very well organised office with rather a martinet as Chief Clerk. Everyone had to learn shorthand and had to write well, and if a man was a bad writer he had to produce a copybook to the Chief Clerk every morning. That training he owed much to. Later he transferred into the Civil Engineering Branch, then under the charge of Mr. J. H. Low. In the drawing office there were only Messrs. Troup, Bezant, Jones and himself. Since then he had served at various periods throughout New Zealand.

Watched Service Grow.

He had seen the railway service grow from a small thing to a big one. When he had joined in 1891 the total revenue was a little over £1,000,000, and the annual expenditure £706,000. Last year the revenue was £8,000,000 and the expenditure £7,000,000. Then there were 1869 miles of track; now there were 3399 miles. The expenditure on maintenance in 1891–92 was £245,000; in 1930 it was £1,800,000. In the early ‘nineties things were bad, and they had to get down to bedrock and use scraps of metal and odds and ends of paint. The present times were similar, but the railways would win out.

It was true that the standard of track maintenance in New Zealand was very high, but that was largely due to the intelligence and education possessed by the men. He had seen the railway bridge problems transferred from the timber to the steel age. New Zealand had now fifty-four miles of bridges of all descriptions, and a good deal of solid work had been necessary in connection with the unavoidable reconstruction programme being carried out. The railways, with the completion of the Tawa Flat job, would have over thirty miles of tunnels. He would feel severing his connection with the department.

Presenting Mr. Widdop with a lamp stand and shade and a travelling rug on behalf of the staff, Mr. Sterling wished Mr. and Mrs. Widdop many happy years of retirement.

Thanking them, Mr. Widdop said that he looked on Mrs. Widdop as a railwayman as well, as she was a daughter of Mr. W. M. Hannay, one of the early Railway Commissioners.

A Budding Engineer. Master Jack Matheson, son of Mr. J. T. Matheson, enginedriver, Wanganui.

A Budding Engineer.
Master Jack Matheson, son of Mr. J. T. Matheson, enginedriver, Wanganui.