New Zealand Skill.

The overhead equipment was designed in New Zealand, and many of the detailed parts were manufactured at the Department's Workshops at Woburn. The contact wire, consisting of hard-drawn copper, is .25 sq. ins. in section, and the catenary wire, which supports this, is stranded hard-drawn copper of the same sectional area. There is a total length of 8¾ miles of contact wire installed, including the sidings and the Johnsonville Station-yard.

As soon as normal running is begun on the Johnsonville line the substations will be run without any attention, the necessary switching being carried out by remote control from the control station situated in the main power-house at Wellington. The movement will be accomplished by operating small telephone keys, and every movement made is checked back to the operator before final movement to complete the operation of the circuit-breaker is carried out. The positions of all circuit-breakers are indicated by means of coloured lights, not only in the substations, but also in the remote control station in Wellington, and, in addition to this, indicators are provided in the District Traffic Manager's Train Control Office, so that the train-control operator has a continual indication of the condition of the line always in front of him.