A FOREST TRAMWAY. 71 



13. A Forest Tramway. 



{With Plate.) 

 By Fred. Moon. 



The wood roads, serving the principal wooded area on the 

 Roxburghe Estates, being at all times bad and occasionally 

 impassable, the question of how to improve them became 

 imperative, in order that the annual fellings might be conveyed 

 to the saw-mill at a reasonable cost. 



It was first decided to metal the existing rides, but as stones 

 had to be hauled a distance of five miles, the cost for such a 

 large undertaking promised to become prohibitive. The writer 

 then suggested a forest tramway, and, after full consideration, 

 this was sanctioned. 



A brief comparison of the two systems of metalled road and 

 tramway is as follows : — A substantial metalled road for heavy 

 traffic is expensive to make and maintain, especially when good 

 stone cannot be got on the spot. The road is a permanent 

 structure which can only command a limited area, and in the case 

 of a wood road is only used periodically, and deteriorates during the 

 periods of disuse. A light railway is less expensive to lay and 

 maintain, requires less power to haul over, and, above all, is port- 

 able, and commands a circular area with its own length as radius. 



Specification and Cost of Material and Labour. 



1300 yds. light railway material, 24 ins. gauge, consisting of: — 

 (i) 520 flat bottom steel rails, 14 lbs. per yd., in 15 ft. 

 sections, complete with fish plates, bolts, and nuts ; (2) 

 1300 single corrugated steel sleepers, 30 ins. long, 3^- ins. 

 wide X ^ in. thick, complete with their necessary bolts and 

 nuts for laying 3 ft. apart, with rivetted clip for 14 lbs. flat 

 bottom steel rails, with clutch bolts 4f ins. x \ in., and with 

 nuts and washers. The above at per yard of line, 

 2s. gd., ..... ;^i78 15 o 



Two sets points, ;Qi, . . . . 600 



Four sets each of two bogies with double screw 

 brakes, swivel bolsters, chains, jacks, and all 

 the necessary fittings complete, . . 54 16 o 



1300 creosoted Scots intermediate sleepers, 3 ft. 



X 5 ins. X i^ ins., . . . . 11 14 o 



Labour on laying track and tarring rails, . 35 o o 



; ^286 5~o 

 or about 4s. 5d. per yard. 



