THE RAILWAY WORKS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIV, Issue 827, 13 October 1860, Page 4

THE RAILWAY WORKS.

Most of our readers who have had to undergo the miseries of a journey into port over the miry Bridle path during the last four months, must have noticed a heap of rocky earth which apppin-n to be thrown up out of the hill side nearly opposite to Mr. Cookson'a house. If they ask a passer-by what it means, they will be told it is the Railway, arid that is about all they are likely to gain in the way of information either from what they see or hear. We propose therefore to supply that deficiency by giving a few particulars of what has been done. The work was commenced by sinking a shaft at the Lyttelton end, which is about yards from the end of the tunnel, and about 98 feet in depth. The total length of the tunnel will be 2840 yards, or about If miles. That at the Christchurch end is about 165 yards from the entrance and about 103 feet in depth. A heading or driftway, 9 feet square, has been excavated from each shaft towards the centre of the tunnel—-that at the Lyttelton end having now reached about 9 yards, and that at the Christchurch end about 40 yards from the respective shafts. The Lyttelton shaft was commenced in the beginning of February, and that at the Christohurch end on the 13th of that month. In the former the rock was reached at about 15 feet from the surface, arid, as the work proceeded, was found to be of an extremely hard and tough nature—much moro so indeed than the appearance on the outside of the rook on the hill iv the neighbourhood Would

have led an observer to expect. For this rea the progress of the work at the Lytteltoti ei°d has been comparatively slow, but the rook through which the heading is now being carried is sor what less hard than that hitherto met with a^d although no doubt this very hard rock will b found again in other parts of the tunnel, iti ß h ori( ;j that it will only form a small proportion of 11, whole. °

The work at the Christehurch end appears to have been carried on under more favourable elrcuir stances and has consequently made much great'" progress. This has been owing partly to the fact that in sinking the shaft, for 50 feet of its det>tl nothing harder was encountered than a sandy el- ' and that in the remainder of the shaft as well kh^' the heading, the rock through which they werl carried was found to be of a more practicable natur than that of the Lyttelton end; but a hard rok similar to that found at the Lyttelton end h however been touched upon at this, which woukl tend 'to show that its presence at that point i» njfc exceptional.

With, regard to the anticipation sometimes expressed that the making of the tunnel would be the means of providing a supply of water for the port it is difficult at this stage of the work to predict with any certainty whether or not it will do so Certainly some water has been met with in the heading at Lyttelton, and the quantity filtering from the rock is found to increase as the work advances. We may therefore hope that by the time the tunnel has been opened through its whole length a supply will be obtained from that source sufficient to assist very materially in improving the condition of the port in that respect. So far as the works are concerned, however, the presence of water is found to be a considerable impediment, retarding the operations of the miners and necessitating the use of watertight cartridges. The water accumulating has: also to be drawn up the shaft until the tunnel is opened out to its extremity. The number of men employed has varied from 20 to 25—these are at present only engaged during the day, but when the works are in full operation a much larger number will be employed, and the mining carried on night and day. The tunnel when completed will be 18 feet in height and 15 feet in width—the upper portion being of a rounded form. It is not expected that where rock is found the tunnel will require to be arched, but where it passes through the softer material at either end, no doubt it will be necessary to suport it with a lining of brickwork or masonry.