THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 55, 6 March 1925, Page 5

THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

AUCKLAND'S FUTURE OUTLET. LINE TO WESTFIELD. A THREE YEARS' PROJECT. The preparatory work for Auckland's new railway station, which has been in evidence for several months, is to be followed next week by the prosecution of the supplementary work, the deviation to Westfield. This work will bo carried out by the Public Works Department, which has taken it over from the Railway Department, and the constructional staff and plant is now being assembled. Mr. R. D. Tackwood, a Departmental engineer, will be in charge, while the general supervision will be the charge of Mr. L. B. Campbell, District Engineer to the Pubic V."orks Department. The route of the new line is from Campbell's Point across Judge's and Hobson Bays to Orakei Point, thence across Orakei Basin to Purewa, up the gully eastward to God's Acre on the brow of the slope, under St. Helier's Bay Road by a short tunnel, then a general sweep around Mount Wellington westward to Panmure, passing that district near the present school and skirting Panmure Basin, across the Great South Road by St. Anne's Bridge, and then a swing round a"am to join the present line at Westfield.

Discussing the matter, the Minister of Railways, the Hon. J. G. Coates, said that the most important part of the deviation was the construction of the long embankment across Judge's and Hobson Bays, for the purpose would be obtained from Campbell's Point and Orakei Point. There would be a double-track tunnel, 27 chains in length, just a-third of a mile, under St. Helier's Bay Road. It was estimated that the work would take three year* to complete. The length of the deviation was nine miles G7 chains, and the work is estimated to cost £450.000. The maximum grade of the line will 'be one in 132 compared with one in 41 on the existing line via Parnell. TheTe was authority to spend £100.000 this year, said the Minister. Work would commence at various points simultaneously, and mechanical plant was now being collected at Penrose. .