MAIN TRUNK GAP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 27, 1 February 1930, Page 11

MAIN TRUNK GAP.

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY. DESCRIPTION OF THE ROUTE. COAST CLOSELY FOLLOWED. (By Tolegrapn.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, thi=> clay. The whole route of the uncompleted section of the South Island Main Trunk Railway can now be defined following the formal proclamation in the Government Gazette of the centre of the line for a distance of about six miles fiom Parnassus, the southern terminus. , The total gap to be tilled is '7(5 miles, and for the greater part the whole length of the railway will be light on the edge of the coast, its grades will be easy and fortunately the coastline is iomarkablv uniform, though tlie precipitous nature of the country rising straight from the sea to the high pvnts keeps the route well to the coast line except where inland detours are inaae to secure the best river crossings. To describe the route to be taken, it leaves Parnassus, 85 miles north of Christchurch, and takes a short run oyer easy flats to cross the Leader River, involving a fairly long bridge. Hires miles of fairly heavy construction follow, .'>3 the line will rise on u one in 70 grade, involving banking and.filling. This is the approach to llawkeswood shoulder, and the railway will run under the saddle in a tunnel one-third of a mile long. It emerges into a swampy gully down which it will go on a one in 70 grade for two miles, crossing river flats to the south bank of the Conway River, where a station is to be built. A long bridge will cross the Conway River and tlie line will continue along its north bank, eight miles to the .<ea coast, which it then closely follows for many miles. Some outstanding blufls will be tunnelled. The Kowliai .River is reached two miles south of Kaikoura, and the line will cross the base of tin; peninsula at the point at which Kaikoura township is situated. It is then 34 miles from Parnassus. The location of the Kaikoura station lias not yet been.fixed, but it will be one or two miles from the towiisliip. . The railway returns to tl)0

coast for two miles, and then runs inland a short distance to make a suitable crossing of the Hapuka River. Returning to the coast, the route will be alongside the .existing main highway. The next important point is the Clarence River crossing, 56 miles from Parnassus. The railway bridge is loeated three-quarters of a mile downstream from the present road bridge. The coastal line is again to be closely followed to the junction with the northern terminus at Wharanui, 76 miles from Parnassus. The total distance from Christchurch to Picton will be 217 miles.