LONG DELAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 48, 26 February 1940, Page 8

LONG DELAY.

14 EXPRESSES. EXTENSIVE SLIPS. MAIN TRUNK BLOCKED. PASSENGERS TRANSHIPPING. Fourteen trains have been delayed in one of the biggest summer railway traffic hold-ups in New Zealand as a result of slips on the Main Trunk line. The first train to get through from Wellington, which left there at 3 p.m. on Saturday, arrived in Auckland this afternoon, almost two days after leaving the capital citv.

Slips, washouts and subsidences from the track caused by torrential rainfall which began on Friday night, occurred between Te Kuiti and Taihape, and not until five- o'clock last evening were all but one of the obstructions cleared. This was between Te Awamutu and Kafcahi. which is still blocking the route. It was thought that by 9 p.m. yesterday the whole line would be clear, but a further felij> occurred in the same region, and the Kailway Department was to-day advising passengers that there would be still some delay because of transhipment at this point. On previous occasions when the line was blocked the Department had diverted traffic over the Stratford line, but thie is impossible, as this route is in a worse condition than the Main Trunk, and New Plymouth passengers have to travel via Marton.

Hemmed in by Slips. A Taumarunui message states that a train travelling from Taumarunui to Stratford is marooned near Matiere_ and may bo there for some days, as it is hemmed in by slips on both sides. The first train to be held up on the Auckland to Wellington line was a special which left Frankton at 3.50 p.m. on Saturday, carrying Territorials .of the Waikato and Hauraki Regiments to Waiouru. This train got no further than Taumarunui. Following this were the 3 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. expresses from Auckland, both of which reached Te Kuiti, remaining there until the slips between that station and Taumarunui were cleared and the passengers had had refreshments.

No further express left Auckland until 3.5 p.m. yesterday, this, carrying excursionists back to Wellington. At 7.15 p.m. the Limited express left Auckland. Both these trains got as far as Taumarunui, bringing the complement to five. Passengers on the extra 7.35 p.m. express from Auckland arrived at Taringamutu at 1.15 a.m. to-day, staying there until 7.30, when they travelled as far as Taumarunui. Since" there was no means of obtaining refreshment at Taringamutu, these passengers were without food for about ten hours. The seventii train from Auckland was bound for New Plymouth, and was held up at Okfthukura, arriving there at 2 o'clock this morning, and later reaching Taumarunui. Aβ this train will have to be diverted through Marton, the passengers will have a longer trip than anyone.

There were about 108 -passengers on thie train and though they were without food for some time member* of the Railway Department at Okahukura supplied them with cups of tea. * Trains From South. On Saturday afternoon two trains left Wellington, one at 3 pan. and the other at 3.40 p.m., these getting through as far as Kakahi, which ie nine miles from Taumarunui, on the southern side of the elip. The next to leave Wellington wae the 2.45 p.m. special yesterday, bringing excursionists who had fceen vieiting the Centennial exhibition at the week-end back to Auckland und intermediate stations.

Following this were the 0.20 p.m. and the 7.15 p.m. (Limited) and then two specials at 7.40 and 9.5 o'clock, which carried members of a women's club who had been at the Exhibition. The last five traine were stopped at various stations south of Kakahi.

Last night every vehicle of any sort which could be obtained wae commandeered to tranship paseengers. First to be moved were the soldiers, who were put into the 3 p.m. Saturday express from Wellington to continue their journey. Paseengers from the other trains, were aleo transferred in turn, the Wellington expreesee moving up into Kakihi as the firet to arrive returned south again'.