ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13609, 18 December 1909, Page 9

ARTHUR'S PASS TUNNEL

PROGRESS OF THE WORK

Mr Murdoch McLean arrived in town last night from Otira, and from him a j representative of "The Press" obtained information regarding the progress/ of the work on the Arthur's Pass tunnel. About 57 chains have been driven at the Otira end and about 13 chains at the Bealey end. In addition 87 chains have been widened out, and between 15 and 16 chains have been lined at the Otira end. Widening-out is being done at tho Boale3\ where, owing to trouble with water, (though not to any great extent) heading has been stopped until the pumps are advanced. Preparations are being made to put in th© portals at this end of the tunnel. At the Bealey end a shed for making concrete blocks has been erected, and a contract has been let for supplies of shingle. Blockmaking will start immediately after tho Christmas and New Year holidays. About 15 more huts are beint; built at the Bealey, and it is intended to put on an additional 80 or 40 men. Work will be suspended at the Bealev end from December 23rd to January sth. In tho meantime the 70 or 80 men who will remain on tho works are to be employed duplicating the line into the tunnel at the Otira end. A service track will also be laid down from the present terminus of the railway which is about a mile from the mouth of the tunnel. This last-mentioned work will facilitate the transport of cement and material to the tunnel. Four electric locomotives, to be oDerated by tho overhead trolley system, have been ordered from England for the purpose of facilitating tho transport of material to the tunnel and the removal of debris from it. Possibly two of the locomotives will be located at each end of th? tunnel. There are also on order between 30 and 40 sets of truck wheels. When these and tho electric locomotives arrive, on additional hundred men will be employed at' the Otira end. The hydro-electric installations at Otira and Bealey are working satisfactorily. The bridse at the Bealey end leading to the mouth of the tunnel is being built by Mr McLean's firm, and pile-driving is about to begin, and the construction of the abutments iR in hand. An exceptionally severe storm was experienced at Otira on Wodnesdav nittht. lasting for four or five hours. The lightning played about tine electric transmission wires, and although there are in position the most modern lightning-arresters, one discharge of lightning more violent than any that preceded it burned out two coil«i of t3ie armature of one of the machines. Fortunately there, was a duplicate machine, and the wortc in the tunnel wns not interrupted. The damaged machine will be in working order to-dny.

Asked if any trouble was being ex--<rith +he workmen, Mr McLewi said that the men appeared to be wnrkinc very contentedly. The men who were le^vin" - the work* wcta vi*w hands, but the old hands wer*» sticking to it. and were, apparently, quite satisfied.