MAIN NORTH LINE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24866, 4 May 1946, Page 6

MAIN NORTH LINE

NEW RAILWAY BRIDGE ACROSS WAIMAKARIRI PLANS PREPARED FOR DEVIATION Plans for a new railway bridge across the Waimakariri river have been prepared by the Railways Department as part of the normal renewal programme of the department, and- it is proposed that the new bridge will be built parallel to the existing traffic bridge and about a chain away from it on the eastern side. The proposals were submitted to a meeting of the North Canterbury Catchment Board yesterday. An official of the office of the District Engineer to the department stated yesterday that the site for the new bridge had been chosen because it provided a better foundation. The original bridge had served well, but because of its age and the silting of the river at that particular point, it would not be equal to demands in the future. A deviation of the railway line would be necessary after Chaneys, it was stated, and the existing station at Stewart’s Gully would be of no further use.

Mr H. B. Anderson, chairman of the drainage and river control committee of the catchment board, said yesterday that piers of the existing railway bridge would be cut down to the water level and the rock barrages on both sides of the river would be completely destroyed. The piers of the new bridge would be in line with those of the traffic bridge. The proposed railway line would cut through the Waimakariri river construction camp, continued Mr Anderson, and he recommended that the board’s engineer (Mr H. W. Harris) should be empowered to make arrangements for diversion of the Stewart’s Gully road so that a greater area would be available for the camp. No buildings in the camp would be affected by the deviation.

The board adopted Mr Anderson’s recommendation.