TARANAKI LINE BLOCKAGE

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25878, 10 August 1949, Page 6

TARANAKI LINE BLOCKAGE

GOOD PROGRESS 0. DEVIATION

(New Zealand Press Association.) WANGANUI, August 9. Railway Department engineer!, supervising the construction of the 15chain deviation on the Aramoho-New Plymouth line are satisfied with the progress to date. There was little rain to-day and four mechanical, shovels and four bulldozers were in operation. Since last Friday thousands of tons of earth have been removed from the 100 ft high hillside by shovels and pushed into the big wash-out by bulldozers, but there is a long job ahead of the engineers before they have excavated back into the hill from 50 to 70 feet.

Two 12-hour shifts are being worked by the 150 workmen on the job. The equipment is operated 24 hours a day, with only brief spells for meals, refuelling, repairs, and routine maintenance. At first it was thought that the service could be restored in a week, but the heavy rain of the week-end has already caused delay. It is now expected that it will be about 10 days to two weeks before the line is again open for traffic. The transhipment of passengers causes much of the extra work, but the chief trouble is with the handling of produce and goods. Most of the goods to and from Taranaki are being sent up the Main Trunk line to Taumarunui and then down to Stratford, a much greater distance.