RAIL SERVICES DELAYED

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28471, 28 December 1957, Page 10

RAIL SERVICES DELAYED

Arrangements For Today

South-bound express trains due to leave Christchurch at 8.40 a.m. and 9 a.m. yesterday were delayed until after 3 p.m. Both trains were held up at the Rangitata by flooding. Expresses from InvercargiH arrived late in Christchurch and fortunately passed before the north and south branches of the river joined on the west side of the railway line. Water flooded the Rangitata railway station. Officials of the South Canterbury Catchment Board flew over the area before the trains arrived from Christchurch and decided that the situation was too dangerous to allow them to continue. Buses from Timaru and Ashburton carried the 900 passengers to their destinations. Passengers from the West Coast travelling by buses through the Lewis Pass were held up by floods at Belfast and a rail-car was sent from Christchurch to Kaiapoi to take over. All train passengers who were booked on the steamer express were able to make their connexion. A report that the Hurunui road bridge was unsafe for traffic came from a nearby farmer. It was thought traffic might have to be diverted from Culverden through the Waiau road over the Saddleback. Ministry of Works engineers inspected the bridge and found it to be safe. West Coast passengers and goods both ways will be carried by road today, the acting district traffic manager of railways (Mr W. N. Rathbun) said last night. It might still be necessary to use rail-cars between Christchurch and Kaiapoi. he said. Buses will be used to tranship passengers for the south between Ashburton and Morven until the river level falls and the track is declared safe. This was done last nieht for all south traffic. Mr Rathbun said it was hoped the Rangitata would fall sufficiently overnight for It to reform on its two courses. As soon as this happened, Railways staff would begin checking the track and replacing ballast. Work will begin at daylight on the Midland line, Mr Rathbun said. A work train left Christchurch last evening and travelled as far as Cass before halting for the night. Work trains from Greymouth moved into the Otira area where four main washouts had occurred. These were between Inchbonnie and Jacksons, at Aickens. at the bridge over the Teremakau river, and at Otira.