SELWYN RIVER FLOODED

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28890, 9 May 1959, Page 12

SELWYN RIVER FLOODED

Rail Traffic Delayed

Railway traffic on the main south line from Christchurch was held up when the Selwyn river rail bridge was closed at 3 a.m. yesterday because the river was in half flood, through the exceptionally heavy rain. New beams were placed into position to strengthen the bridge, but no pile replacements were necessary. Passengers on the 8.40 and 9.10 a.m. south expresses were taken by bus to Timaru, when the trains were stopped a few miles out of Christchurch at Burnham. Passengers on north-bound trains were similarly transferred from Timaru, arriving in Christchurch about 8 p.m. The inter-island steamer Maori, was held until they arrived.

North-bound rail-cars last evening were stopped at Timaru and their passengers conveyed to Christchurch by bus. »They took on south-bound passengers whose rail-cars had been cancelled at Christchurch.

Passengers travelling on the midnight express from Invercargill will be awakened about 6 this morning. Their train will be stopped at Dunsandel, 15 miles out of Christchurch, just before the bridge. They will be brought in by bus. The 11.2 p.m. train from Christchurch proceeded empty to Dunsandel, where it picked up its passengers, who were brought along by buses. Goods trains, north and south, were able to use the bridge yesterday. Special race trains to and from the Ashburton races will not be running, but railway buses will be running from 9.15 this morning. A decision whether the bridge will be reopened to passenger traffic will be made early today by railway engineers.