Rail link to Coast restored

Press, 24 December 1985, Page 2

Rail link to Coast restored

Greymouth reporter Road and rail links on the West Coast were restored, yesterday, but work was’ continuing on telephone services disrupted by lightning on Sunday. Rain continued to fall, but was only intermittent. Railways staff worked throughout Sunday night to clear shingle and rock from the Midland line between Greymouth and Christchurch at Rocky Creek, near Otira.

Normal passenger services will resume today. A Railways work train went to the area between Reefton and Inangahua yesterday to clear a series of

washouts on the StillwaterWestport railway line. The damage was particularly severe in the Cronadun area, where the foundations were washed out beneath the tracks.

The line was reopened last evening. The Ministry of Works and Development reported no major damage on the roads. More than 100 faults were reported to the Chief Post Office at Greymouth covering areas from Rapahoe to Ross.

The most serious problem was at Awatuna, north of Hokitika, where lightning destroyed the cable.

West Coast Electric Power Board lines staff were called out at 6 a.m. on Sunday and had supplies back to normal by ll’p.m. The lightning blew fuses at numerous sub-stations. In addition the supply to Greymouth, Kumara and Aickens-Inchbonnie was affected when lightning struck the Dobsdn-Arahura N.Z.E.D. lines. Power was restored, but then lightning brought down wires on the line at Chesterfield, north of Hokitika. A house on Sawmill Road

at Gladstone caught fire

after lightning struck the main supply. Power Board z staff were working in the

area at the time and were able to check the fire with; an extinguisher before any serious damage resulted. The lightning damaged a switchboard in a cowshed at Kokatahi, and the KokatahiKowhiterangi supply was cut also for some hours.

Emergency telephone lines have been installed between Arthur’s Pass and Otira allowing calls out of the district, but inward calls are still disrupted. It was not yet known when the fault would be fixed, said a Post Office spokesman. In the 24 hours to 9 a.m. yesterday 95mm of rain fell in the area. ’ •