HUTT RIVER EROSION

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 297, 12 September 1938, Page 10

HUTT RIVER EROSION

Railway Threatened Near Melling Flood waters scouring the western bank of the Hutt River, about a mile north of Melling, delayed railway traffic on Ute Upper Hutt and Wairarapa lines on Saturday. Swollen because of heavy rain, the river was running very high on Friday night, when about 130 feet of the embankment. to a deptli of 12 feet, was washed away. The erosion endangered the permanent way and precautionary measures were taken early on Saturday. The first train to reach the scene of the trouble was stopped short of the affected area and the passengers disembarked. Proceeding slowly and cautiously. the train subsequently negotiated Hie danger zone, and was rejoined by the passengers on the other side. Passengers by later trains were transferred past Hie locality in buses.

Gangs of men from the maintenance branch started operations early on Saturday and, working throughout the day, gradually moved the rails closer to the road and well clear of where the erosion had taken place. The work was interrupted from time to time to permit the passage of trains. Railway. traffic to lipper Hutt and the Wairarapa was normal yesterday ami all services ran practically to schedule.