WORK RESUMED IN TUNNELS

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 93, 13 January 1939, Page 5

WORK RESUMED IN TUNNELS

Okoia-Turakina Railway Deviation

Dominion Special Service. WANGANUI, January 12. Work in all departments started again yesterday after the holidays for about 250 men employed by the Public AV orks Department tunnelling along the OkoiaTurakina railway deviation lias been so satisfactory that it is considered by experts that the Deniair tunnel will be pierced within six months and that the Turakina tunnel will be ready for laying rails within IS months. The deviation extends from Okoia to Turakina, a distance of 10 miles, in which there are two major tunnels and a short one in the centre of three chains known as “the baby,” making a total distance of tunnelling of about 180 chains. The deviation will eliminate the Wangaehu Hill, on which many trains have been held up and over which haulage costs are very expensive. It is expected that the deviation wdi be ready for use within two years. When the tunnels were closed belore Christmas, a drive of 27 chains had been made at the northern end of the Deniair tunnel and 25 at the southern end, leaving 25 chains to go. Twenty chains were finished at each end of the Turakina tunnel out of a total of 104 chains. Preparatory work is also being done on the face of tiie small tunnel at the southern end of Deniair.

The rate of progress of tiie work is four chains a month in each tunnel.