SLIPS ON WEST COAST

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 94, 14 January 1939, Page 11

SLIPS ON WEST COAST

Railway Services Interrupted

TORRENTIAL RAIN FALL

Dominion Special Service

GREYMOUTH. January 13.

A serious interruption to the railwayservice on the West Coast was caused by several slips and a washout which took place in the early hours of yesterday morning near Greymouth after torrential rain. Most of the downpour, which totalled 1.13 inches for 24 hours, and ended at 9 o’clock yesterday morning, fell after midnight, and the slips occurred about 6.30 o'clock. Five fairly large slips of mud, stones, and shrubs buried the railway track to a depth of several feet in every case between Kaimata, 16 miles from Greymoutl). on the Grtymouth-Christchurch line, and Aratika, three miles further distant. A washout occurred about the same time at Chesterfield, - 1-5 miles from Greymouth, on the GreymouthHokitika tine.

A short time before the slips came down the early morning goods tram from Christchurch to Greymouth had passed, but the rail-car from Christchurch to Greymouth which followed soon after, was effectively blocked. As the rail-ear rounded a bend in the track the driver (Air. 1.1. O. Aluschamp) saw the slip and hastily applied the brakes, bringing the car to a stop well clear of the obstruction. The guard (Mr. J. Cameron walked back to Aloana and communicated with Grcynioutb, whence a Railway Road Service bus left trt 7.45 o’clock for the scene and brought into Greymouth 12 passengers, arriving at 11.20 o’clock, more than five hours late.

All goods trains on the Otlra line had to be cancelled because of the slips, but the express service was maintained. I’assengers by the GreymouthChrlstchurch express were met at Kokiri, 14 miles from Greymouth, by buses and tarken nine miles to Moana to another train, which left for Otira at 1.45 p.m., more than two. hours late. The train arrived in Christchurch at 7.14 p.m. The Christcaurch-Greymouth express returned from Otira to Christchurch with the West Coast passengers for the East Coast, and west-bound passengers from Christchurch, travelled by bus from Aloana and reached Greymouth at 6.55 o’clock, almost two hours and a half late. Clearing of Lines. •Alore than 60 men, including 30 from the Railway Department’s ballast pit at Te Kingu, who came by lorries, and others .by special work train from Greymouth, were rushed to the scene and the work of clearing the track was begun immediately under the direction of Air. S. O’Dea, inspector of pernffineut ways at Greymputh.