NORTHERN BLOCKAGE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1934, Page 13

NORTHERN BLOCKAGE

RESTORATION OF SERVICES

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, June 20.

The railway route to North Auckland was still blocked by flood water in< the Wayby-Hoteo area tonight, but the clearing of the Waitakdre tunnel slip this afternoon permitted a full railway service between Auckland and Helcnsville to be restored. It is hoped that the full service to "Whangarei and the far north will be restored some time todaj

Passengers who left Auckland for Whangarei bj' the express on Tuesday morning, -and were held up at Helensville, will reach Whangarei tomorrow morning, after a journey occupying nearly 50 hours. The normal time for the journey is five hours and a half. They were taken by steamer from Helensville to Dargaville tonight. From Dargaville they will be taken by cars to Kirikopuni, where they will arrive this morning, and will go by train from Kirikopuni to Whangarei. The railway track in this section is clear.

These passengers, who number about 50, were offered the choice by the railway officials of being transhipped by boat in this way or of returning to Auckland. * Those who elected to return arrived back by train this afternoon, after the Waitakere tunnel had been cleared. '

Por the convenience of travellers wishing to leave Auckland today for Whangarci, a train was dispatched from. Auckland in the afternoon for Helensville. ' Passengers on the train joined the others already in Helensville, and with them continued tho journey by boat and train. ■ ~:

No attempt was made to get railway passengers through from Whangarei to Auckland today. Intending passengers were warned of the difficulties of transit,, and there were no bookings for places south of Maungaturoto. The Whangarei-Auckland express therefore did not travel beyond that point, and resolved itself more or less into a local train, handling traffic between Maungaturoto and Whangarei. As far as was known, only slight damage had occurred to tho lino. It -was considered 'that repairs could be effected in a-few'.hours once- the water had fallen below the level of the track, and a constant watch was being kept so that work could be commenced at thcearliest opportunity. Qfangs of men were being kept at Wayby all night so as to be called out at a moment's notice..