RAILWAY WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 69, 18 September 1936, Page 10

RAILWAY WORK

NEW DEVIATION IMMEDIATE START COST OF £500,000 The Government is arranging to put' in hand at once the construction of the Turakina-Fordell-Okoia deviation on the existing Wellington-New Plymouth railway. The work is one of those recommended by a departmental committee set up to investigate suitable public works, and has been approved by the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), and is included in his Public Works programme. The deviation will leave the existing railway at the northern end of the Turakina station yard, crossing the Turakina and Wangaehu Rivers and the Wangaehu Valley, proceeding generally in a northerly direction. Beyo.id the Wangaehu River the deviation will rise on a 1 in 70 grade, passing through the Fordell ridge by a tunnel 60 chains long, then proceeding in a north-westerly direction, rejoining the existing line at a point 1J miles on the Fordell side of the.Okoia station. The proposed new Fordell station yard will be situated approximately 100 ft below the existing station yard, suitable road connections being "made. The construction of the proposed railway deviation is considered by the Government to be a sound proposition, and will show the following features in comparison with the existing 'railway:— 1. Length'of line will be shortened by approximately 2J miles. 2. Grades on the new line will be much better than on the existing line,' and curvature very much easier, so that traffic operations on the new route will have very substantial advantages over those on the existing location.

, The proposed work is a-major one, and the cost is.estimated at. £500,000. Fifty-five per cent, of this cost will be absorbed in labour on the work itself. It is anticipated- that construction will occupy approximately three years, and that 400 men will be employed. Permanent surveys are being completed, and a small number of men have already been started on the provision of accommodation. Further men will be employed as soon as plans are sufficiently far advanced.