MIDLAND LINE REOPENED

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 January 1944, Page 4

MIDLAND LINE REOPENED

WEEK-END TRAFFIC HEAVY The first express to leave Greymouth for Chirsfchurch this week departed this morning at 10.40 with eleven packed carriages accommodating about 440 passengers. This unexpected development arose out oi particularly rapid progress being made in clearing the slips near Aickens, yesterday afternoon. When freed of debris, the track was found to be in good order. Restricted speed of six miles an hour will be required at two spots. A train of similar dimensions is coming to the Coast, being due at the usual hour. The first train to leave Greymouth last evening departed at 9 o'clock with fruit and other perishable goods, and had one car a quaner--iull. Other trains with coal left at 9.25 and 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. No rail-' car went to Christchurch, but one travelled from Chistdhprch and brought 22 passengers. The railways will work all through the week-end carying coal and timber from the Coast and other goods from Canterbury. About 4500 tons of timber and a similar quantity ol coal are to be handled, of which 2000 tons had reached Arthur’s Pass today. From Cora Lynn to Otira sidings have been full - of wagons waiting for trains to bring them to the Coast, and triple-header electric locomotives operated through the Otira Tunnel to-day. Although at one stage it was thought it would be necessary for special trains to be run on the Midland line to cope with passenger traffic following the clearance of the slips, no further expresses will run before ‘ Tuesday. The normal restricted service of Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday trains in each direction will be resumed.

ROAD TRAFFIC Highway traffic between the West Coast and* Canterbury is expected to be possible by Monday or Tuesday, according to an intimation given this morning by Mr E. F. Evans, District Engineer of the Public Works Department at Greymouth. He stated that in the early stages only a comparatively rough track would be available, and lhat traffic would be permitted only at restricted hours which would be determined upon ip co-operation with the Automobile Association. Great quantities of debris, some of which has come down from the snowline, have to be handled, and even when a track is established a large amount of work will have to be done.