COAL TRANSPORT PLACING STRAIN ON RAILWAYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 March 1948, Page 4

COAL TRANSPORT PLACING STRAIN ON RAILWAYS

* The West Coast and Buller rollingstock is being fully taxed to cope with the strain placed on the railway system through the necessity to move as much as possible of the output ol the Buller mines overland. With the Buller harbour virtually closed through bar shoaling, every effort is being made to keep the coal moving by rail, and since Friday approximately 3000 tons has been transported from Westport. This total includes 500 tons which is to be shipped from Greymouth m the two vessels which have been diverted from Westport to Greymouth. the Kaimiro and the Kaimai. The balance has been, and is precess of being, railed to the hast Coast. Two special trains were run from Westport on Saturday night, carrying a total of 900 tons of coal, and ordinary service trains on Saturday carried about 500 tons. Today’s loading schedules provide for thb transport of another 1500 tons of coal, the biggest single consignment being on a special train. The special trains have necessitated overtime being worked by members of the locomotive start’ and I all sections of the department concerned, including transport and training running, are busy in connection with the revised running schedules which are keeping the Westport-Stillwater-Greymouth line fully occupied. It is likely that increased efforts will be made to transport the output of the Buller mines by rail this week and it is possible that the tonnage record’s on the line will be broken in the next few days.