BRIDGE FIRE DISRUPTS RAIL TRAFFIC

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 September 1949, Page 4

BRIDGE FIRE DISRUPTS RAIL TRAFFIC

The destruction by fire of a section of the viaduct bridge spanning Paterson’s creek, about three” miles from Kowhai Bush, interrupted rail traffic between the West Coast and Christchurch last night. Besides the normal rail-oar and goods train services, a special excursion train carrying more than 300 sports followers from Greymouth, was held up. The bridge was expected to be repaired in time for today’s expresses from Greymouth and Christchurch, passengers on which will not have to be transhipped as were night travellers.

Paterson’s creek is one of the biggest viaduct bridges in the Kowhai creek region, spanning a small creek hundreds of feet below. It is between the second last and last tunnels from the West Coast side.

A spark, it is believed,' set fire to the woodwork aftei' a locomotive had passed over the bridge yesterday afternoon, and, fanned by a strong north-westerly wind, it soon gained a good hold before being discovered by a surfaceman. Three beams of 60ft and 53 sleepers were badly damaged by the fire, which had to be “cut-out” of the hardwood by axes, water being unavailable and of little use in any case. A work train* 1 from Christchurch was sent to the scene to replace the damaged section, and it was expected that this programme would have been completed by this afternoon. Train Arrangements In spite of the exceptionally heavy traffic using the Midland line last night, there waa no major upset, and all passengers arrived at their destination without any lengthy delays. In fact,.some passengers were able to arrive some hours before schedule. The rail-car which left Greymouth at 6.20 instead of 5.40 last evening, travelled as far as Cass, and there the passengers, including members of the West Coast Rugby team to play Canterbury at Christchurch today, were transferred to a bus which had brought from Springfield passengers on the 6.2 “perishable” train from Christchurch. These passengers were brought on to Greymouth by the railcar arriving shortly after midnight, about five horn's ahead of schedule. The goods train remained at Springfield and the goods train from Greymouth at Arthur’s Pass throughout the night, but they will probably follow the expresses across the damaged bridge this afternoon. The Greymouth rail-car passengers were transported from Cass to Christchurch by bus, arriving at 1.15. The Greymouth-bound railcar passengers from Christchurch were taken to Cass by bus, and there they boarded the special excursion train, which had run from Greymouth. This took them back to Arthur’s Pass, where they connected with a special rail-car sent from Greymouth at four o’clock. This arrived at Greymouth at about 8.30 a.m., together with mails. Excursion Train The special train from Christchurch though expected to be delayed, departed on time with 311 passengers—a capacity train. At Cass the passengers were transhipped to 11 buses, which took them on to Christchurch, arriving on time. Though it was at first thought that different arrangements might have to be made for the transport of some of the excursionists from Greymouth, all passengers offering were accommodated. After the expresses cross the damaged bridge today all other traffic will move, and the excursion train which has been held at Arthur’s Pass, will complete the journey to Christchurch in order to pick up the excursionists for the return trip to Greymouth commencing at 6.30 this evening.