THE RAILWAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 981, 5 April 1862, Page 5

THE RAILWAY.

The works-of'the Lyttelton and Christehureh Railway are steadily progressing. On visiting them last week, we found that, at the Lyttelton end of the Tunnel a very considerable length of drive has been completed since the date of our last summary, and a short length enlarged to its full size, a tramway has also been laid in from the sea beach to the furthest point of the drive in the hill with turn-outs for the waggons to pass under ground.

The water in this drive, which was getting very troublesome to the contractors in December last, continued to increase rapidly in quantity from the beginning of January, and had reached the extent of some 50,000 gallons per day by the end of that month; it was then found necessary to stop the main drive into the hill till the drive between the sea and the deep shaft in London street was completed. This was accomplished on the 27th of February, and since that date the driving into the hill has been continued without intermission. The drives north and south between the sea face and the deep shaft met to the greatest nicety, and we here have proof of the correctness of the centre line of the tunnel. It is no small satisfaction to find that the work is laid out so carefully by the Provincial Engineer, and it only remains now to bestow ordinary care on the levels, and all chance (if ever there was any—an idea scorned by the contractors) of the drives not meeting in the hill is set at rest. There is still a great deal of water running to waste from this end of the tunnel.

On the Heathcote side of the hill the work begins to look like a railway. A brick skew bridge, the first in the colony, has been carried up to the height of the springing of the arch, but it is not intended at present to turn the arch, and the contractors, have built a temporary" timber top, over which they are now running their waggons, forming the embankment beyond. This bridge has required very heavy foundations of stone, and it is considered better to let the whole work settle and consolidate before turning the arch; the brick and stonework is all set in foman cement.

The large drains on each side of the railway, which are being pushed forward to protect the embankment from the winter's rain, will, we should imagine, be of vast benefit to the adjoining farmers. The drive of the tunnel on this side is being pushed on, but the rock has pi'oved very hard all through the past three months. A considerable length has been taken out to the full size, showing what the tunnel will be when finished.

In addition to 264 feet of timbered heading in the heavy cutting in the Heathcote valley, upwards of 1900 feet of the main drive of the tunnel is completed, being more than 2-9ths of the whole length.

We trust we may be able at the end of the next three months, to find the contractors have met with no further obstacles in the hill, and that the same rate of progress may be made.

Owing to the harvesting operations going on, a a scarcity of labour has been felt for a short time; but the constant supply coming in from Duriedin and Melbourne, soon fills up any temporary deficiency.

We believe that no accident of a serious nature has occurred from the commencement of the work.