STRATFORD RAILWAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 114, 10 April 1930, Page 9

STRATFORD RAILWAY.

GOOD PROGRESS MADE. GAP NOW ONLY 16 MILES. NEW PLYMOUTH, April 7, . 'There is now only a distance of 16J miles between railheads on the Taranaki Main Trunk railway, and work is proceeding at the maximum rate on every tunnel, cutting and filling over the distance. The district Public Works engineer, Mr P. Keller, states that the coal company’s siding at Tangarakau is finished, and coal is coming out. Work on .the station yard proper at Tangarakau is still in hand, and will not be finished until the bridge over the Tangarakau River is finished. Of this bridge the principal piers at the water’s edge have been completed well above flood level, and all the concrete work will be done before the steel work comes to hand.

One big cutting about 70ft. in height still remains to fie completed between Tangarakau River and No. 1 tunnel leading into the Mangatitoki Valley. The earthwork between No. 1 tunnel (31 chains) and No. 2 tunnel (44| chains) is nearing completion. No. 2 tunnel is pierced and lined, and an electric locomotive runs from Tangarakau to the far end of this tunnel, a distance of two miles. Earthwork is practically completed between .No.; 2 and No. 3 tunnels, the latter being 63 chains long. The extension of the electric locomotive line on this section is being proceeded with. No. 3 tunnel, on which an isolated section of electric railway has been in operation on v the western end, is now finished for about 24 chains. • The lower heading has been driven for the whole length of the tunnel, and material is being carted through for the lining at the eastern end. About three chains has been completed. The earthwork is well in hand between No. 3 and No. 4 tunnels, the latter being 61 chains long.’ In No. 4 tunnel the lower heading at the western end has been driven for eight chains and the eastern end is now being worked. The earthwork is all in hand between this tunnel and the site of the station in tho Haeo Valley at Kokopu Junction. At the eastern end of the tunnel 15 chains of the lower heading has been driven, leaving 28 chains to be done. The Public. Works railhead on the eastern end is 22 miles from Okauhukura. The centre of No. 4 tunnel, which marks the limit of the Stratford Public Works district, is 33i miles from Ohahukura Main Trunk junction, and 66J miles from Stratford. On the eastern end lli miles of the track are in hand, and on the western side five miles are in hand beyond the railhead.