GORGE RAILWAY BLOCKED INDEFINITELY'

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3492, 30 October 1926, Page 8

GORGE RAILWAY BLOCKED INDEFINITELY'

SLIP TO BE SLUICED AW, AT. The huge slip which has blocked the railway line through the Gorge since Sunday last, is presenting problems to those engaged in its removal, which were unforeseen, and are probably unique in the history of landslides in New Zealand. At first it was thought that a day’s work with a large gang, or two days at the most, would see the line open for traffic again. The slip \3 of such a nature, however, that as fast as the rabble is removed, more comes down to take its place, and the net result of five days’ work is that the quantity of debris to be shifted is still the same, and the line looks like being blocked for many days yet. Those in charge of operations are now proposing to use a sluice to remove the fall owing to the dangers that the workmen had to run while engaged removing the toe of the slip: rocks and earth were falling continuously. Yesterday a work train from Palmerston North proceeded to the scene with a number of large wooden chutes and a quantity of twoinch iron piping. It is proposed to make a reservoir at a fairly high level north of the second tunnel, where a spring affords a copious water supply. The pipes wil be led thence through the second tunnel and up the hillside so that water can be directed on to the loose debris and operated sluice fashion in order to release it.