Main Trunk Railway Undermined

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 41, 18 February 1938, Page 7

Main Trunk Railway Undermined

Eleven Lengths of

Rails in the Air HEAVY RAIN IN AUCKLAND Pmr Pi Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night. Slips andNvush-outs caused by torrential rain seriously dislocated railway traffic on both the north and south lines to-day. After the arrival of tho Limited express from Wellington to-Uay a wash-out at Opaheke, ncur Drury, left 11 lengths of the Main Trunk lino suspended above the flood water*; and it was not until this afternoon that traffic was able to proceed further south than Drury. Extensive damage to the North Auckland line resulted in the cancellation of all services north of Swanson, but to-night repairs were well advanced, and it was anticipated taat the Whau-gaiei-Opua express would leave as usual to-morrow morning. When a blockage developed on the Main Trunk line at Opaheke, it was decided to tranship passengers by motor-bus between Papakura and Paerata. About 11 o’clock the difficulty was increased when a bad slip came down at Karaka, a few miles south of Drury.

The line was entirely blocked, and tho track was pushed out of alignment, and a steam shovel used iu the work of duplicating the line was buried under the debris. Efforts to tranship passengers between l'aerata and Papakura were further hampered by the blocking of the road, and transhipment was eventually made at Drury. The line was clear for the afternoon express for Wellington.

STORM 2 The main north line two miles north of New Lynn was found to be undermined six feet for a distance of nearly 40 yards as the result, of a serious slip. Passeugers on suburban train were taken by rail to New Lynn, from where they were transferred by buses to Henderson and Swanson.

A gaug of 50 plate layers, surfacemen and relief workers commenced the task of lilting in the large, gaping hole beneath tho rails and cutting back the 15 foot cliff some feet and for a distance of nearly 59 yards to make space f* r the removal of the railway line back about 6 feet on to a firmer foundation.

Further north, between Kaukapakapa and Helensviile, the line was flooded for several hours.

The damage to roads, bridges and culverts and also to sections of the railway lines is extensive. In the city there were isolated instances of private property suffering, but no injuries as a result of the storm were reported, though there were narrow escapes in the country districts. Reports received by the Automobile Association (Auckland) indicated an early improvement north of Auckland, but in the Bay of Plenty condition* were becoming steadily worse when tb final reports were received to-night.