Progress of South Island Main Trunk Railway

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 109, 9 May 1941, Page 6

Progress of South Island Main Trunk Railway

* Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, May 8. Approximately 1000 tons of rails required for the completion of the South Main Trunk railway are being landed at Picton. What can be handled at once are already being taken to various points along the line, mainly to the Clarence bridge. It is estimated that 2290 tons of rails are needed to complete the whole line and there is every reason to expect that these will shortly be available, but even without the full quantity the 1000 tons now available are sufficient to take the line within striking distance of Kaikoura from the north. With the rails already in hand on the southern section there are sufficient to bring the line as far north as Kahnutara. Accordingly there is now directly on hand a sufficient quantity of rails to complete the line with the exception of a gap of approximately 14 miles. Formation work on the northern section enables plate-laying to proceed, but it will first be necessary to repair the damage to the Clarence and Hapuku bridges sustained in tho heavy flood a few weeks ago. If all goes well forecasts that the line will be completed to Kaikoura by the end of tho year should be fulfilled.