NORTH TRUNK LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18211, 3 October 1922, Page 8

NORTH TRUNK LINE.

CLOSING OF THE GAP-

RAPID PROGRESS MADE.

TUNNEL ALMOST PIERCED.

The Commissioner of tho Auckland Railways and Development League recently paid a Visit of inspection to the railway construction works from Waiotira to the Golden Stair tunnel and found 1 splendid progress had been made since his last visit about three months ago. At tho Golden Stair tunnel great strides had been made, about nine chains harisg been completed in three months. There is now | only three chains of lining to be com--1 pleted, and there is only 30ft. between the two headingß. Another week will see the tunnel pierced, and about the end of October the tunnel will be completed. From the tunnel to the Mareretu station site, the formation work is nearly completed. One small cutting has yet to be finished, and a steam navvy and throe teams are working on it. On the south side of the Mareretu station site there is I a filling to be finished,, but this will not I delay the laying of the rails, aa a tern- ' porary bridge has been built. At the station site the steam navvy has just completed the cutting for tho track, and will now go on widening the cutting for tho ■ station site. I On the north side cf the station site a big filling across a swamp is being carried on. Great difficulty has been experienced in finding a bottom.' It is stated that the earth put into the swamp sank about 30ft. before a solid bottom was found. j Close to this filling there is a fairly big cutting, and if the completion of the line is delayed, it will be at this spot. However, a* steam navvy is working on one side, and a gang of men on the other. i About half a mile on the north of MareI retu station a bridge where the railway crosses the road is in course of erection. A fair amount of filling is required at both ends of this bridge. From this bridge to the Taipuha station site—two miles on the south of tho Mareretu tunnel —the earth work is nearly completed. The Monganui Bridge is completed, excepfc for the steel girders, and the permanent rails are laid over the bridge. Tho Kikowhiti Bridge is half completed. The formation between these two bridges is practically finished. I Perhaps the most noticeable progress made is between tho Mareretu tunnel and ' tho Kikowhiti Bridge. So great has the 1 progress been on this particular section that within the next three weeks the railway carriages will be able to run to the bridge, which is within four miles of the Golden Stairs tunneb There is a small deviation at the Taipuha station site, but this will not hinder the railway traffic. When the train runs to Kikowhiti there will bo onlv a distance of fivo miles separating the Public Works terminus from the terminus of the line from Auckland. On both sides of tho line a lot of permanent fencing has been done, ; and at Mason's bridge, Waikiekie, a road j has been built with d good concrete j bridge. An overhead bridge has to be built about one mile to the south side of tho Mareretu tunnel, where the main mad crosses the line. Several teams are •workint; on the approaches to this bridge. At the Waiotira yards a cmriderable amount of work is being done. The i approaches to the two overheid bridges ■ are well in hand, and a trestle) has been built across Stephen's Flat, where the rew road goes. The engine will convey the spoil over this trestle work and dump it in the filling. A large amount of earth will be required. Most of the sidings have been placed in position, and j th© widening of the yards still continues. On the whole section gangs are now employed cleaning up. There is now a weekly train service, and four railway carriages and a guard's van aro in use. Quite a number of settlers us© this service, and when the train reaches KikoI whiti in a week or two, all the Mareretu i pcoplo will take advantage of the ser- ' | vice*. Everything is working in harmony ' all along tho line.