RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19124, 16 September 1925, Page 13

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

FOUR SECTIONS HANDED OVER ACTIVITY ON AUCKLAND LINES. V WORK ON STRATFORD ROUTE. [BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL REPORTER.] • WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Progress on the construction of new railways is reviewed in the Public Works Statement and some indication is given as to when various works will be completed. During the year a total length of 26 miles 54 chains of railway was D handed over to the Railway Department, comprising Huntly-Awaroa branch, 1 mile 5o chains; Gisborne-Wairoa railway ] (Makaraka-Ngatapa section), 11 miles 51 (jhairis; Stratford-Main Trunk railway 'i* (Kohuratahi-Tahora section), 5 miles 14 of chains; Midland railway (Otira to Arthur s Pass section), 8 miles 14 chains. *• 'Hails have been laid on 39 miles 8 chains, and goods traffic has been carried !n over a length of 58 miles 4 chains, while traffic of all descriptions has been run by the Public Works Department over 132 te m^CS the two principal sections being between Huarau and Port- ® land and between Tauranga, The Mount and Taneatua. Tho North Auckland Lines, is The Minister says he had hoped to ie transfer to the working railways the connection between the VVhangarei and Auckland systems, but owing to the d treacherous nature of the country through which this line runs, together with adverse climatic conditions, it was not 5, thought advisable to do this until the g works had been proved for a long period ( j and had been further consolidated. As all classes of traffic are being carried over this section by the Public Works Department the population are receiving all c facilities which the railways can provide. It is expected that) the section between Huarau and Portland will be handed over g to the Railway Department before the il end of the year. ,t the Kirikopuni section it is hoped to have the line fully laid and ballasted to Pukehuia station, on the Wairoa River, ® and also to complete the balance of for--1 mation work from the Wairoa River to 6 the terminal station at Kirikopuni. The heaviest work north of Pukehuia is the completion of the Wairoa Bridge. The material is to hand and this work and platelaying onward to the terminus will be vigorously pushed on. It is expected that the railway to Kirikopuni will bo completed before the end of next y year. A trial line has been run for the railI way to be constructed from Kirikopuni s to Dargaville. The trial surveys should jj be completed shortly when the final locaa tion will be decided upon. In connection with the extension of the railway beyond Rangiahua, trial lines between Rangiahua and Mangamuka have y been run and a number of routes investie gated, but further investigation is necessary. 5 The East Coast Main Trunk. I Under present conditions it will take [j some time to complete the Athenree secj tion, but in the meantime the line is safe i- for passenger traffic to 11 miles 50 chains. s When the Tuapiro bridge is completed, y goods traffic can be carried to Tahawai d station—probably by April next, if From Tahawai to Te Puna (14 miles to t 35 miles) the contractors, Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth and Com- , pany, are making fair progress, 3 but it is not likely that any t portion will be available for traffic t during tjie earning year. From 35 miles I to Tauranga the main work has been on • the Waikareao Bridge, which is now neari ing Completion. Formation from Wairoa r to Tauranga will be finished in a few ' <. weeks and the line should be available for s goods traffic from' Wairoa Bridge to TauI ranga at an early date. > From Tauranga the line is open for traffic to Pekatahi. This line would have been practically ready for traffic to Taneatua now. had not floods delayed the works. It is expected that traffic will be running ' to Taneatua in September. The whole section of railway constructed directly by 9 the Public Works Department should b« > completed in about two years. 5 Details are given of construction on the | Napier-Gisborne line. Work on the Tutira ' section will, it is expected, be completed by the end of the current year. Forma- ' tion work on the Putorino section should * be completed early next year. Work has started on the Mohaka section and will ( commence on the final section to Wairoa ' shortly. The Stratford Connection. On the Stratford-Main Trunk railway, i east end, the construction cf the Matiere .section is complete with the exception of permanent track on the bridges, the final lift of ballast, and the renovations of the Okahukura station buildings. On Ohura section some very heavy earthwork has to be completed. Station buildings are also . required at three points. Goods and passenger traffic has been carried by temporary service line to Toitoi, but the section will not be completed until next year. On the west end, active preparations are being made to proceed vigorously with the work of construction. The heavy section of this' work lies between the Tangarakau and Heao Rivet%. In five miles there are four large tunnels and one small tunnel, aggregating not less than 2 miles 30 chains of tunnelling. As these are the key to the whole work, iit is proposed to con- . centrate on them, ant', defer the other formation work or the Rackohua section, a length of four miles, until the tunnelling work is nearing completion. The service tramway was held up owing to delay in delivery of rails. Materials are now. coming to hand, and the work will be pushed forward as no actual construction work can be started until adequate access is provided. The site for a permanent camp at the Tangarakau River has been selected, and arrangements made for tho transfer of construction plant from the Otira Tunnel, where it was formerly in use. Preliminary works and the opening of tunnel approaches should be completed by March next year, and so permit of the construction of the first two tunnels and formation between being carried out expeditiously. . On the Opunake branch the section from Te Roti to Kapuni (7 miles) is ready to hand over to the Railway Department. Substantial progress has been made on the remaining section to Opunake, which has enabled a goods service to be run to that town, a distance of 22$ miles. It is expected. that the whole of the work in. connection with this branch railway will be out of hand within 12 months. Other Railway Worke. Preparations have been made for vigorous prosecution of the Hutt Valley railway duplication and the WelljngtonTawa Flat deviation, the latter being designed to eliminate the heavy grades between Wellington and Johnsonville. A reconnaissance survey of another route for the Otago central railway from Cromwell northwards has been made, and the estimates for constructing the line are being considered. It is expected that further sections of the Lawreiice-Roxburgh and of the Orepuki-Waiau railway will be transferred to the Railway Department shortly. ASSISTANCE FOB WHARVES. RUSSELL RECEIVES £SOOO. fBX TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. Provision for about a score of harbour works in the Auckland Province is made in the Pnblic Works Estimates. The following new items appear:—Cow Island (subsidy for Wigham light), £SO; Russell wharf (£1 for £1), £5000; Kohukohu (car landing), £135; Whananaki wharf £1000; Whangaruru (wharf at Mataetai}.,, £BSO. J