RAILWAY DEVIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19311, 26 April 1926, Page 10

RAILWAY DEVIATION.

PUREWA TUNNEL PIERCED. TASK WHICH TOOK A YEAR. COMPLETION "OF FIRST STAGE. After a year's work the first stage of the Purewa tunnel on the AucklandWestfield railway deviation was successfully completed early on Friday evening, when the two gangs employed on the bottom heading met at a point about a third of the tunnel's length from the Westfield end. The piercing of this heading marks the completion of about OilC-thild of the necessary excavation. Work at the Auckland end was commenced on April 26 of last year, and gangs started at the Westfield end shortly after the new year. A survey was immediately carried out, on Friday, and it was found the calculations had proved entirely successful. The present tunnel, or bottom heading, is 18ft. wide by Oft. high, and except for one or two mishaps, one of which proved fatal, rio great difficulties have been experienced in removing the material. The soil lias in the main consisted of grey papa, which is comparatively soft. Progress has been excellent to date, and day and night the huge wooden props or "sticks" have been laboriously lifted to keep up tho ever-advancing roof. Work in the artificially ventilated tunnel was hard, but since the heading has been pierced, the atmosphere is good. The two sets of rails now run to fully 36 chains through the hill, but the hauling of the trucks by horses day in and day out, combined with the dampness of the tunnel, lias reduced the floor to a veritable quagmire. Heavy drippings at places descend from the roof and .sides, Work will be commenced to-day on the top heading, Bft. 6in, by sft. 6in. It i s s expected to make more speedy progress on this section as more freedom will bo available for the workers. As this work progresses the arches will be broken down, and the soil shot into trucks below. Both headings will then be widened, and under the protection of timbering concreto lining will be installed. It will also be possible to employ a greatly increased gang on the upper heading.