SLIPS ON LINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22191, 19 August 1935, Page 8

SLIPS ON LINE

MAIN TRUNK BLOCKED DELAYS TO EXPRESSES TRANSFER OF PASSENGERS DIVERSION OF TRAINS TROUBLE NEAR TAIHAPE Following torrential rains, a large slip occurred on the Main Trunk line at Ngaurukehu, about 12 miles north of Taihape, shortly before six o'clock on Saturday evening, and as a result the main line was blocked for the second time within a few weeks. Transhipment of passengers was necessary between the Auckland-Wellington and Wellington-Auckland expresses, and as a result the express which usually arrives in Auckland at 7.6 a.m. did not reach the city until 2.46 p.m. yesterday, over seven hours late. Further slips occurred yesterday afternoon, necessitating the diversion i of all through trains over the Taranaki line. As a result, the express i scheduled to arrive in Auckland at 9.40 i this morning w.ll be delayed approxi- ! mately two hours. Hopes ol Clearing Line ! No afternoon express, of course, leaves either Wellington or Auckland on i Sundays. However, the special excursion train which left Auckland on its return to Wellington yesterday after- | noon was affected by the slip and diverted over the Taranaki line. Its . arrival in Wellington will be delayed by a corresponding period. Late last night it was hoped that the slips would be cleared to-day and : that normal running of trains will be i resumed this evening, j The mass of debris which came down i in the slip 011 Saturday night was of j huge dimensions and was attacked from J both ends by gangs of workmen from j Taihape and Ohakune, the workmen's trains being on the scene at approximately 8 p.m. Working throughout the night in shifts, generally under unpleasant conditions owing to further rain, the gangs had cleared the line sufficiently at noon yesterday to permit of trains being taken past the slip with the greatest care. Other Slips Occur Unfortunately, however, another slip came down at the same place and blocked the line again. The position was still further complicated last evening when a fairly serious slip occurred between Turangarere and Hihitahi, about four miles further north. Further heavy rain last night promised to make the task of the workmen very difficult, and it was Impossibj/5 to gauge just when the line could be expected to be cleared. Smaller slips have been noted along the line, but these will not affect the running of trains. The moving of spoil at the two main centres affected may cause considerable trouble. On Saturday night the express from Wellington arrived at Taihape shortly after 9 o'clock and was delaved there until nearly 1 o'clock yesterday morning, when it proceeded to the scene of the slip. The Auckland-Wellington express had by then arrived, and a startwas made with the transferring of passengers and luggage from one train to the other. Facilitating Change-over As the slip occurred at the Ngaurukehu station it was possible to bring the north-bound train along a siding that was not blocked nearly opposite the south-bound train. The siding was on a lower level than the main line, and railwaymen had built steps up a 6ft. bank to facilitate the changeover. About three and a-half hours passed before the train for Auckland could leave, while the Wellington-bound train got away about half an hour later. The transference of the passengers was accomplished quickly but it proved , a slow job to get the mails and luggage from one train to the other, as the guard's van and postal van on each train were practically full. An engine was brought from Ohakune to assist in bringing the original southbound train back to Waiouru, where the express engine was turned on the triangle course there and placed at the front of the train. A similar course was adopted with the other train, the express engine having to travel tender j first to Taihape, where it was turned.

WORK OF OFFICIALS PASSENGERS' APPRECIATION CONSIDERATION FOR COMFORT Warm appreciation of the expeditious manner in which the train crews and other railway officials handled the situation at Ngaurukehu was expressed by passengers from the South, who arrived at Auckland at 2.46 yesterday afternoon, 7 hours 42 minutes behind schedule time. They had been brought from the scene of the slip by the express which left Auckland at 3 p.m. on Saturday, and which was turned back. Everything was done for the comfort of the passengers, it was stated. They reached Taihape at 9.15 and were informed that they would be delayed there for about four hours. Some sought diversion at cinemas, but others were content to remain in the carriages and read or sleep. At about 1 a.m. the train moved on to Ngaurukehu. The train from the north had then arrived and the work of transferring passengers began. The train from the south was taken along a siding which was not covered by the slip, and was able to draw up within a few yards of the south-bound train on the main line. A 6ft. bank separated the two lines, and up this the railway officials cut steps. On these they placed railway sleepers and covered the whole with tarpaulins. Passengers could therefore pass easily between the two trains and practically the only inconvenience was the light rain that was falling. One of the north-bound passengers, Mr. W. Pritehard, of Auckland, had a fractured rib, and one of their last duties before leaving Ngaurukehu, said Mr. Connett, was to transfer him to the Auckland train. He had to be carried on a stretcher between the sleeping compartments of the respective trains, a distance of about 10 carriage lengths, but the task was performed .without mishap.