RAILWAYS BLOCKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 12

RAILWAYS BLOCKED

SLIPS AND WASHOUTS MANY ROADS IMPASSABLE TRANSPORT DISORGANISED SEVERAL TRAINS HELD UP [BY TKLEGKAPH —PBESS ASSOCIATION"] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday Transport throughout the province was still disorganised to-day, as the result of yesterday's floods, and though most of the train services resumed, several main highways and many moro secondary roads were impassable. Trains ran as usual on the north line this evening, but no traffic could go farther than Motunau or farther west than Springfield. No trains ran to Southbridge, and passengers by tlio southern trains had to travel by car between Ashburton and Tinwald bocause of damage to the approaches to the Ashburton bridge.

The West Coast line was opened by very hard work by gangs of men, with all the resources of the department, but another slip caine down this afternoon near Kowhai Bush, and this evening four trains were waiting to get through from the western side. An engine and van from Methven were derailed when crossing a flooded part of the Jino near Lauriston at 2.30 p.m. to-day, but there was no serious damage. The train had crossed the flooded portion of the line on its journey to Methven, but before it returned scouring had occurred., The fifteen passengers travelled by bus to Rakaia and entrained for Christchurcli.

LINE LEFT IN MID-AIR BRIDGE APPROACH CRUMBLES MAIN SOUTH ROAD DAMAGED [by TKLKGRAPH PItKSS association] ASHBURTON, Friday Serious damage to the main railway line and Main South Road followed an overflow of the Ashburton River this morning. The river rose steadily throughout yesterday and reached its peak at 7.30 to-day, when the water was only Ift. or 2ft. below the top of the bridges, of which there are three close together. The new railway bridge has been in use only two months and the approach at the south end suffered, as the tremendous volume of water rushed between it and the raised approach to the traffic bridge. About 8.30 this morning the railway approach began to crumble, and in half an hour a chain of the line was suspended over the raging torrent. Only light rain fell occasionally during the day, however, and the river fell rapidly, removing the danger of further damage to the railway lines# Trains from the south ran to Tinwald. and from the north to Ashburton, the passengers being transferred by bus and the mails and luggage by lorries.

The Main South Road was scoured at the bridge, "but though seriously threatened at the height of the flood, the bank on which the highway runs withstood the pressure, the waters subsiding just in time to prevent a collapse. Some scouring of approaches to bridges took place in other localities, but there was no serious damage. The water entered houses at Springburn, and some were temporarily vacated. At Wakanui the inner stopbank carried away and the second was crumbling when discovered at 5 a.m., strenuous efforts on the part of the residents preventing a serious break.

RELIEF WORKERS RESCUED ISOLATED BY FLOOD UNCOMFORTABLE NIGHT SPENT [BY TELEGRAPH rRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday The relief workers encamped on the north side of the Ashley River, who were isolated last night when the river rose in flood, were rescued this morning by the engineer in charge, Mr. R. McIntyre, with a party of three. None of the workers was injured and there was no damage to their property, However, losses of tools and equipment left on the job were heavy. . Tho rescue party was forced to wade in water at times chest deep. Tho journey to the camp occupied some two hours. The workers were evacuated in relays with the aid of a rope and transported to Rangiora. During the previous night tho water had risen until it was just lapping the underside of the huts. Five or six of the men who attempted to leave tho canip last evening were forced to spend the night on a bank. They had advanced a certain distance when a break prevented them from continuing along tho bank, and in the meantime their retreat had been cut off by another break.