MAIN TRUNK SLIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22512, 1 September 1936, Page 14

MAIN TRUNK SLIP

WRECKAGE CLEARED EXCELLENT WORK DONE LIMITED USES THE LINE [by telegraph—OWN coiiuespondent] WELLINGTON, Monday Excellent work has been done in clearing the debris of tlio Auckland-Welling-ton Main Trunk express, which struck a slip and was florailed near the Paraparaumu railway station on Sunday morning. More than 100 men have been engaged. Gangs worked all through the night, and by four o'clock this afternoon the whole of tho carriages had been removed and the permanent way put in working order, although a little adjustment had still to bo done before the Napier mail train could be allowed to cross the slip area. Auxiliary services have kept tho traffic going during the hold-up. The first trains to pass over tho section were the south-bound express from Napier, which was held up for about an hour, and the Main Trunk express which left Wellington at 3 p.m. Other northward bound trains, apart from tho main services, travelled over the Wairarapa route. Tho limited express to-night, running a littlo late, passed tho siip at 9.20. It is not expected that tho salvage of tho derailed engine will present great difficulty when the ground is drier. The chances arc that tho task will be tackled on Sunday.

EXPRESSES RUN LATE ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND The north-bound express from Wellington that usually arrives at Auckland at 0.40 a.m. did not reach tho city until 12.43 p.m. yesterday, having been diverted ovor tho Wairarapa route. In addition to involving the ascent of tho Rimutaka Incline, this route is about 50 miles longer than the usual Main Trunk line, those two factors boing mainly responsible for the late arrival of tho train.

| Tho first express from Wellington, | which customarily arrives at Auckland I at 7.6 a.m., was 55 minutes late last J night in passing that section of the lino where the slip occurred, and which has now been cleared. The train will now ho duo at Auckland about eight j o'clock this morning. It was further advised by the railway authorities late last night that the limited express was running half an hour late. SOUTH ISLAND DELAYS TRANSHIPMENT OF PASSENGERS [BY TELEGRAPH —I'RF.SS ASSOCIATION] DUNEDIN, Monday Railway traffic is seriously disorganised by a, slij) on the main north lino in a cutting north of Purakanui, near tho cliffs section, which came down at 10 o'clock last night, covering 14 yards of the permanent way to a depth of 4ft. Tho midnight express for Christchurch was hold up until 2.30 this morning, when tho line was reported clear. When tho train reached Purakanui, however, another slip blocked the way, and the train returned to Dunedin. Its 300 passengers, including the Canterbury and South Canterbury Rugby teams, were taken to Waitati by a fleet of buses this morning, being there transhipped to tho down night train from Christchurch, which returned north while its southern passengers wero brought to Dunedin by bus. It is hoped to despatch tho ordinary north express beforo noon.