THE HOMER TUNNEL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 10

THE HOMER TUNNEL

DRIVING OF HEADING LITTLE SHORT OF HALF WAY INFLOW OF WATER CHECKED By the middle of March the bottom heading tunnel which is being driven through the Homer Saddle in preparation for the full-sized tunnel, which is to be undertaken later, will have been pierced for half the total distance. This information was given in an interview yesterday by the district Public Works engineer (Mr P. Keller).

About a month ago some difficulty was experienced by the contractors for the heading tunnel as the result of an unexpected inflow of water being tapped, but this has now been overcome by the installation of additional pumping equipment. Mr Keller said yesterday that the pumps were now dealing adequately with the water. There had been only one very pronounced inflow of about 10,000 gallons an hour, but it was now well in hand, and no water was reaching the working face. The tunnel face is now driven to approximately 25 chains and a-half from the eastern portal, and when another five chains have been driven the heading tunnel will be halfway through the total length of 4000 feet. Even when the heading, which is 12 feet by 9 feet, is completed, however, there will remain the larger task of .excavating to the full tunnel dimensions of 24' feet by 20 feet. The object of pushing forward with the smaller tunnel is to facilitate the haulage of spoil and the drainage associated with the work on the fullsized tunnel.