RAILWAYS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1161, 28 February 1874, Page 10

RAILWAYS.

Tenders are now called for the construction of four light railways, one of whichis to lead up the Waiareka Valley, and the other three are to be in the Western District of Southland. The one through the Waiareka "Valley extends as far up as the forks, or to the confluence of the main upper gullies immediately below the table land, boing a distance of 14 miles 72 chains. The construction of this line will, it is officially reported, be of considerable benefit to the district, as it will open up and render available a large extent of good agricultural country on either side of the line, as well as tapping the country beyond in the direction of upper Awamoko. It is also contemplated, but is not included in the tender, to open up by a light railway the valley of the Waihemo as far as Wayne's, a distance of about ten miles, which it is considered would to a great extent benefit the interior districts, and be of advantage to settlers along the course of the line. The Provincial Engineer, Mr Simpson, reported in July last that its construction would alleviate the urgent necessity now existing for metalling the present road, which work could only be accomplished at a very considerable expense. The Waiareka line leaves the Northern Trunk .Railway a little above Oamaru, and follows up the Valley of the Waiareka, passing through Cave Valley. The earth works are not to be very heavy Mr Simpson estimates the cost of the first fourteen odd miles, for which the tenders are now called, as follows : — Construction, £10,650 ; permanent way, £18,450 ; rolling stock, £2000 ; total, £31, 200, or about £2073 per" mile. The Southland branch line will be let in three contracts. No. 1 is au instalment of the Riverton-Orepuki line, 7 A miles ; No. 2, Rivertou to Wallacetown, connecting with the Invercargill-Winton line at the Makarewa bridge, 12.^ milc3 ; and No. 3, Riverton to Otautau, 16 miles. The works include as well as the formation, bridges, &c, the equipment of the permauent way complete — that is, ballast, sleepers, rails, fixings, &c. The rolling stock will be provided by the Government. It is contemplated to have locomotives which will be constructed upon the Fairlie principle, those of the Fairlie type having answered admirably upon the Dunedin aud Port Chalmers Railway. The rails will be in weight 281bs. to the yard, and of the Vignoles pattern ; will be secured to the intermediate sleepers by dogspikes, and to the joint sleepers by screw bolts. The joints are to be fished in the usual manner. The sleepers ara to be of totara, Llaok pine, or approved Australian timber ; in length 6ft., and in section 6in. x Sin. Intermediates are to be placed every 2ft. 3.Un., and joint sleepers every 2ft. apart.

The lines will be ballasted with the best material procurable in the several districts. The width of formation will be 12ft., the slope of cuttings 1 to 1, and of embankments -V to 1. The chief bridge structures on the lines will bo oi timber, those over the Oriti and Jacob's River being pile bridges 265 ft. each in length, and on the laminated arch principle, on 33ft. spans, the superstructure of tho bridges, in addition to being used for the railway, serving as a roadway for other traffic. The culverts on tho Western District lines are to consist almost entirely of timber openings, constructed of piles and skeleton superstructures, the almost entire absence of stone rendering it compulsory to use timber, unless at a very excessive outlay, as the distance from any workable stone would cause a great expense in the haulage of material. The bridge at the crossing of the \\ aiareka stream is to consist of a single arch of 40ftspan, composed of stone in close proximity to the works. The approaches on either bide of the bridge necessitates extensive wing walla to be erected for the purpose of retaining tho material. All the culvert." on the Waiareka lino are formed entirely v i stone, and, to judge by the drawings, will be of a very substantial description. The Western District lines, it is stated, will open up a vast extent of line agricultural and timbered lands, and assist materially n developing the coal and gold fields of that part of Southland. In conclusion, we may state that all tno surveys, drawings, &c. , for tho whole of the contracts have been prepared by the ordinary working staff of the Provincial Government Public Works Department. To show the amount of work that is being done by that department in fche matter of railways, wo may instance a faot not generally known— namely, that tho Provincial Government have now in hand to be contracted for, 52 miles of railway, and 24J miles in course of construction. What makes tho work all the heavier is that this extent of railway is not in one continuous line, but in Bhort lines scattered over the country.

An underground railway has boon con* straoted in Constantinople, and will shortly be open for traffic