THE AMBERLY BLUFF RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1341, 11 August 1877, Page 16

THE AMBERLY BLUFF RAILWAY.

THE PORAKAKOT PORTION. A few particulars regarding the progress of the works on Messrs Wain and Smyth's contract, Purakanui, now that the Deborah Bay Tunnel is pierced through, may be of interest to our readers, especially now that attention is so much centred on the B|>eedy completion of the links siorthwaid*. Proceeding from the north end of the tunnel, whe^e many of the workmen reside in hufs, scattered here and there along the sides of the hills, reminding a visitor somewhat of a settled township on a nwh in some back Victorian gully, where timber is plentiful, a walk of a few chains, and the end of Messrs M'Kenzie and Co.'s sectional contract is reached. A connected saccession of spurs and gullies then commences, necessitating cuttings through principally loose material for a few feet from the surface, and then rock, both hard and soft, the stnff forming the embankments, and this continues until the heads of Blueskin Bay are reached, the distance being something like two miles. The cuttings are of various depths, the deepest being that known as Bradley's, out «f which 99,000 yards of material have been taken, and the largest embankment is across a gully north of that cutting, but connected with it. Oniy lately, men in numbers have been employed upon this section of the contract, so that the stuff excavated previously has had time to settle properly, but it is evident that in some places a considerable quantity will be required to bench up the embankments from the base to their permanent leveL Since the men were at work before a good many slips have taken place, some on a large scale. However, it was satisfactory to notice in all the cuttings not the slightest sign of an invisible quicksand, or shifting bottom, the slips that had taken place having been caused by water percolating from the surface, the effect of which can be easily remedied by giving the batters more of a slope ; the intention being to do so, as also to take away in parts where there is, or may be, any danger, so far as can be seen, any loose or cracked rock overhanging or partly disengaged from the body of the cliff. Along the line there are heaps of metal broken ready for ballasting, and in one or two places metal is spread ready for bedding the sleepers on, there being one small portion already kid with the permanent rails. On the whole, work is so far advanced on the Purakanui section of the contract that a couple of months of fine weather, or perhaps less, will see it completed and ready for traffic. Leaving Purakanui Bay to the right, Goat Island is parsed, and then commences what has been the most difficult, expensive, and dangerous (for the workmen) part of Messrs Wain and Sn.yth's whok contract ; for there the rock cutting begins, and continues without a break, excepting one very steep water-course, for fully half a mile. Over the water-course a substantial stone bridge is in course of being built — a single arch, the span being 32ft, and the material used, blocks of Port Chalmers stone, dressed, each about 2ft. long by lOin. deep, and 15m. broad, set in cement. The expense of carting the stone from Port Chalmers must have been considerable, yet there was no other course to adopt, for that on the ground, or rather which forms the cliffs on each side, and on which the foundations of the arch are placed, is of such a hard and flinty nature that it will not dress, being so brittle. Then again it was absolutely necessary, the place being such a dangerous one, to have a structure the beat that could be found, as no doubt when finished the bridge will be, for should an accident take place in any part of that- mile portion of the line, although travellers will be as safe there as anywhere else, little hope of a continuation of life mi this world will be left for the victims. Leaving the bridge behind, the visitor after a few tstrides finda himself in a rock cutting— certainly not wider than is requisite, for the flinty nature of the material blasted through forbade any extra work, and looking up he calculates that the land side cliff is about 70ft. in height, whilst that to seaward is somewhere near 20ft., the length being, Bay 6 chains. This is the only closed in cutting, the rest being into fue cliff the full breadth of the line, or where such a desideratum could not be obtained, the sides leaward are boundsd by stone walls, cemented and made perfectly secare. Here it may be remarked, that a biscuit could be easily thrown out of a carriage window ia

places round the Heads into the sea 200 ft. b&low, and no doubt the experiment will be frequently tried.

After crossing the district road leading from Blueskin to the Mopontu range, there is another high embankment, succeeded by earth cuttings, until Wilson's Creek is reached, over which is built a substantial timber bridge ; as also farther on another bridge of timber across the WaitatL A short distance along, a flat being passed over, the station is reached, which now serves for the post and telegraph office. It has served as such for about 18 months, very much to the disgust of settlers in general in the district, for it ia out of the way entirely, and only to be approached from the main road across a flat, even now, in spite of frost, ankle and in places knee deep in mud. There is nothing particularly ornamental about the station, nor have the Government expended too much money for accommodation that way. Whether a road will ever be made to it or not by the Government from the main road is one of those "looming in the future" questions. Certainly the County or Road Board won't do it.

Passing the Piesbyterian Church the line continues skirting the Bay, partly on sand embankments and partly through low point cuttings until near Carey's Hotel, where Mi 1 I'roudfoot's contract commences. So far as Messrs Wain and Smyth's contract is concerned it is completed from its junction with Mr Proudfoot's to the stone bridge at Blueskin Heads, and as they are pushing on with the bridge as quickly as they can, so as to get the engine and ballast waggons to the Purakanui section, their contract will soon be ended over all.