RAILWAY WORKS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15956, 18 October 1922, Page 9

RAILWAY WORKS.

ONE COMPLETED SECTION HAND ED OVER. DURING YEAtt.

WELLINGTON, this day. Only one section of completed railway (Clyde to Cromwell t 12 miles 34 chain's in length) Was hatided over to the Railways Department during; the year, although other .sections were in a sufficiently advanced state to permit of a goods and passenger service being .maintained" by my Department, said the Hon. J. G. Coates, in his Public Works -Statement. The Mount-Matata section, 40 miles in length, has been completed for several years, but owing ti> its isolation has not been taken over by the Railways Department. A refgulnr service, under working railways conditions, .however, is in operation. The net expenditure on construction, maintenance, and supervision for the financial year was £3,266,440, as follows : £ New lines. 1,276,820 Additions to open new lines 1,856,380 Authorisation Act 1914 A/c. 132,240 Total .}[. .-£3,265,440 A brief description is then given, some of the' points beiiig as folows:North Auckland Main Trunk.—Huaiau Northwards, Pftparewa section : Second unci third lifts of ballast have been placed on the main line throughout. Marerfu section: Workmen were concentrated on this section during the year, and considerable progress was made. Fifty horses were transferred from the Whangarei end for plough unci scoop -work, with excellent results. Enlarging and lining Golden Stairs tunnel (south end) was commenced last July, 12£ chains of lining are completed. Work was delayed during October and November by it strike of workmen for higher rates of pay. During this, suspension of work the compressor plant was extensively overhauled and repaired. Both plant and men are .now working satisfactorily, and during the last throe months 4$ chains of lining lias been completed. At tlie north end a commencement was made in October with, the bottom heading. Lining, however, was delayed till January of this year as a result of difculty in procuring experienced men. A subsidence in the first length caused further* delay. Working conditions at both ends of this tunnel are good. The men appear, to be contented, and the remaining 11£ chains of lining should be finished 'by the end of November. The Mareretu section should be ready for service about February next. Waikickie section: Suitable labor was concentrated on the erection, of Mangawai river bridge. Considerable difficulty was experienced with pile driving on ac ount •of the soft ground; this portion of the construction, however, is practically finished. Between 102 miles 48 chains and 103 miles 9 chains, a deviation had to Le made, as practically the whole locality was slipping, cuttings being' completely tilled. The Waiotira station yard iwas completed with two steam shovels, which excavated 30,000 cubic yards to make up the required filling. It. is anticipated that the permanent rails, will reach Kikowhiti bridge by the end of the year; and by March, 1923, rail connection should' be established between Whangorci and Auckland. Kirikopuni section : Operations have been confined to tba northern end of this section. The northern approach to Omana tunnel has been opened, but owing to the treacherous nature qf> the country it was impossible to commence driving in the usual way. and throe lengths of reinforced concrete section lining had to be built at the entrance. It is proposed to construct a jig-line over the tunnel lilii for the transport of material for lriv ojeratinnjs at the southern end. Kai kohc Northwards, Okaihan section : Slips on this line caused trouble; the measures, taken to cope with these have pioved effective. Kails _,are being laid in Okaihau station yard. Within a lew iweeks it is intended to commence a passenger service, which will be a great benefit, particularly to Hokianga residents. Waiuku branch : Both sections of this line have' been completed and transferred to the Railways Department. Huntly-Awaroa: Steady progress las been mad© with this line. It is |i«-o-posed to let a contract for the Su?i.mit cutting, to the owners of the c-;,' mines at the terminus of the line. The advantage.of this is that materia'! fri m the cutting will be used for the spe-*. - . i mine sidings.

Waikokowai branch: A contract for the land plan survey of this railiv.iv should t>c completed shortly.

Stratford-Main Trim*.—Matlere section : Platelayiug was commenced *.i November last, and on the 23rd May of this year the line, 10 miles 25 chain: in length, was formally opened for goods and passenger traffic. The Ongaruc combined bridge was fina'ly completed during the year. The concrete work on three of the Ohura river bridges has been completed, and temporary superstructures have been prov ded. The fourth Ohura crossing is provided with a temporary structure to carry the traffic. The excavation for foundations of the permanent piers for this bridge has been commenced. The steelwork for these bridges is being prepared in the Mount workshops, Tauranga. The principal work remaining t»> be done comprises completion of ballasting, finishing bridges, Tutvua .Matiere station yards, and the necessary buildings- Ohura section: Formation \york .is being" opened up. Tahora section : Karthwork formation and plutelaying' have been completed. Te Wera quarry: A branch line, 1 mile 16 chains' in length, connecting with the Stratford-Main Trunk railway has. been constructed. 'Stripping has been commenced, and 50,000 yards of rock is ready for excavation.

Oputmke branch.—Kapuni section : The formation with -the exception of a little widening and easing batters, is fully ready for platelaying. Platelaying will now proceed uninterruptedly except for the- time required for launching girders on Marigatoki and Kapuni bridges. A steam shovel has, been employed stripping ballast pit at Kaupokonui river, and 13,000 yards of stripping removed. Pihama section: About a mile of formation has been finished, the remainmg culverting is in hand, and clearing, including logging and stumping, has, been finished to 14 miles 60 chains. Opunajke section: This section has only just been commenced, the work done being of the usual preliminary character.

Midland.—Glenhope-Murchison.— The piers for Hope River bridge have been completed, and the four girders have been erected for field riveting. The temporary, bridge was, seriously damaged by flood in March last, but it has been restored to the level of concrete piers and is ready for tho launching of girders. Otira-Bealey: This section exextends from Arthur's Pass station, the present railway terminus on tho Canterbury side of the pass, to Otira station, the present railway terminus on .the Westland side. The section is only .8 miles 64 chains long, but includes tho Arthur's; Pass or Otira tunnel, of 5 miles 25 chains in length, and nearly the whole length of the section is on a grade of 1 in 33, tho summit of tho line being 1177 ft above the Otira station and 24?6ft above sea-level. The lining of the tunnel was completed in October, and tho floor has now cleaned up and the permanent 1001 b track laid from

51 miles 54 chains to 58 miles 40 chains, with the exception of about 10 chains across the Rolleston bridge; The dismantling of buildings and plant required in the tunneling operations lias commenced; and portions of the plant transferred for use. on other works. A crusliing plant, with two crushers and a-steam-navvy, was installed at Arthur's; Pass, and with this and the aid of a small crusher at o'tira the line has been ballasted and lifted with the first lift fiorn 51 miles 54 chains to 58 miles, 12 chains. Bealey bridge: This bridge is immediately at the Canterbury portal of the tunnel. If is a skewed structure, and includes vertical and horizontal curves in the track: The permanent superstructure; comprising' about 230 tons of structural steel, has been delivered at site, and six of the girders riveted up ready to be placed on the piers, lnangahua Junction : The condition of the Inangahua junction traffic bridge is such that re-building is essential. It is proposed, therefore, to make provision enabling the combined road and railway) bridge to put in hand immediately. In connection with the overhead equipment of the, line, the contractors have installed feeder cables throughout the tunnel, involving the erection of 6000 cast-iron racks, and arrangements for ejecting the poles outside the tunnel are in hand. rhe wiring of the tunnel for electric lighting ' has been completed. Some 1500 rail-joints have been bonded. The shipment of boilers and electrical machinery has been seriously delayed by the widespread lockout in the engineering industry in Great Britain. Greyrttouth-Point Elizabeth. Platelaying has been complotcd to 5 miles 69 chains, and about three-quarters of a mile of sidings linked up. First and second lifts of ballast have been placed from 3 miles 46 ohains. to 5 miles 68 chains. Orepuki-Waiau. Oraiwia section : Work has steadily proceeded, and the formation, with the exception of two cuttings which are well advanced, is complete throughout. It is proposed to proceed at once with platclaying and ballasting. Lawrence-Roxburgh. Formation is more or less complete over the first 4 miles, except in cuttings which have been left narrow.

Surveys. —Rimutaka deviation : Work en the various trial surveys in connection with the Rimutaka deviation is nearing completion. The surveys of the Taulierenikau and coach road routes have been completed, and plans and estimates are being prepared. The party is now beiiig moved to complete the survey of the Wainuiomata route, work on which was suspended during the war. Tuapeka Mouth branch railway: During the year the various trial, surveys for the above railway were completed. Three routes were surveyed. A fourth route, known as the Riverbank route, was surveyed some years ago. Dun-back-Kokonga railway: A reconnaissance survey of this suggested railway was made during the year, and approximate estimates, prepared.