EXTENSIVE DAMAGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18580, 14 December 1934, Page 9

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE

NORTHERN RAILWAY LINES SEE TOES UNDERM INT NT! RESULT OF FLOODS (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, last night. The damage to the railway lines caused by floods in the north is more extensive than was at. first believed, and it is expected that the services will not he bark to normal until the end oi next week. ■Serious undermining lias been caused in many places, necessitating a great deal of work by repair gangs when the waters finally recede.

Investigations have been carried out by Mr. H. W. Beasley, railway engineer in charge of the Auckland district, who reports that the Kaikohe brancli line is in au even worse condition than the main line, the indications being that- if will In* well over a week before this section is- fully repaired. Serious damage has been caused to the main line between Opahi and I’okapii, where a wash-out live chains in length and with a maximum depth ct 714. has occurred. Driftwood and other debris cover the line for a considerable distance, and in many places where, there are large holes the track is out of alignment.

Another serious factor is the number of approaches to bridges- which have been washed out. Considerable damage, which will take a long time to repair, has been caused to the line in tbe vicinity of Kawakawa. where the scoria ballast has been scoured out to a depth of 3ft. for about a mile. Three work trains loaded with ballast have been dispatched to the north from Auckland.