NEW TRAIN FERRY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1935, Page 18 (Supplement)

NEW TRAIN FERRY

CAISSON SENT TO DOVER. OAKUM KEEPS OUT THE TIDE. Rapid progress is being made in preparing the dock from which the Channel train ferry is to leave its port of departure at Dover for Dunkirk. The water has been cleared out from the area of several acres which will form the dock at Dover. An ingenious method was adopted to block the entrance to this area. A great caisson, 92 feet long,

30 wide, and 60 deep was towed from the Furness Shipbuilding works on the River Tees to Dover, and at low tide was placed across the entrance to the dock.

In order, however, that there should be no leakage between the stone walls and the caisson a length of hard wood edged with a thick pad of oakum was fastened to each side. The oakum, duly covered with canvas, was forced tight against the wall by the pressure of the incoming tide and, being pliant, filled in all the ragged edges so that not a trickle of water could pass through. Work on the drained area can now proceed at full speed, and it will not be long before goods wagons and sleeping carriages will be hauled on to steamers here across a drawbridge at the end of the dock.