TRAINS DIVERTED

Taranaki Daily News, 19 August 1935, Page 6

TRAINS DIVERTED

SLIPS ON MAIN TRUNK STRATFORD LINE IN USE ONLY THREE EXPRESSES RUSH IN EARLY MORNING Slips on the Main Trunk between Taihape, Ngarapehu and Hihipahi, discovered late On Saturday night, resulted in the diversion through Stratford last night of three Main Trunk expresses, two from Auckland and one from Wellington. Special arrangements miide when, the Mangaweka slips caused the diversion of expresses through Taranaki were again in force and the organisation was carried through without a hitch. It is not known how long the slips will take to clear. When the Mangaweka slips occurred five trains had to be diverted. Owing to it being a Sunday yesterday, the weekday expresses leaving Wellington and Auckland in the afternoon did not run. Two expresses, including a special football train, went through from Auckland. The football special passed through Stratford at 1.13 a.m. and the limited was to have passed through at 5 o’clock. The limited from Wellington passed through about 3 o’clock. ’ • Stratford and Hawera were the only stopping places between Okahukura and Marton. The stop at Hawera of the southbound limited express was made to obviate the running of the usual connecting train with the Auckland-New Plymouth express. Refreshment booths at Whangamomona, Hawera, Patea and Aramoho were not opened during the night. Two engines, one from Hawera an®, the other from New Plymouth, were sent to Stratford last night to take over the haulage of the football special on the trip south to Marton. An extra hand was employed at the Stratford stahon to help in the coaling of the trains. Official word of the diversion of the... trains was received by Taranaki station.-, masters at 8 o'clock last night and the . necessary arrangements were immediately made. At Stratford the full night shift staff, with the extra hand for the coaling, was employed and shifts were also put on at Whangamomona, Te Wera, Tangarakau and Ohura. The arrangements in connection with the running o$ the goods trains were not completed when inquiries were made by the Daily News last night. It was anticipated that, if the clearing of the slips on the Main Trunk line was a matter of 24 hours or so, the goods services would be held up that long and then sent through on the usual route. If, however, tlie clearing is a. matter of some days, it is probable that the goods services wilt also be diverted through Taranaki., What arrangements were to be made with the early morning goods trains frdm the south to Taranaki were not known. _•