DEVIATION RAILWAY LINE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13584, 16 December 1907, Page 2

DEVIATION RAILWAY LINE.

■ m OPENED THIS 'MORNING. THE OLD LINE CLOSED. The news which appeared in our issue of Saturday that the railway deviation line was to be opened v for traffic to-day was a surprise to everyone. The old lyie was closed and the new one opened without ceremony ; without even publio notice. Ceremony was well left out of the matter, but notice was due to the public, and it is quite probable that a number of residents have been inconvenienced through ignorance of the facts. The old route had been in use for just over 32 years. It was in September, 1875, that the line from here to Waitara was opened. The closing of the*old piece, of line means the abandonment of the several dangerous crossings in the ibown. The Devon Street crossing particularly has been the death scene of several people, and it is with much relieved., thoughts that railway Officials arid' buftlic alike view its dosing. The exceptionally dangerous nature of this crossing was the first factor in bringing up the question of deviating the line. The work of deviation was commenced on April 23rd, 1904. Its cost is about £40,000. The length of the new line is 2 miles 5£ chains. This is about five chains sblorter than the old route. A saying to the country is_ always made by "the shortening of a route, but in this case the bulk of the saving will not be in that direction', but through an egs^er grade and better curves. The old' grade was much steeper than it appeared to be. The rise was one in forty. The rise on the new line is one in BCU-only half as steep. The curves are fifteenfthain curves, whereas those of the old line were five-chain curves. It will be realised that a great saving will be effected by the use of the new track. The banking engine need not be used to assist trains over "the grade. The last train to run over the now closed piece of line was the mail on Saturday night. On Sunday the bridges on. the then unopened route were tested. The test proved entirely satisfactory. This morning's mail was the first passenger train to run over the new line. Quite a number assembled at the station to see the train off on its new way. A few residents took a trip along as far as Strandon by the next train. All along the. line people were gathered to witness the running. The equivalent of the old Eliot Street station is situated at, Strandon. So. far as is known it is to be called Fitzroy. There will be just a platform and shelter shed, similar to those at, Eliot St., >ut perhaps a shade' more up-to-date. [It is 1 mile 28 chains^to the Strandon stoppage. - ■. , Perhaps the only regret occasionedby the closing of the old line is that it was the North Island, whilst the new,railway runs through nothing more beautiful than the barren faces of a cutting. The old track,, it is understood, will be taken up shortly. THE PREMIER'S CONGRATULATIONS. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., in reply to a telegram congratulating Sir Joseph Ward on the opening. of the new line from New Plymouth station, has received the following message: — "Glad you have witnessed the running of the first train over the new line at New Plymouth. It is a very great improvement and should be appreciated by the residents, who will be free from any possibility of accident on the new route."