NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9254, 5 June 1908, Page 1

NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

THE MAKATOTE VIADUCT. ALMOST COMPLETED. News has been received by Anderson's, Limited, from Makatote that the last girder of the viaduct "was placed in position yesterday and the Makatote Viaduct is almost completed. The contract was let on June lo s 1905, but owing to the difficulties of transit by rail and road to the site it. was impossible for the building of the viaduct to be begun before June 25, 1906. The viaduct is considered to be the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. It consists of five braced steel piers of the following heights : — From concrete base to top oi hand-rail, one 240 ft, one 208 ft, one 17oft, and two 110 ft, while the height from the bed of the creek to the top of the rail is about 260 ft. The highest pier, including concrete abutments, is about 270 ft. The main girders, ten in number, connecting the piers are each 100 ft. These were built and riyetted up - complete, and then launched out into position. The time occupied in launching the girders into place varied, but on one occasion the work was performed in an hour and a quarter. The Government asked the contractors to complete the viaduct in two years, but that was ■ impossible. The contractors expected to complete the Tvork at the end of last March, and in all probability would, have accomplished it in less time had they not met some rotten foundation, causing extra excavations and a considerable addition of concrete. The effect of this was to throw the whole" of the erecting machinery onto concrete work,, though it had been intended that the concrete should be done before the steel work was required to be erected. The erection of the iron work was thus seriously delayed. Messrs Anderson, while building the Makatote viaduct, also made at Makatote the Manganui-o-te-ao bridge, of two 120 ft spans, Mangaturuturu bridge, of two 100 ft spans, and a creek bridge of two 20ft spans and one 30ft span. The creek bridge and the Mangaturuturu bridge are erected, and the material tor the Manganui-o-te-ao bridge is all at the site and in tho course of erection.