MIDLAND LINE SUBSIDES AT OMOTO SIDING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18016, 29 November 1926, Page 14

MIDLAND LINE SUBSIDES AT OMOTO SIDING.

FURTHER TROUBLE THREATEN THROUGH EROSION OF RIVER. Per Press Association. GREYMOUTH, November 28. Traffic on the Midland railway line at the Greymouth end continues to be menaced by the subsidence of the bank of the Grey River at Omoto, causing the line to fall. Trouble of this nature has been of long standing at the place in question, but the present subsidence, which is due to a greasy back movement in the gully, began at the time of the recent heavy floods, and has continued since. Meanwhile a ballast train and sixty men have, every day, been engaged in depositing gravel at the locality, but this is evidently ineffective. Last evening at seven o’clock the subsidence increased in rapidity, being faster than the gang could make good with fresh gravel, the result being the suspension of the late train service in that direction. This morning the line is four feet at least below its normal level. Today two ballast trains and extra gangs are working and it is hoped, therefore, that traffic may be maintained to morrow, but it is apparent that the river is eroding and that the measures required to end the subsidence are namely either cutting a new channel, thus removing the river’s course some distance, or a tunnel for a new railway route into the town.