RAILWAY LINE BLOCKED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 August 1940, Page 4

RAILWAY LINE BLOCKED

WAIRARAPA TRAIN SERVICES DISORGANISED. FALL OF ROCK NEAR SUMMIT. A fall of rock on the Wairarapa railway line yesterday afternoon, about a quarter of a mile south of The Summit, effectively blocked the permanent way and as a result rail services were disorganised. It is hoped that the line will be cleared today. A goods train encountered the slip at about 2.30 p.m. About- 500 cubic yards of rock had fallen across the line and for a distance of a chain the rocks were piled up 10 feet deep over the track. Passengers on the afternoon mail train from Woodville to Wellington were conveyed by bus from Featherston to Kaitoke, where they were put on board a service car, which arrived in Wellington at 6.37 p.m. The 3.30 p.m. rail-car from Wellington to Woodville was cancelled between Kaitoke and Cross Creek and the passengers were conveyed to Featherston by road. From Featherston they continued their journey northward in another rail-car. The rail-car due to leave Wellington at 6.4 p.m. for’ Masterton was cancelled and the passengers were taken by bus to Masterton. Passengers from Masterton and elsewhere who intended to travel to Wellington this morning by the rail-car leaving here at 7.52 o’clock were transported by bus. The 7.50 a.m. Welling-ton-Woodville mail train ran as far as Upper Hutt, where the passengers were transhipped by bus to another train at Featherston, whence the usual running was taken up. It was hoped that the 9.45 a.m. rail-car southward from Masterton and Woodville would be able to get through, but if this were not possible the passengers would be taken over the Rimutakas by bus. It was almost certain that all later trains would run without interruption.