RAILWAY DEVIATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 222, 19 September 1936, Page 8

RAILWAY DEVIATION

TURAKINA TO OKOIA | IMMEDIATE START TO BE MADE WORK TO COST £500,000 THREE YEAR TASK FOR t '•(» ME.\ The Government is arranging to put in hand at one? the construction of the Turakina-Fordell-Okoia deviation on tile existing Wellington-New Plymouth rai.The work is one of those recommended by a departmental committee sei up to investigate suitable public works, and has been approved by the Minister of Public Works (the lion. R. Semple), and is metuued in his Public Works programme. The deviation will leave the existing railway at the northern end ol the Turakina station yard crossing the Turakina and Wangaehu Riven and the Wangaehu Valley, proceed' ing generally in a northerly direction Beyond the Wangaehu River the deviation will rise on a 1 in 70 grade passing through the Fordell ridge bj a tunnel 60 chains long, then proceeding in a north-westerly direction, rejoining the existing line at a point 11 miles on the Fordell side of the Okoia station. The proposed new Fordell station yard will be situate! approximately 100 ft. below the existing station yard, suitable road connection being made. The construction of the prnpo ed railway deviation is considered by the Government to be a sound proposition. and will show the fo'tmving features in comparison with the existing railway: 1. Length of line will be shortened by anoroximatelv 21 miles. 2. Grades on the new line will he much better than on the existing line, and curvature verv much eesier, so that traOic operations on the new route will have very sub-tantial advantage over those on the existing location. The proposed work is a mnbr one. and the cost is e-tlmnte-t a» £507.000 Fortv-five ner cent, ot this cast wul be absorbed in labour on the work i‘sclf. It is anticipated that coT’r-ic-tion will occuny annroxlma*"lv thr-e years, and that 400 men will be cmplnved Permanent surveys are bein'- comnie'ed. and a small number of men have already been started on 'he provision of accommodation. Further men w"! he em-lnve! as soon as plans ar n suflieienttv far advanced. The possibility of the Mn'n Trunk line one dav being divert"! through Stratford will be brou"h* much nearer by the improvement in g 'd'-s between M"rton and Wan"an”i. T't section of the lino Marton to Kai Twi is the real handiem to the Wei-lington-Aurkla-’d. via Stratford, route hein" used. Repairs to tunnels or the Taihape ro"te mav become an urgent necessity in the near future, and improved grades between Marfo-- an' Kai Iwi would facilitate us" of the Wellington to Stratford line for Main Trunk expresses.