VIADUCT ON FIRE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 57, 11 March 1946, Page 4

VIADUCT ON FIRE

DELAY TO MAIN TRUNK TRAINS ONE EXPRESS DIVERTED Aailway traffic between Wcllingtoi and Auckland was disrupted last night as the result of a lire which occurred on the Makohine Viaduct, seven mile* north of yesterday morning. The outbreak was discovered by a passing motorist, who noticed sleepers bur ing at the northern end of the viaduct. He notified the railway authorities in Hunterville, and surfacemen who were despatched immediately found that the viaduct was on tire. They were handicapped by lack of water, however, and could do nothing till the arrival of a special train from Taihape, which brought 8000 gallons of water. The lire was suppressed . shortly after 5 p.m., but in the mean- F time about 30 yards of the wooden' decking and sleepers had been burnt out.

Repair gangs were working late last nigh., and it was expected that the viaduct would be safe for the passage of trains by two o'clock this morning. In the meantime, however, the ordinary Sunday express from Wellington to Auckland was diverted to the longer route through Aramoho and the Stratford-Okahukura line. The extra mileage involved means an additional travelling time of about two and a-half hours. The Makohine Viaduct is one of the three largest on the Main Trunk railway, and was regarded as a remarkable feat of engineering when completed in 1907. It spans a deep gully, through which the main highway winds, and is constructed of steel girders, with a wooden decking. The approach to the southern 'end is through a tunnel. While travelling southward at about 10.30 a.m. yesterday a motorist noticed that sleepers at the northern end of the viaduct were smouldering. Railwaymen m Hunterville were notified and an emergency call sent out to track gangs. They were on the scene within a short time, but by then the centre portion of the viaduct was well alight. Handicapped because no water or, adequate lire-fighting facilities werey available on the spot, the men could' do little in the meantime except prevent tiie spread of the flames.

The nearest railroad centre was Taihape, about 22 miles distant. A special train was marshalled and 8000 gallons of water, loaded In tank wagons, were rushed to the scene. The district engineer of railways at Wanganui, Mr. J. Dow, left for the Makohine Viaduct by car shortly afier mid-day, and a breakdown train, fully stocked with bridge repair equipment, departed from Wanganui at 4 p.m. With it went as many men as could be assembled in the short time available. The fire was extinguished late in the afternoon, but extensive damage had been done to the decking of the viaduct and also to several of the sleepers. By eight o'clock last night renewat work was well in hand. According to advice received by train running, Wanganui, the viaduct was expected to be open for traffic again by two o'clock this morning. Because of the heavy delay which would have been involved in running the Wellington-Auckland exptiste through the Main Trunk, it was redded to divert this train to the Strnt-ford-Okahukura route, the extra mileage being 53. The express last night was a particularly heavy train, however, and when it arrived at Aramoho at 8.29 had 500 passengers. Two "Ka" class locomotives were required to haul the train of 13 vehicles from Marton to Stratford. The Limited express which left Wellington at 7.15 last evening for Auckland had 300 passengers, but it was expected that this train would follow the normal route through the Main Trunk. Railway officials indicated, however, that a delay of about two and a-half hours was likely. Southbound trains early this morning are also expected to go through the Main Trunk.