East Coast Railway

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 227, 25 October 1929, Page 8

East Coast Railway

PROGRESS 0F THE WORK Minister 's Report To Parliament FURTHER SECTION READY. In proseiiLing his annual statement to l'cirluuiiciit to-day, tlie JMinister oi Puljiio Works, thc Hon, E. A. Kaiisom, j in retcrring to the Lca&b Coast raii-l way, said: — "Tlio vork on tlii.s railway was vjgornusly puslu'd aliead, and tlie rails were iaid to Matalioura station Goods and pa.sscngcr scr\ iccs ucre run from Eskdale to Matalioura. 'Ihe lurmatioji of tlie I'utormo seciiou is practically j conipletc, and will be hauded over to tlie Railway Department in a few monl hs. "The dist'ance froni Eskdale to Putorino is 26 miles 50 chains. "The principal works, completed during tlie year were as foilows: — Sandv t'reek bridgc, eonsisting of three 60ft. span-. on steel trestlos and concrete fonndatioiis ; and IMatalionra viadnct of two (idft.., two 40ft., and oue 250ft. span on steel trestlos with concrete foundation> and almtments. The latter structnre is 213ft. above the gorge. "On the Wairoa section formation lias jiroecedcd satisfactorily. Tunnelconstrnction and hridge-erection are in hand. Tlie formation is hoavv, and ten stcam-shovels liave heen cmployed during the year. Six and three-quarter chains of tlie bottom licndhig of tlie Kotmaori tunnel liave been driven, and tlie north portal completed. "Cliimney crcek tunnels, Xos. 1 and 2. and Waihua tunnel, were completed. lhul eonditions liave heen met with in the Afohaka aniinel in which lOichains liave heen completed. "The Waikare viadnct has progressed rapid ly and sliould he carrying the train hy March next"Extensive investigations have heen made and hores put down to determine the hest tvpe of fonndatimi for the "\roliaka viadnct, whicli w'dl he tlie largest oue on tlie railway. Ihe Wairoa river bridge is nearing eompletion."