NEW RAILWAY ROUTE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 42, 18 June 1947, Page 6

NEW RAILWAY ROUTE

TAWEATUA TO GISBORNE AERIAL SURVEY MADE An aerial survey of a possible alternative route -for the railway link between Gisborne and Opotiki and on to Taneatua was recently made by a Gisborne surveyor, Mr E. C. Granville. Whether this route is the best possible remains to be seen. There are several possible routes across the ranges between the railhead at Motuhora and Opotiki. Everyone will agree that the gap should be closed, thus completing the main lines of the North Island network.

The route suggested by Mr Granville is not favoured greatly in the Opotiki district on account of its length and also on account of the difficult nature of the Waioeka- Gorge and the country it covers. It is nevertheless a worthy attempt to prove that the route is feasible. Would Be Longer In Opotiki the route favoured locally on account of its directness and also on account of the easy nature of much of the country it traverses, is the Pakihi-Te Waiti route, connecting with the existing railhead at Motuhora. This would probably necessitate a tunnel about two miles long but would be only 28 miles long (according to an old plan of this route compared with 52 miles on the suggested route.

The direct route to Motuhora railhead was surveyed some 37 years ago, being completed in 1910. The problem then was the big rise in a short mileage and one of the proposals to overcome the grade was a spiral on. the lines of the Raurimu spiral on the Main Trunk line. However by using diesel or diesel-elec-tric engines this drawback could be overcome today. The railcars make comparatively light work of the Rimutaka Incline on the Main Trunk line and no doubt if the connection is made to Gisbornre passenger traffic will be wholly catered for by the big railcars carrying up to 120 passengers. Drawback to Route One drawback to Mr Glanville’s suggested route is. that the line connects between Matawai and Rakauroa, thus virtually eliminating Matawai and Motuhora from rail connection as the short branch line would be difficult to operate very profitably. It is felt that by retaining the line from Motuhora a very valuable tract of country will in the years to come be fully developed. Much of this country is still covered by decaying timber and when properly cleaned up there is scope for a great increase in dairy production.

Mr Glanville in his report states: Having been asked by Mr C. Cooper and others to check up on the possibility of a rail connection between Gisborne and Taneatua I beg to report as follows:

The existing railway at Matawai is 1900 feet above sea level and from 40 to 50 miles from Opotiki according to the route chosen. This allows, if a continuous grade is taken of a grade of 1 in 100 to 1 in 130. However, the formation of the country renders such an even grade impracticable. Even so it is possible to scheme out a trial route that will have no steeper grades than 1 in 60, no long tunnels and mainly through quite good country.

Two Trial Routes

I understand that the Works De partment have had at least two tria: routes surveyed that show a railway is feasible.

The plan enclosed shows the ground that has been covered together with mileage, various heights and other data.

Commencing at Matawai the line would traverse easy country until well into the Te Wera settlement, 12 miles from Matawai. The following eight miles to the Koranga and Waioeka junction are fairly hard going, and the ten miles down the Waioeka to Wairata contain some very steep rugged country although a proportion is very easy terrace land. From Wairata to Opotiki flats the valley is generally wide and should afford no great engineering difficulties. Generally speaking the suggested route is on good solid rock country, grades are 1 in 60 or easier, and there are no long tunnels. More Surveys Suggested

The plan I have made is a sketch plan only, heights have been taken by aneroid, and the route may require considerable deviation in places. Only further detailed surveys by the Works Department will be able to supply information as to costs and final location. The plan I have made is purely a sketch plan showing a possible route from Matawai to Opotiki whose main feature is the avoidance of long tunnels and steep grades.

By utilising the resources of the Government Department it should

be possible to check up my conclusions and field surveys may perhaps show that the suggested route can be greatly improved upon, or that an alternative route is preferable. In any case a route is definitely possible and the gap between Taneatua and Matawai could be closed