Canterbury Roads Open, But Railway Still Closed

Press, Volume C, Issue 29514, 16 May 1961, Page 14

Canterbury Roads Open, But Railway Still Closed

With no rain again yesterday all main roads in Canterbury were open to traffic, but the Main Trunk railway between Claverley and Oaro is closed by a heavy slip at the Amuri tunnel. The Automobile Association (Canterbury) reported yesterday that machines working on the slips on the Hundalee cleared the road, and traffic was passing through without need for special care. A Railways Department spokesman said last evening that goods trains were running as far as Parnassus, but all trains further north had been cancelled until further notice Buses were carrying train passengers. Bulldozers and gangs of men were working to clear the slips between Claverley and Oaro, but by last evening the line was still badly blocked The Ashley river railway bridge was opened at 6.30 p.m. yesterday after men had worked long hours repairing the approaches. Floodwaters of the Ashley

river severely damaged two groynes, numbers five and 21 the chief engineer of the North Canterbury Catchment Board (Mr H M Reid) said yesterday.

He said the Ashley had been in the highest Good for some years, and when the river was low enough to be inspected more damage could be found. The Selwyn river was down to normal? and no damage was reported. The Oxford County Clerk (Mr J. A. Gardner) said that damage in the county from flooding had been quite severe. The Oxford-Coopers Creek road bridge which was washed out during the weekend is now passable, but more work on the approaches is required. Mr Gardner said that bridges further up the Lees Valley road might be damaged. However, until a large slip about 24 yards long on the Lees Valley road had been cleared, the county staff would not be able to ascertain the extent of damage done by the flooding.