AUCKLAND FLOODS

Evening Star, Issue 21753, 22 June 1934, Page 5

AUCKLAND FLOODS

NORTHERN RAILWAY SERVICE RESTORED

BREAK IN THAMES-EAST COAST COMMUNICATION [Pek United Pkes* Association.] AUCKLAND, June 21. After being impassable for tvro days the Tailway route to the north was again open to traffic to-day, and normal services were resumed. Both the up and the down expresses experienced practically no delay. With the railway traffic to'the north restored, communication with the east coast and the Thames was dislocated to-day by flooding and washouts on the line between Te Arojia. and Paeroa. Tho trouble occurred between Waitoki and Tirohia, the flood waters from the Waihou llivcr covering the line over a considerable distance to a depth ol over 2ft on this section. The ballast was washed out to a depth of about Ift over a length of several chains. It was reported late to-night that the flood waters showed little signs of subsiding. ' As soon as the level of the water goes down sufficiently work trains will commence repairs from each end of the damaged portion of the line. An exciting passage was experienced by a mixed train which left Paeroa for Frankton shortly before 7 a.m. It was forced to traverse a mile of line covered with six inches of water. When the train reached the portion between Tirohia and Waitoki it was found that the line was becoming covered with flood waters, and the driver decided that it would he wiser to proceed rather than turn back, and the train Reached Te Aroha after safely negotiating the section of flooded line, and then continued its. journey to Frankton. No subsequent trains were able to get through. The early morning train from Thames, which carried fish for the southern centres as far as Hawkers Bay and Taranaki, was held up when it reached Paeroa. The train returned to Thames. The railway officials immediately arranged to send the fish by motor lorry to Pokeno, where it caught the fast train for the south.