BULLER GORGE LINE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20085, 3 November 1939, Page 5

BULLER GORGE LINE

COMPLETION IN YEAR

WEATHER AFFECTS WORK

Notwithstanding weather unlikely to be met with on any other work in New Zealand, the construction of the Westport-lnangahua railway has progressed satisfactorily, and its completion inside 12 months is predicted by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. Probably another six months will pass before the line is opened for traffic.

The vagaries of West Coast weather have interfered with the construction of this line through the precipitous Butler Gorge. Although the headquarters camp at Tiroroa is only 14 miles from the coast, the rainfall there is double that at Westport, the high recording of 2111 inches being made last year. Few other parts of New Zealand measure their rainfall in yards, as does the Bullei Gorge.

Exceptional figures for railway construction in this country have been created on the Butler line. More than two-thirds of the line is on curves, and the 18J-m£lc stretch has 14 major bridges and 130 culverts. Some of the bridges are built on curves, necessitating the canting of the decking to carry the rails.

Expressing satisfaction with the progress of the construction, Mr. Semple said the importance of the line was being enhanced by the likely early increase in productivity of the Butler district through the land development schemes being carried out by the Government.