East Coast Line

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 70, 9 April 1937, Page 4

East Coast Line

PR0GRESS 0F WORK

Mohaka Viaduct Almost Compieted TRAIN TO WAIROA S00N

Tlhe last span of the huge steel framework of the Mohaka Viaduct was compieted just before Easter, and there now remalns only the decking and laying pf the rails to complete before it w|U be popsible to run a train from Napier right through tp Wairoa. Work is at present held up to a certain extent by the difficulty of obtaining certain of the materials required, and estimates of the timo that the whole line will be handed over to the Bailway Department for the inaugiiration of a regular seryice vary from Phristmas tg March of next year. Work on the section of line from Putorino to Waihoura, which includes the viaduct, is well in hand, and it is thought likely that the remaining work there will be compieted by Christmas time, and the remaining work upon the viaduct within a month. BaUasting work is well in hand on th© line, but the difficulty of obtaining supplies pf sleepers from Australia is intcrfering to some extent with the proposed sejier dule of work. Further work on viaducts and bal- ■ lasting also remains to be done' on the Napier-Putorino, and Waihoura- Wairoa sections of the line, The building of stock ©nclpsures and station buildings will also occupy time, and for this reason it is difficult to estimate the exact i date of the completion of the line. When the viaduct Ts compieted, the line from Napier to Wairoa will be used by .work trains, but to avoid interference with ballast engines and work trains, which are unahi© to maintain a xegular gchedule, no freight or passenger trains will be xun until the whole line is compieted, At present a train runs ©ach Saturday to Putorino and back, that being the day upon. which no work is done on th© line, The Mohaka Viaduct was commenced in June, 1936, "with an estimate made at the time by officers of the Publie Works Department that unless • unf oreseen difficulties occur, that the work would be - compieted within 12 or 14 months.^ It will b© seen, therefore, that the estimate' of one month before the work is compieted, and the whole structure painted. that this gchedule had been more than maintained by the department. ' The 908 f eet span over the Mohaka Gorge makes the viaduct the largest railway bridge in the Southern Hemisphere. At the middle of the .large • bridge, the height above the water is 300 feet, two of the five. conerete and steel towers supporting the structure . being set in the bed of the river itself. J Sixty skilled men are employed on the job. i It is not yet definitely known whether any ceremony will mark the cross- i ing of the viaduct by the first engine, , but this matter will be deeided when ] the work is almost compieted. It is likely that a Government Minister will , officiate at the ceremony.