OTIRA TUNNEL.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 June 1920, Page 2

OTIRA TUNNEL.

TO BE COMPLETED BY JUNE, 1921.; , ELECTRIFIED HY END OF NEXT ! YEAR. j In connexion with the opening-out and competing of the , Arthur’s Pass tunnel, the Public Works Department / keeps an interesting graph showing the I progress of the work, each little square lof space on the chart representing a ! week of time. Ori the same graph was registered the progress of the boring work, and there is shown the spot where the twq working parties met, and where it was calculated they would meet. In time the - Department’s engineers were only a week out in their j calculations, and in position a few yards • out (says the “ Dominion )• One I straight line on one side shows where no • progress was made at all (owing to Hue strike), and had that not occurred the through bores would probably have met

exactly. . . , „ The superintending engineer J • W.' Furkert) indicated on Friday that he' had calculated that, at the present rate of progress with the work of completing the tunnel itself, the job should be finished about June 10th, 1921. After that there would be the necessary work . , of laying and ballasting the track throughi the tunnel, and the budding of the tracks, sidings} and station buildings. In all there would probably be about ten miles of tracks included in the section to bo electrified (which would, of .course, include the Otira and Arthur’s Pass stations, and contingent sidings). The tenders for the electrification of the tunnel section of the line (the tunnel itself is 5 l-3rd miles in length), are to close at the end of the month. Re-p presentatives are in New Zealand from America and England for the purpose of submitting tenders for the big work. This will mean the; erection of a powerhouse and the installation of a steamdriven plant, capable of generating the energy required for the complete electrification of the section. >s tlig sue- » cessful contracting firm is,being allowed eighteen months to do the work, it is assumed that, barring accidents-.or Ijnpreventable delays, the railway line connecting Canterbury witli' the West Coast . should be in operation early jn 1922. i \