EXCURSION TRAINS CANCELLED

Hokitika Guardian, 29 March 1927, Page 4

EXCURSION TRAINS CANCELLED

MIDI.AW 1,1 W m.IKKKIi

(“Lyttelton Times”)

■ s Nearly 800 people who had bought ; tickets for the railway excursion which .] the ex-West Coasters’ Association had r. arranged to he run to Hokitika on Saturday were disappointed when it ' was announced only ten minutes before the time of departure that the line was J unsafe and .the trip had to he can--5 celled. Another large excursion front r Ashburton to Otira was cancelled after 1 the train had reached Dromoro, about • six 'miles from Ashburton. 1 Air H. C. Guinness, chief traffic clerk for Che Christchurch railway district, > informed a reporter that it was impossible to notify the passengers oar--5 lior of tlie cancellation of the trains. About 9 o’clock on Friday night Air I H. C. Lusty, assistant district engineer, who is in charge of tlie repairs to the line, advised the district officers that it was raining at the Bealey, but the work would be continued all night and it was expected that all trains would be able to get through on Saturday without difficulty. However, at half-past four on Saturday morning, Air Lustv left Springfield for the washout near Cora Lynn, which he reach|ed about seven o’clock. By that time I the river was again in flood and most of the repair work had been washed away, so he immediately telephoned to Christchurch Itliat it would be impossible to get tlie excursion trains through, but the express from Christchurch to Greymouth would he able to get through at about 2 o’clock in the afternoon. On receipt of this advice the excursion trains were at once cancelled. The Greymouth express left at the usual time, and in addition to the ordinary passenger and luggage cars, took four extra vans well-loaded with produce which had been held up since the wash-out occurred on Thursday. It rained very heavily at the Bealey all Friday night, causing the river to rise several feet, and the torrent swept away the rocks that- had been deposited in order to protect the line. The consequence was that the line became unsafe for traffic, but Air Lusty stated : on Saturday morning that every effort 1 was being made to divert the river 1 to its proper course again. ‘