OPENING OF THE WANGANUIMANAWATU LINE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5360, 1 June 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)

OPENING OF THE WANGANUIMANAWATU LINE.

(From the Manawatu, Times, 22nd inat.) Although during the past month various official trips have been made' between Wanganui and Foxton, Monday was the first day on which, the lino was fonnaUy opened for pasaeugev traffic, and notwithstanding that-the department did mot 'deem it of sufficient importance to have any demonstration to mark thfe event beyond the mere issue of double tickets at the single rate, his Worship the Mayor of Palmerston declared it .a public holiday. The train from Foxton arrived at and started from Palmerston punctually at the advertised hour, and on reaching Haloombo was met by the down train, having on board Mr. T. F. Botheram, the- general manager. The train from Wanganui was in tow Of the “Pelican,” a powerful Fariie’s patent, capable of coping with the steep gradients on tho no’them section of the line, and as the “Dougal" was unequal to the task of performing the through journey, it became necessary to tranship the passengers. While [shunting with that 1 view, one of the' carriages by some neglect or other got olf the rail on to the line, but by the aid of . a few levers, and under the direction of Mr. Kotheram, it was quickly replaced in’position and started away to time. The patch of line between Halcdmbe and Marton was, of coarse, the only portion of the lino previously closed to the public, but it is not, by any means, one presenting any engineering difficulties, the road bemg comparatively straight until tho Kaugitikei River is crossed, after which almost three parts of a circle is described; when Greatford is reached. From thence until Marton comes in sight—a distance of four miles and 60 chains-—the line is straight as an arrow and as level as a bowling green. The appearance of the country after crossing the river and leaving the Manawatu behind is something surprising, and would make it appear as if anotherregion Were entered. 1 : Tho bush which has greeted tho eye almost without a break from Carnarvon is seen no more, and gome hedges and green fields, with occasional up-turned laud, supply ' its place. From leaving Marton the rail gradually dips, passing Bonny Glen, and pumsing its sinuous course through steep cuttings, until on arrival at Turakina tho traveller finds himself in the bosom of a valley, and his further progress blocked up by picturesque but rather formid-able-looking hills; the ascent is made round the side, and after a straggle up an incline for a mile and a half the top is reached, when the 6 21 b. rails which are used upon all steep grades and sharp curves'are discarded, and the 401 b. again brought into requisition. ; The table land reached, a. long stretch of level country intervenes for a couple or three miles, when another descent Is made into tho valley of the Wangaahu, the grades varying from one in thirty-five, in some portions being event's low as one in thirty-three. After a brief stoppage the Wangaehu (or sulphur) River is crossed, and then commences the most 'difficult portion of the whole trip. The coin-so, as seen from the valley, is a most I remarkable ■ one, as looking upward to the summits of the various hills numerous gaps at various distances 1 apart are visible; and one can scarcely imagine that the train ! in its onward, progress will have to perform almost a circuit. Indeed, in many portions not only are circles described by the route, but the line wriggles idmost into a continuation of the figure 8. i However, ■on ■ accomplishing the rscent, tho labor is well repaid by the glorious panorama spread out beneath, the riverwinding its serpentine course in the valley below, with the ocean visible in the distance. Everything is then fair and smooth until a halt is made at Fordell,"the ! necleua of a township, and at which a pretty little flour-mill is now in course of erection by Mr. Murray, of "Wanganui, being a perfect fac simile of that erected at Snndou by the same firm. It is almost completed, • and we were given te understand that grinding operations will bo commenced at' the beginning of uexf month. ; Leaving the little place behind, we commence another descent, and about as steep and dangerous as any on the. line. In fact, besides being one in thirty; l there are some of the curves no more than - five chains, and so closely together as to cause the train to perform a- succession '.of figures of 8, one being no sooner finished than another commences. 1 This is continued until until the engine pulls up for breathing time at Mata : rawa, and from thence to the journey’s' end there is nothing but plain sailing. At Okoia, which is eight miles from Wanganui, there is a small cluster of white pine, and that is the first approach to anything like hush met with since crossing the Rangitikei, and losing sight of Manawatu. At East .Town, which is on the southern side of the Wanganui, four acres and a half have been set apart, by'the Government for the use of the department, upon which it' is contemplated to erect commodious workships. The river is spanned ! by a splendid bridge, 600 ft. in length, of timber lattice, with iron tie-rods, the abutments standing upon 144 piles driven 35ft. below the water-line, on the top of which, there is a solid bed of concrete. It was constructed by Messrs. Bundle and Bassett, and although • the. contract price was something like £15,000, the bnildors were over £3OOO out of pocket. On the other hank the pretty township of Aramoho is located, and there also is. the junction of the Patea line. The rails form a complete triangle, one side, being that from Foxton to Patea, another from Foxton to Wanganui, while • the third is composed of the line from Wanganui to Patea. There can be no doubt that tbe section from 'Haloomba to the northern terminus will : not ! only prove to bo a most dangerous, but an expensive ■ one, and we believe it is the intention of the general manager, Mr. Botheram, if ’he can succeed in securing funds i fori the purpose, to have some of the more ’dangerous curves altered from five to seven chains. ‘ One thing is quite certain—that he cannot'be expected to carry on the traffic of the lino with the very defective rollingstock at 1 present at his command, as to keep the Wanganui section in effective - working order >he i will - require ;■ facilities which are not at all requisite ou other lines.. ■ Wo noticed that not only have the carriages at that end been painted and decorated, bat also smoking carriages have been attached to both first and second classes, an arrangement which is to be' carried out throughout - the - lino. On the return trip to Foxton;' a’start was made at 4.20 p.m., but owing to' long and apparently "unnecessary delays at Turakina and Marton, instead of the train arriving at Palmerston at. 8.40 it -j was fully" half an-hour - after that time. However, taking it altogether,-the trial was most successful; and' nothing occurred to mar the pleasure of the ‘trip,-four hours and a-hal£ being-allowed for 1 sightseeing in Wanganui. While strolling through that town we wandered into the freo reading-room, and it may be mentioned, as somewhat of a coincidence, that almost tbs first object that met our eye was a telegram, framed and glazed, to the following effect“ Wellington, November .3, 1869.—T0 the residents of Wanganui.—l congratulate, you on tho completion of the telegraph ; .may it strengthen the bonds of union and promote the prosperity of' tho colony.-’— Wiiliam FoX; Premier”-; In concluding this, we cannot do better tbau repeat tbe prayer of Mr. Fox, and trust that the next ten years will witness even greater strides in the march of progress. ’ '