WEST COAST RAILWAY HOLD-UP

Shannon News, 30 November 1926, Page 3

WEST COAST RAILWAY HOLD-UP

SUBSIDENCE OP DINE. EROSION BY GREY RIVER. GREYMOUTH, Last Night. Traffic on the Midland railway line at the . Greymouth end, continues to be menaced by the subsidence of the bank of the Grey river at Omoto, causing- the line to fall Trouble of this nature js of long standing, at the place in question, but the present subsidence, which is. due to the greasy back movement in the gully, began at the time of the recent heavy floods, and has continued since, Meantime a ballast train and 60 men have every day been engaged depositing gravel at the locality, but this is evidently ineffective. Last evening at seven o’clock, the subsidence increased rapidly, being faster than the gang could make. good with fresh gravel, the result being the suspension of the late train service. This morning the line is four feet at least below the normal level. To-day, two ballast trains and extra gangs are working, and it is hoped therefore that traffic may be maintained to-morrow, but it is apparent that the river is eroding, and that there are other measures required to end subsidence, namely, either cutting a new channel, and thereby removing the river’s course some distance, or to tunnel for a new railway r.oute into the town.