Makatote Viaduct.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7853, 20 June 1905, Page 2

Makatote Viaduct.

A LARGE UNDERTAKING. COMPARED WITH UAKOHIXE. The Makatote viaduct, on the Main Trunk line, lor which a contract ha* been let to Messrs Jphn Anderson and Co., of Chriet church, is 97 mile* from the Marton Junction. Though longer than the Makohine viaduct, the proposed structure will not be of such a difficult and. costly nature. Hie length over all will be 89JL feet, as compared with 767 f*?t of the Makohine; and tho length over the. Steel work 800 feet, as against 7'soifeet. The distance from the rail to the lowest foundation at Hakatote will be 283 feet, while at Makohine it is 248 foet. Bui tho greatest difference is in the spans. The Makohino has two spans of 40 feet, one of 17)8 feet,'and two of 247'fect. At Makatotc tho longest s(jan will be 100 feet. There will be five of th a t length, and five of thirty-six, ratting on five stoel piers. The largest plot will measure 64 feet by 36 feet at the base, and 9 feet by Bfl feet at the top. The plqrs will be of four steel celumns, braced up by light girders at intervals of 82 feet. There wllv also be four concrete piers at the end and two concrete abtrtments. The formation level is 3596 feet abovo the sea J Makohine is 860 feet.

The papa formation upon which the Makohine structure is erected necessitated the use of wery, heavy masonry blocks. The Makatoto Gorge, oh the other hand, is eompoaod of cemented boulder formation, which ts stafer than tho papa, and enables smaller blocks to be used. Hie longer spans at Makohine also render tho steel work more coßtly.

| These facts account for thp l-clative-ly small cost of the proposed sftruoture, the contract priqe of which is in ihe neighbourhood of £50,000. The Makohine viaduct cost £72,000. N. Z. Times.