Local engineers repair damage
During the construction of the new Pomagalski 'Jumbo' T-Bar on Turoa Skifields by Canterbury Engineering Ltd of Christchurch, the ice build up combined with winds of up to 90 knots caused one tower to collapse. This occurred during the night of 27 July when the cable derailed from two of the lower towers, and then, when the cable eventually broke loose from the tower above, the excessive loading caused No. 6 tower to collapse. It was decided to rebuild all 10 towers to a heavier construction and to
alleviate transport and other delays, Canterbury Engineering engaged a local firm, G.F. Dixon Engineering of Ohakune, to construct the ten new towers. The order was placed on 6 July with a time limit of 21 days being set for the change of towers which was one of the conditions of this contract. The heavier spiral welded tubing arrived in Ohakune from Auckland on Monday, 1 1 July as did the plate and other materials from Rotorua. Fabrication of the ten towers began on Tuesday,, 12 July. Due to the heavier construction, all towers had to be fabricated in two sections to bring the weight down to just under 900kg so that the Llama helicopter of N.Z. Helicopters could lift them at that altitude. G.F. Dixon Engineering responded to the urgency of
the situation and all towers were completed, sandblasted, painted and loaded out on Monday, 25 July and transported by road the first 12 miles to the top of the Mountain Road, ready to be air-lifted in. Due to snow and ice 1.8m deep around the of the original tower, they were left in position until the change-over. At that stage the ten bases were dug down to, unbolted, flown out and replaced by the heavier units. This was accomplished in one and a half days. The new 'Jumbo' T-Bar will open up vast new ski areas to the right (west) of the Mid Station and Giant Chair Lift. It is now completed and was ready to shift 1,400 skiers per hour up New Zealand's longest T-Bar last weekend.
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Bibliographic details
Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 13, 30 August 1983, Page 16
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351Local engineers repair damage Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 13, 30 August 1983, Page 16
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