Major works at Raurimu

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 32, 21 January 1986, Page 1

Major works at Raurimu

The great Raurimu Spiral, where the main trunk railway line curves on top of itself in a massive loop, was the scene of major reconstruction recently when the floor of the two tunnels was lowered about two metres to allow space for the

kune and Taumarunui by bus. The Raurimu work was part of a major liogistical exercise where 12 cdifferent projects between Mangaweka and Taumaruinui were carried out. These ranged frorm tunnel floor lowering, such i as at the Raurimu Spiral, through major bridge uppgrading, curve easements annd bridge replacement. Murray Gilbertsoon, Railways Assistant District Engineer from Whanganui, said the work betweieen 3 and 15 January was tlthe most concentrated volilume of work undertaken i in the whole of the main titrunk line electrification proj«ject, and involved over 300 s staff and more than 70 eartlthmoving

machines. "It was very demanding logistically because the different projects were so spread out," he said. As well as the complexity of the projects workers had to contend with early January's heavy rain which led to drainage problems in the Raurimu tunnels. The 1 in 50 grade, the steepest on the main trunk, meant that the water flowed straight into the tunnels turning the soft local rock into a quagmire. In a nightmarish atmosphere inside the tunnels bright lights cast long shadows as huge roaring machines dragged at either soft puggy material, or rocks as big as people, while new drainage systems were laid.