SLIP AT OTIRA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 February 1940, Page 9

SLIP AT OTIRA

4 RAILWAY LINE & HIGHWAY BLOCKED. — LARGE SECTION OF HILLSIDE COLLAPSES. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, February 27. One of the most extensive slips in the history, of the Midland railway line between the West Coast and Canterbury yesterday afternoon completely stopped the service, which has been practically uninterrupted since the Otira tunnel was opened 17 years ago. Heavy rains in the Otira Gorge watersheds for the last two or three weeks culminated, in the collapse of a large section of hillside near Jacksons. The slip completely obliterated the . highway and railway line for a dis- * tance of two or three chains between Jacksons and Aickens. There were . also several minor slips on either.side; but the main blockage, which will probably take three or four days to clear, came down in what is known as Nellie’s creek, about 10 miles from Otira, or two miles and three-quarters on the Otira side of Jackson's railway station.. The big slip buried Ihe culvert on the highway and the railway bridge over Nellie’s creek and an extensive stretch of the railway line and road. Nellie’s creek was dammed up ;-nd quickly swelled to flow over the slip, which is known lo bo more than 15 , feet deep in parts. The east-bound express, which left Greymouth at 10.18 o'clock yesterday morning, passed the scene of the major slip at about ■ 1.10 p.m„ and by 2.30 o’clock the route was completely

blocked. The west-bound express was ''held at Otira. There was no possibility of the transhipment of the unusually large number of 150 passengers over the slip or their conveyance to Grey mouth by motor.