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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 3, Issue 6 (October 1, 1928)

Several Viaducts

Several Viaducts.

The railhead had now reached Tutira station and settlers were already taking advantage of it. At Sandy Creek, between Waikoau and Matahoura, a temporary trestle had been erected for the rails, which work was necessary owing to non-arrival of the steel.

page 34

In regard to the Matahoura viaduct, travellers now on the Wairoa road in the next few weeks will see an imposing structure in course of erection. The trestle work was almost finished, and shortly steel would be creeping out. It was expected that the structure would be completed by January next, and then the rails would be laid to Putorino.

At Waikari another viaduct of an entirely different type would be necessary. From Waikoau to this point the line is comparatively easily constructed, the formation not being a big work. Over the Waikari River it was a different proposition. Several enormous cuttings had to be tackled, some of which would take 18 months to complete. In order to get to the tunnels some of these had been in hand for some time. For the Katemaori tunnel two steam shovels are at work on the approaches, and as soon as the days grow longer double shifts will be employed. Before the Mohaka River is reached two other tunnels (15 chains and 18 chains) are required, but both are nearly finished.

N.I. East Coast Railway. The First Train to cross over the Waikoau Viaduct. The same viaduct to-day. (The centre span of the viaduct measures 250ft.

N.I. East Coast Railway.
The First Train to cross over the Waikoau Viaduct.
The same viaduct to-day. (The centre span of the viaduct measures 250ft.

The Mohaka viaduct, the largest on the line, said Mr. Smith, would be 913 feet long and 315 feet high, requiring 1850 tons of steel besides a great quantity of cement. Some difficulty was being experienced in getting suitable foundations, and, in consequence, was causing the designing engineers much trouble. The work of erection would differ entirely from that of the Waikoau and Matahoura viaducts, where trestles were put up before the steel was placed in position. For the Mohaka viaduct a cantilever crane would be used, which would gradually work out as the viaduct was built. Once the concrete work was finished and a start made with the steel the work would not take long to complete.