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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 23

Thompson's Bridle Path Quarry, Heathcote Valley, Near Christchurch, Canterbury

Thompson's Bridle Path Quarry, Heathcote Valley, Near Christchurch, Canterbury.

This quarry was opened early in 1863, and has been since extensively worked for supplying building stone to Christchurch.

The stone forms a vertical dyke or reef, about 20 feet in thickness, which appears to extend nearly in a straight direction for several miles; although, on account of its position, there are but few points at which it could be profitably worked.

At Mr Thompson's quarry, the reef rises out of the steep hill side like a wall, to the height of about 30 feet, this extent of face giving unusual facilities of working the quarry; whilst the manner in which the stone thus exposed has resisted for centuries the attacks of the weather, is a test of its durability.

The stone is at present carted from the quarry into Christchurch, a distance of five miles, along a well-metalled road; but on the completion of the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway, it will probably be worth while to connect the quarry with the Railway by a tramway about a mile in length, so as to bring it into direct communication by rail with the capital.

The quarry workings are situated on a steep, rocky hill side, at a great height above the public road; the stone being lowered in trucks down an inclined tramway, the loaded truck in its descent drawing up the empty one.

The ordinary plan of a double road was inapplicable in the present case, as the nature of the ground did not admit of a sufficiently wide track being levelled, except at a very great cost; the same line is therefore travelled by the ascending and descending trucks, having a turnout in the centre furnished with a crossing point of peculiar construction, which causes the rope to fall into a groove, to allow trucks to pass over without touching it. No switches are required, the junctions being constructed with cast-iron plates, which guide the wheels of the meeting truck into the left hand road, whilst those of the passing truck rise over the crossing rail by an inclined plane. The tramway is formed with wooden rails, keyed into stone blocks. Through the turnout, the rails are bolted down to wooden sleepers, and the curves are protected with wrought-iron cage rails screwed to the wooden rails. This construction forms a very strong and secure road at a moderate cost, and, for sharp curves, is superior to the ordinary contractor's rail, with only half the weight of iron.

Blocks of any size, up to 15 feet in length, can be obtained if required; but there has as yet been little demand for very large sizes.

page 44

The stone has been used in the buildings at the Railway Terminus in Christchurch; at the new Custom House; the College Buildings; and in many private erections; and the owner has recently taken a contract to supply the whole of the stone required for the foundations for that part of the Cathedral about to be commenced. The present selling price at the quarry is—for blocks seappled to dimensions not exceeding the ordinary sizes, two shillings per cubic foot; for rubble, six shillings per cubic yard.