FIXING THE RAIL BRIDGE

The Engineer and I have been helping our Heathcote Valley friends (now living with us) to shift more of their household goods to storage today What a task, and lot of other folk are doing the same! 70% of the homes in the Valley have been destroyed.Just along the street these workmen are repairing bridge No.3 on the main south railway line in the Heathcote Valley. The railway line runs from the Port of Lyttelton the epicentre of the 6.3 magnitede earthquake through a tunnel which is only 800 metres from this bridge. A coal train was derailed on the bridge at the time of the quake and was lifted back on the rail two days ago. The Engineer inspected the large V.B. steel cage which is being fabricated under the bridge to provide much needed support. Note the cracks in the brick adutment. This is the rail link to and from the port serving imports and exports.