Railway bridge 5, clearly showing the damaged pile. The log top right is believed to have done most of the damage. Photo / BOIVR
The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway has cancelled its train rides until damage done to a Taumarere bridge pile following last month's flooding is repaired.
Frank Leadley said a huge tree had taken out one bridge pier and seriously damaged another. The bridge would have to be repiled before it
could be used again, and nearby embankments would have to be repacked.
Further updates would be posted as the situation was monitored.
Frits Schouten said volunteers had cleared the rail of logs and debris that had spilled over the banks of the Tirohanga Stream, between Bridge 5 and the rugby club, on Sunday July 26, and on Thursday last week contract workers pulled out a large log that had floated down the stream and hit the bridge. On Friday, before the train left Kawakawa, he walked the track and had another good look at Bridge 5 and discovered the damage.
The train service from Kawakawa to Taumarere was immediately suspended until further notice.
