Tunnels

So apparently the Johnsonville tunnel construction is proceeding apace. Until recently I knew very little about the Johnsonville line. It was only after the North Wellington Public Transport Study that I started to research the line, and found that prior to the Tawa diversion tunnels being built, the Johnsonville line had been part of the main trunk (just as the Melling line was prior to the new ‘Hutt’ line being built).

Several things interest me here. I have never understood why the Johnsonville line (a dedicated commuter line the entire way, that does not have to compete with freight etc) did not have light rail cars on it that could continue on streets into Newlands. The new Mall proposal also seems to miss the opportunity to redevelop the Johnsonville station as part of the larger city-scape. What gets me most though is that New Zealand in the 19th century was such a pioneering country and we have such amazing feats of engineering, why has it taken so long to upgrade this line? I first travelled the line a couple of years ago, and was astounded at the tunnels, viaducts and cuttings that it winds its way through – all built in 1883 with manual labour. In this day and age, surely it’s not a big deal to extend those cuttings so it can be double tracked the whole way?

Make-up

Never believe what you see on camera! I normally don’t have a lot of time for fancy lighting and make-up techniques, but this is truly extraordinary.

No fly zone

Don’t forget the campaign launch tomorrow, if you are interested in stopping the flyover. This is one piece of engineering we could do without.