Volume 2 / Volume 9 Progress Report

This week the Project is continuing work on both Volume 2 and Volume 9 of the maps. Volume 9 is being brought forward for all of the maps of this section to be printed in the next two weeks. This comprises the main line of the Midland Line starting from 3 km, just west of Rolleston Station, up to Greymouth at 211 km, and the branch lines to Whitecliffs, Blackball, Rapahoe. Rewanui and Ross, as well as the Midland Railway Heritage Trust preservation site at Springfield and the Shantytown Railway. As it has been determined that the current maps do not include station surveys for any stations west of Otira, a request has been sent to Linz to get these for Stillwater, Greymouth, Hokitika, Rewanui and Ross. The existing aerial photography for a number of stations along the route, particularly in Canterbury, including Springfield, Arthurs Pass and Otira, that has already been created will be included in the maps when printed. The goal is to complete the first run of Volume 9 by the end of next week and to add the coverage of these five additional West Coast stations either by then or shortly thereafter before the full volume is released on the project website.

Work is also continuing at a lower priority on Volume 2 for Palmerston North and is now approaching completion. The 1977 corridor survey images covering from Linton to Palmerston North and Bunnythorpe are now all added to the mosaics along with 1945 images of Linton showing the station and the military camp siding. Also being added at present is 1945 coverage of the old main line through Palmerston North city. A small number of images have been requested to tidy up coverage of a few areas, including for Linton in 1937 and the main line between there and Longburn with the original bridge over the Manawatu River included in these. A check is also being made to see if there is any aerial photography for this bridge when the replacement was under construction before the deviation opened, or before the original bridge was demolished after the deviation opened. The route of the Awapuni Racecourse siding has been determined and will be added to the maps as well.


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