Work to fix the damaged beam on the Tinwald Viaduct is yet to start, 10 weeks after the road was closed.
The wooden overhead impact beam on the viaduct – the country’s most hit rail bridge – was damaged after being hit by an excavator being towed on a trailer on June 30 and was temporarily closed to traffic on July 29.
The viaduct, located under the main south railway line, has a clearance height of just 2.39 metres.
It gets struck at least 13 times a year, according to KiwiRail.
The closure, requested by KiwiRail, was to avoid further damage to the structure until it is repaired, with an initial six-to-eight-month timeframe given for the repair, putting the completion by the end of March.
KiwiRail chief infrastructure officer Siva Sivapakkiam said the assessment of the damage spans has been completed.
“The design engineers are now working on a solution to upgrade the impact beams and are considering replacements for the spans under the recovery for damages.”
He had previously stated in August that the repair timeframe was “dependent on full assessment of the damage”.
“This is a complex piece of work, and the timeline is dependent on final design and procurement.
“The next stage is to complete an archaeology assessment, which is underway.”
Ashburton District Council roading manager Mark Chamberlain had offered more insight at the council’s activity briefing meeting on September 24.
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He said he received a call from KiwiRail with an update on the viaduct.
“They have done the design for replacing the damaged timber beams at the front that provide protection.
“They’re going to replace them with steel ones.
“They just need to check the abutment can handle [a steel] beam and the attachment to it.
“I think they’re talking to Heritage New Zealand as well about any changes they can make.
“It’s progressing, fairly slowly, but KiwiRail are working on it, and the guys are trying to chase the other teams in KiwiRail to get it done as quickly as they can.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
