On the Midland (Christchurch to Greymouth) Railway Works : the centre pier of the viaduct over Staircase Gully.
Caption: On the Midland (Christchurch to Greymouth) Railway Works : the centre pier of the viaduct over Staircase Gully. The pier, which is of iron, is here seen at its full height of 220 feet. It is built on a concrete foundation, 30 feet deep. The gully is 480 feet across, and is 237 feet in depth from the railway level.
Description: The contract for building the viaduct was with the Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Co. Of England. The foundations for the viaduct over Staircase Gully were commenced about March 1904 but the viaduct wasn't completed until around 1906. The 36 foot wide pier is almost in the centre of the viaduct and required four lots of foundations. These took a considerable time to complete. Approximately 2000 cubic yards of concrete was used. The bed of the Waimakariri River was the source of gravel for the concrete. The gravel was conveyed to the top of the river bank by means of an aerial tramway, followed by another aerial line to the foundations of the viaduct. At the time of construction, a large cage ran on cables between the two sides of the gully. The length of Staircase Viaduct is 490 feet and height, 240 feet.
Source: The weekly press, 6 Sept. 1905, p. 35
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