How Not To Enter A Tunnel ...

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Missed..

Praise Be

Truck stuck in tunnel
(Daily News)

"Motorists heading to and from Taranaki along State Highway 3 yesterday had their travel plans disrupted when a truck got stuck in a tunnel.

The Hookers truck became stuck in the tunnel, at the northern end of the Awakino Gorge, just before 3pm, blocking the main route into the region for about an hour.

Transport Safety Minister and New Plymouth MP Harry Duynhoven had a front-seat view of the blockage.

Mr Duynhoven said getting stuck in traffic was becoming a bit of a habit, as he was blocked returning to New Plymouth after a fatal accident at Mokau recently.

"The truck driver did a really good job getting it out."

He said the truck's load looked very high.

New Plymouth man Kevin Calvert saw the funny side of the situation.

"I thought it was quite funny actually, seeing the Transport Safety Minister at the front of the queue," Mr Calvert said.

He praised the road crew and driver for getting the truck free.

Hookers operations supervisor Wayne Mehrtens said the truck was carrying soundproofing for an oil rig at Mokai, 29km north-west of Taupo.

Mr Mehrtens said the load had been measured up and was well within the gauge of the tunnel.

The truck was probably just off square when it entered the tunnel, causing it to get stuck, he said.

No further problems were expected shifting the material, which would take 18 to 19 days."

Jam

This truck got stuck in the Awakino Tunnel this afternoon.

The rear container on his trailer jammed against the tunnel roof in one corner.

We got it out by chaining it securely and then using brute force.

It had also slid back on the trailer, and dropped a side over the tray.

I lifted it by sliding my tray under it, and then lowering it, so it acted like a big crow bar

We then cunningly pulled it sideways with the winch and a snatch block.

We chocked it up, and I pushed it back into position again, using the sliding tray.

Traffic had soon banked up, while the tunnel was blocked, and for the second time on the road, I managed to hold up the Minister for Transport Safety.

I had hoped for a little heart to heart chat about Roadworkers remuneration to a captive audience, but in the commotion he escaped...

Though I might have to re-think my tunnel widening odds ...

Portal Polishing

Is your tunnel grimy and covered in dirt?
Caked on grease and road-grime?

Make your Portal Pristine

Blast away those decades of dirt,
Tunnels R Us...

Why? I hear you ask.

Well it makes it easier for a geoligist to study the rock strata, and determine what needs to be done to widen it.
It is also being surveyed, for the same reason.

It was a cold wet job.

Tomorrow, first thing, a bit of boating on the river.

Down there.

We will need a fog horn

Awakino Tunnel

Friday's accident in the Awakino Tunnel, and the logging truck accident a couple of weeks ago, both happened in vulnerable areas on State Highway 3.
Both had the potential to close the road for up to a day.

Hopefully the area where the logging truck got it wrong will now be upgraded with budget money promised for State Highways, and the tunnel has been investigated for widening.

It's a lovely tunnel. I really don't want to see them muck around with it.

I would prefer to see a wide one lane bridge alongside it, capable of carrying wide loads, and normally used for northbound traffic.
I even think it would be cheaper than moving the huge amount of rock at the south end, which
even to my eye looks faulted and hard, and difficult to move without a lot of blasting and disruption.


Still, no one gives a stuff what a roadworker thinks ....

2 into 1 Doesn't Go

There is a pretty mad Aunty out there somewhere.
That's her car.
The driver of a northbound truck, came into the Awakino Tunnel this morning, confronting this car, coming head on at him on it's roof.

We were still cleaning up, and I was commiserating with the truck driver, when we heard there had been another crash, abou 20Kms south.

Fridays are often like that.

Hard Rock

I had a few odd loads on my truck today.
A jetty
A boat
Piles & decking
Geologists & engineers.

The boat was to take some tunnel experts to look at the rock structure where the river flows past the Awakino Tunnel.
Then they clambered onto the tray and peered at the roof inside the tunnel.
I am pleased to report it is made of rock and has a hole at each end.

The plan is to make the hole bigger.

I bet it doesn't happen any time soon, but there is nothing wrong with a day splashing about in the river.

The Awakino Tunnel can be a bit of a problem for wide loads.
A large piece of cooling equipment bound for Motunui tried and failed to get through today.




After an attempt, the convoy turned around and headed off on another route which will add hours to their journey.
They seemed a bit grumpy about it too..

Awakino Gorge Tunnel
Heading north into the morning fog & mist.
Rest Area 300m

Awakino Gorge Tunnel (from the south)

This catches the odd truckie out if they have a high, or over width load. At times we have to assist when earthmoving machinery has to off loaded and driven through the tunnel. It is also the unofficial northern boundary for such things as the local Mokau ambulance & postie.
Rest Area 300m