Image: Milson002

Description: On July 27 1959 the Milson Deviation was officially opened. The project was many years in the making. The idea was first suggested in 1918 when the Chief Traffic Manager requested the enlargement of Palmerston North Yard due to delays in rail traffic. A Royal Commission was set up in 1921 to inquire and report on the matter. Funds for the deviation were not made available until 1926. Earthworks started in 1926 but stopped in 1929 as traffic had not increased as expected. With the depression of the 1920s no more work took place until 1938. World War Two resulted in further delays with work not fully resuming until 1953. A detailed plan and stage by stage proposal were made in 1956 which resulted in the new line being completed and opened in July 1959. Shown here is the timetable of events for the opening ceremony. Archives New Zealand Reference: AAVK 22950 75 PUB158/9 www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=21512969 Material from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga
Title: Milson002
Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/archivesnz/48295695342/in/photostream/
Author: Archives New Zealand
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
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