Water main tunnel c 1958

Date1957 to 1958Reference NumberPhoto 10-012DescriptionPhoto taken during construction of a tunnel under Pyes Pā Road as part of the Mount Maunganui-Tautau water supply scheme in 1957-1958. From Mr Mervyn Sowerby, who was a partner with Mr Gordon Hughes of Tauranga when Mr Hughes' tender was accepted by the Mount Maunganui Borough Council in 1957. Successful tender was 17,052 pounds for the construction of a 674ft long 6ft diameter concrete-lined tunnel, and the laying of 14,628ft of 9in and 12in diameter water pipe from the intake works in the Tautau Gorge to the break pressure tank on Joyce Road. They had 9 months to complete the contract and they finished it with three days to spare. Tunnel was dug by Gordon Hughes and his labourer, Herman Donkers, entirely by hand, using picks and shovels, and the mullock hand-trucks were pushed along tawa hardwood rails to be emptied into a swamp at the west end of the tunnel. Cement and 56-pound bags of blue metal chips had to be hand-carried by the contractors, balancing carefully along a 36ft length of 12in pipe, to the tunnel before the concrete for the lining could be mixed. The unreinforced lining was poured in 9ft sections, using three linked 3ft metal-framed formers lined with wood planks. Each 9ft section of lining took a day to complete. The concrete was shovelled between the planks and the tunnel wall, more planks being added as the lining rose higher. 'When it was near the top of the tunnel, we put the final planks on the formers, and then pushed the cement into the cavity by hand,' said Mr Sowerby. 'It was all very much a manual operation.' Pasted on back: 'A portal of the Tautau-Mount Maunganui water main tunnel under the Pyes Pā Raod, with contractor Mr Gordon Hughes standing there. M. Sowerby photo.' c 1958FormatPrintPhysical Descriptionblack and white printPhotographer/CreatorSowerby, Mervyn

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RoomClimate controlled room - offsite

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Kaitiakitanga StatementWe ask that, in addition to normal copyright and privacy considerations, users of our heritage resources uphold the mana and dignity of the people, communities and places depicted within.Cultural/Ethical StatusNoaRestrictionsNo cultural/ethical restrictions apply. However, copyright applies.CopyrightMervyn SowerbyAcknowledgementTe Ao Mārama - Tauranga City Libraries Photo 10-012

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Water main tunnel c 1958

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