Rimutaka Tunnel The first shot was fired in 1948 when the Public Works Department started the tunnel with bores of at the western end and at the eastern end. A contract for completing the tunnel was let to a consortium of Morrison Knudsen Inc. and Downer and Company on 7 May 1951. The work commenced at the west end in July 1951 and at the east end in August. The contract was expected to be completed in four years, but the headings met on 20 April 1954 with the concrete lining finished a month later. New Zealand Railways took possession of the
Otford railway tunnel Otford railway tunnel The Otford railway tunnel is a heritage-listed former railway tunnel on the Illawarra railway line at Otford, City of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by the New South Wales Government Railways, and built by W. Rowe and W. Smith (tunnel) and Mr. McDonald (vent shaft). The property is owned by RailCorp, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999. The Otford Railway Tunnel was constructed in 1888 by the firm Rowe and Smith, who built 7 of the