Weston finally accessible by road
Published on: Monday, June 03, 1963
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From 4 p.m. the P.W.D. convoy of Tractors, Trucks, Land-Rovers and Traders began massing for the final onslaught into Weston. Top-officials of the P.W.D were on hand and long before the last train pulled out, they had already inspected the track and decided the location where the old rail had to be uplifted from its bed it had occupied for 61 years.
At 5.45 p.m. the last Hunslet “Canon Ball” creakes across the sinuious line like a pensioner and for almost a minute a grim silence hung in the air only to be shattered by the voice of Bob Peters who yelled to his men, “All right boys, stop loafing about”.
Immediately, the P.W.D. swung into action. Like generals plotting a major offensive Messers Duncan, Peters & Dawson, consulted together. The D.C. 6 was brought to the front and within seconds it clawed its giant teeth into the railway line and tore it out from its 61 years bed. Railway line inspector Anthony Chan closed his eyes in agony and by the time he had opened them, more than 20 years of line lay on the new road. The offensive had begun. Man, machine and sweat went into the foray and two hours later the road was through. Weston had been reached by road, and the 61-year dream of Frank Wes, “Our aim is Cowie Harbour” had been destroyed.
With the passing of the Railway, the people of Weston have now to rely on the Public Transport Company. Previously they had to spend two hours on the journey. Today the buses get them to their destination in one hour.
The fare is almost the same and the comfort much better. But their biggest problem will be the dust. Travelling along the road to see the final onslaught I reached Weston covered in fine layer of dusty.
My hair became gritty and my mouth tastes foul. This unpleasantness will be eliminated by the new dust proof buses but my advice to private vehicle owners is stay in front of the traffic or else give the other vehicles a 15-minute start.
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