The largest railway cutting in New Zealand is probably that created by daylighting the Makohine Tunnel immediately south of the Makohine viaduct, between Marton and Mangaweka on the North Island Main Trunk Line. This cutting is 52.5 m deep on the west face, 31 m deep on the east face, 76 m wide at the widest point and about 300 m long. It required the removal of approximately 400,000 cubic metres of earth and rock, and was brought into use in 1984. 109kb picture
The cutting created by daylighting the Beaver Tunnel just south of Taihape on the North Island Main Trunk Line is possibly of similar total size.
A major cutting between the South Rangitikei and Kawhatau viaducts on the Mangaweka Deviation between Mangaweka and Taihape on the North Island Main Trunk Line is 25 m deep and 370 m long.
The longest railway cutting in New Zealand is probably the Hawkswood Cutting between Parnassus and Ferniehurst on the Christchurch to Picton Line. It is more than 1 km long with a maximum depth of 19 m. A total of 267,000 cubic metres of spoil was removed to form the cutting.
The largest railway embankment in New Zealand is probably the "Blind Gully" fill between the South Rangitikei and Kawhatau viaducts on the Mangaweka Deviation between Mangaweka and Taihape on the North Island Main Trunk Line. This embankment is constructed from approximately 180,000 cubic metres of earth and rock obtained from adjacent cuttings.
