the first 5 km was authorised in 1910, and required a road-rail bridge over the waikato river, with an extension which carried the railway over the main highway. the bridge, constructed from 1911 to october 1914, had 10 spans of australian hardwood (8 of 30.5m and 2 of 12.2m) on steel and reinforced concrete piers. the nearby wilton collieries co complained that they too did not have public money put into building their line and river bridge.