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Ferrymead 125 - Celebration Of 125 Years Of Rail in NZ

It was across the meadows near the Heathcote Ferry (Christchurch) that the steam whistle shrieked the first announcement of public rail in New Zealand, on December the 1st, 1863. Almost 125 years on the Ferrymead 125 celebration weekend was an event to celebrate this auspicious occasion with all manner of rail engines, old and new.


JA 1250 "Diana" was preserved by the Railway Enthusiasts Society for use on their Steam Safari train in 1972. She's seen here in the South Island during the 125th Anniversary celebrations.  Photo: © Compak Telepictures Ltd

Given that Ferrymead was the birthplace of railways in New Zealand it was only fitting that a major celebration of 125 years of rail in New Zealand was held in Christchurch, during a full week in October 1988.

Steam action (as seen in this film) includes that from the Christchurch to Ferrymead shuttle, the evening Rangiora trips, the excursion to Timaru, a mountain special to Arthur's Pass on the Midland Line and a closeup view of the Locomotive & Rolling Stock Cavalcade held at the Christchurch Railway Station.


J1250 at Arthurs Pass in the Southern Alps.  


One of the engines highlighted is Ja1250 which was initially restored by the Glenbrook Vintage Railway for use on their line. Three years earlier in 1985 this engine was one of two that were selected to be used on the first mainline steam-hauled trip since the end of the steam-era. The engine was one of the notable attendees of the 1988 Rail 125 celebrations around New Zealand. In both 1998 and 2011 Ja1250 returned to mainline steaming after significant overhauls, and that process is once again underway, with the engine having been retired from service in April 2017.


C864 was built by New Zealand Government Railways at Hillside Workshops in Dunedin in 1931, and is one of 24 locomotives built as heavy shunting engines in major freight terminals of both the North and South Islands  


Another engine to be featured in this film is C864 was purchased by the Canterbury Branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society in 1971, and was moved to Ferrymead the following year, where it was the primary engine in the Ferrymean railway line for many years. High running costs means that the engine is now only run on special days.


Steam action in this film includes that from the Christchurch to Ferrymead shuttle, the evening Rangiora trips, the excursion to Timaru, a mountain special to Arthur's Pass on the Midland Line and a closeup view of the Locomotive & Rolling Stock Cavalcade held at the Christchurch Railway Station.


Interestingly enough, as the city of Christchurch continued to grow, and the importance of the city's harbour at Lyttleton grew with it, the local community began to dig the Lyttleton Tunnel through the Port Hills. The opening of that tunnel in 1867 meant that the importance of Ferrymead dwindled, and so this section of railway line in New Zealand was also the first to be permanently closed.


This full documentary film has been rescued from obscurity, remastered and re-released by the Historical AViation Film Unit as part of our goal for preserving older New Zealand documentary material. The film is available online for the first time —either as part of a streaming subscription, or as a stand-alone rental from Historical Machines TV.


Original film Copyright © 1997-2007 Compak Telepictures Ltd Used Here Under License


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