Christchurch Station:
Up to 1993 the main Christchurch railway Station was in Moorhouse Avenue today a multiplex cinema.
The new Christchurch Station is a modern complex on the outskirts of the city belts located on the former NZR Railways workshop site at Addington. All that remains to day of the workshop site alongside the station is the old workshop water tower a silent reminder of another time.
Rolleston Station (20 Klm):Rolleston is the junction of the Main South Island trunk and the historic Midland line.
The South Island main Trunk was originally built as a broad gauge (1600) while the line from Rolleston to Waddington was 1067 gauge.
Sandy Knolls (26.4 klm):A farming locality.
Aylesbury (32.0 klm):An Anglo-Saxon name meaning Aegel' s Fort, this farming locality was named by early settler John Brabazon after the market town in Buckinghamshire, England.
Kirwee (35.7 klm):Named by Colonel De Renzie James Brett. A dome commemorating Brett stands astride an irrigation ditch between the railway and the road just before Kirwee, the locality was known as Brett's Corner. Brett was a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council between 1870 and 1874 and a member of the Legislative Council from 1871 to 1889.
Darfield (45.4 klm):Named by Yorkshireman, John Jebson, last century, this serves as a commercial center for the district. It was the junction for the 18 km White Cliffs branch, a coal railway which opened on 3 November 1875 and closed on 31 March 1962. There was a flour mill with an annual output of 700 tones established here in 1887, initially a stone mill but later rollers were fitted.
Racecourse Hill (52.0 klm):Named after a nearby racecourse next to a 270-metre hill, although no sign of the race-course remains today, and the name of a sheep run on the south bank of the Waimakariri River.
Waddington (57.5 klm):The terminus of the railway from Rolleston from 1 December 1874 when it was opened as the "Malvern Branch" to 5 January 1880 when the railway was extended to Springfield. The extension work had only started on 5 April 1879. The next station along was Little Racecourse Hill station which was then named Malvern and subsequently, Sheffield. There was a ballast pit here until 1964. The locality was named by pioneer runholder William Waddington who bought part of the 13,000 hectare Homebush run from Canterbury pioneer John Deans in the I800s.
Sheffield (59.1 klm):Originally known as Malvem, and then like Darfield, named after its Yorkshire namesake by settler John Jebson, this is a farming settlement of about 150 people. For the 46 years between 28 July 1884 and 14 July 1930 this was the junction of a connecting line through Oxford to Rangiora. This railway for the most part followed the course of the present road, including the impressive Gorge Bridge over the Waimakariri River, about 5 km north from Sheffield.
Three trains a week ran between Springfield and Oxford for some years. The track was lifted in 1934. Although it disappeared 60 years ago, a few culverts and a little of the roadbed can still be seen near the junction. It was built as part of a "great interior railway" that would link to Methven and Mt Somers, but this never proceeded after a Royal Commission in 1880 condemned it. The route, however, survives in the form of State Highway 72 that intersects through here to Oxford and Rangiora to the north and through the Rakaia Gorge to Methven to the south.
Annat (62.2 klm);A farming locality named after the hamlet at the head of Upper Loch Torridon, in the highland region of north-east Scotland. A creamery operated here between 1902 and 1916.
Springfield (68.5 klm):This settlement, originally known as "Kowai Pass" until 1870, first became an important staging place providing accommodation during the days when Cobb and Co. stage coaches operated to the West Coast from 1865 until 1923 when the Otira tunnel was opened. It is a former railway settlement, famous in steam days for its locomotive depot when it mainly housed the six KBS built for the line in 1939. Goods trains would depart from here with KB engines on the front for the heavy haul to Arthur's Pass.
This era came to an end in 1968, although locomotive crews continued to be based here until 1986. There used to be a turning triangle here facing to the north as well as locomotive servicing facilities.
The present station was opened on 15 June 1965 after the former station was damaged by fire in 1963 and despite its relatively recent vintage is one of six on the line now designated as historic by the Rail Heritage Trust as it represents I 960s' architecture. The station refreshment rooms lasted until 21 November 1987, when they were made redundant by the on-board catering of the TranzAlpine Express.
There was a coal mine here run by the Springfield Colliery Company Ltd from 1876 to 1940, which delivered up to 100 tons of coal a day. A nearby pottery turned out large volumes of fireclay for bricks and tiles.
In the village not far from the station is a memorial to Rewi Alley (1897-1987) in both English and Chinese. Alley was born near here and spent much of his life working with the Chinese establishing rural co-operatives and was well respected by them.
Big Kowai Bridge:The first viaduct to be encountered on the line is this one over the Kowai River. The original viaduct was built by the Midland Railway Company prior to 1890, but was washed out in a storm in 1951. It was temporarily repaired following this damage, but was replaced by the present structure in 1962.
It is 20 meters high and 205 meters long, with one span of 18.3 meters, six of 24.4 meters and two of 2O.2 meters. The piers are made of concrete and the spans made of steel.
Little Kowai Bridge:A 45 meter long timber piered bridge over the Little Kowai River. Each of the seven steel spans is 6.4 meters long.
Kowai Bush (73.7 klm):This is the name of a farming settlement and a former station, now closed and removed. A scenic reserve is located here.
Otarama (76.1 klm):A former station, now closed and removed, this was as far as the Midland Railway Company managed to build in Canterbury before the Government
took over the company's works in 1895.
Otarama Tunnel (Tunnel No. 1) (76.7 klm):Situated on the Otarama Bank, this 80.1 metre long tunnel was commenced by the Midland Railway Company but completed by the Government after 1900.
Patterson's Creek Viaduct:The second viaduct to be encountered, 186 metres long and 37 metres high. Initially a huge wooden viaduct was built by Anderson's Ltd, a Christchurch engineering firm on contract to the NZ Midland Railway Company to backload spoil from the cutting on the north side to make the embankment on the south side of the creek.
Between 1895 when the Midland Railway Company ceased and 1898 when the Public Works Department took over the construction, part of this viaduct blew down in one of the area's famous northwesterly gales.
The wooden viaduct was removed and the contract for completing the present structure was let to Scott Brothers of Christchurch. The spans (3 x 10.4 metres: 5 x 24.4 metres: 3 x 6.1 metres: I x 15.8 metres) and piers are made of steel.
Windbreaks of triangular shaped timbers forming a picket-like fence protect trains on this viaduct, as well as on the Staircase, Slovens Creek and Broken River Viaducts.
Tunnels 2-5;A series of closely spaced tunnels in the Waimakariri River Gorge in between which the Waimakariri River can be seen snaking its way into the Canterbury Plains. Tunnel No. 2 (78.3 kin) is 233.5 metres long, tunnel No. 3 (78.7 kin) is 542.4 metres, tunnel No.4 (79.1 kin) is 274.6 metres, and tunnel No.5 (81.1 kin) is 383 metres.
Tunnel No. 6 (82.7 klm):Notorious in steam days with engine crew, this 258 meter long tunnel marks the entry into the Staircase area.
Waimakariri River:Canterbury's best known river, the name comes from the Maori Wai "water" + makariri "cold". It is 150 km long and flows from the Southern Alps to Pegasus Bay, just south-east of Kaiapoi. Jet boating along the river is a popular pastime.
Staircase (83.5 klm):Another former railway community used to live here, but all the houses have now been removed.
Staircase Tunnel (No. 7) (83.6 klm):A 99.2 metre tunnel between Staircase station yard and the Staircase viaduct.
Staircase Viaduct:Standing like a red-brown 'T', this 149 metre long viaduct bridges the Staircase Gully and with a height of 73 metres is the highest on the line. It has two 58.5 metre spans, one 18.3 metre span and one 11 metre span, all being made of steel. The piers are made of steel and concrete.
The contract for its construction was let to an English company, Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company. A wire ropeway and cage ferried men and some materials across the chasm but horses and heavy freight had to negotiate a steep zigzag track blasted out of the canyon walls.
Some, 1,500 cubic metres of concrete were poured for the four towers comprising the foundations for the central pier.
Tunnels 8-10;The curved 382.6 metre long tunnel No. 8 is encountered immediately after crossing the Staircase Viaduct. At the approach to the 535 metre tunnel No.9, the line curves away from the Waimakariri River Gorge and into the Broken River Gorge. Tunnel No. 10 at 610.2 metres long is the second longest on the line after the Otira Tunnel.
Truscotts Creek Viaduct:This viaduct is 47 metres long (steel spans I x 13.4 metres, 2 x 9.1 metres, 2 x 6.7 metres) and 16 metres high.
Rocky Creek:A picturesque bridge often photographed with trains on it with the waterfall cascading beside it. The three curved steel spans are 13.4 metres each and the piers are concrete.
Broken River Viaduct:One of the most famous viaducts of New Zealand and a standard "photo stop" for excursion trains. The northern side of the viaduct was a railhead between 29 October 1906 when the viaduct was completed and 12 December 1910 when the line was completed to Cass.
The station and the coach road, carved out of the hillside, stood where railfans now scramble for positions during photo stops". Like that at Staircase, Cleveland's built the viaduct. It measures 133.5 metres across and 55.8 metres high. The steel spans measure I x 58.5 metres; 6 x 10.5 metres and 2 x 6.1 metres.
Tunnels 11-16:Known as "the mile of six tunnels", this section clings to the precipices on the northwest side of the Broken River Gorge. The lengths of the tunnels in order are: 167.6 metres; 51.3 metres; 265.9 metres; 39.8 metres (the shortest on the Tranz Rail network); 180.6 metres, and 55.1 metres, the last being known as the Slovens Creek tunnel.
Slovens Creek Viaduct:Crossed immediately after exiting the Slovens Creek tunnel, this 165.8 metre long, 40.5 metre high steel viaduct was built by a New Zealand company, George Frazer and Company. The viaduct takes the railway out of the Broken River Gorge and into easier country up Sloven's Valley. It has three 24.4 metre spans and nine 10.3 metre spans.
Avoca (93.2 klm):Early settlers in the Waimakariri basin were quick to to take advantage of the numerous deposits of coal which were a feature of the district.
This station (Avoca) is named after one of the sheep stations in the area, and is best known for the former coal mining company that operated here in the I 920s.
Most of these were speedily exhausted, but Broken River at its junction with Sloven's Stream more extensive deposits were found here and a lease was granted to William Cloudesley of Castle Hill hotel and others but little mining was carried out except for what was needed for their own use.
A subsequent lease was taken out in 1915 by Frances Redpath . The company formed known as Mt Torless Collieries (Broken River NZ Limited).
Production began in 1918 and during the next nine years 72,501 tonnes of coal was extracted. The best year was 1920 with 15,770 tonnes when the company employed 58 people of whom 44 worked underground.
Coal was trucked by tramway for five - six kilometres to the Midland railway at Avoca And was described as high grade lignite hard and fairly bright with low sulphur content, high ash, exceptionally high carbon and hight calorific value.
However ion May 23 1924 fire broke out in the mines return airway starting from a fall in old workings above the existing tunnel. From then the mine was plagued with fires and diminishing returns until 1927 it was closed.
The curious may still discover numerous signs of this activity at this site.
A remarkable system of inclines and narrow gauge tramways brought the coal across the Broken River from the mine and up a very steep slope to traverse a terrace near the top of the hill situated to the south and parallel to the main line at Avoca.
Coal loads were then lowered to the station by ropeway for dispatch by NZR. Wagons were hauled across the hillside by a 700mm gauge Krauss steam locomotive (the only one from this manufacturer to come to New Zealand), the remains of which are still at Avoca. High up at the far end of the locomotive-worked section lie steam boilers which powered the incline at Broken River.
Craigieburn (101 klm):Similarly named after one of the sheep stations in the area, the name also applies to a mountain range nearby. The sheep station is associated with the name of McAlpine, a family that has owned the run through three generations. One of these was John McAlpine who was Minister of Railways in the 1960s. Today the station runs 12500 sheep and cattle
St. Bernard's Saddle:Culmination of the continuous ascent from Staircase, the saddle marks the beginning of a 7.5 km downgrade to the Waimakariri River, this being the Cass Bank, famous with rail fans in steam days for photo locations. There was a ballast pit here, the traces of which can still be seen.
Cass (112.4 kin):Named after Thomas Cass, who arrived in New Zealand in 1841 and was chief surveyor of Canterbury from 1851 to 1857. A starting point for a two day tramp from Cass up the Cass River via Lagoon saddle to Cora Lynn. In coaching days when the railway did not extend beyond Sheffield, this was a stopping place for the night. Railway staff of the Way and Works section were based here in the steam era and there was a turning triangle for turning locomotives. The goods shed was demolished in 1988. The settlement is now inhabited by students of the Canterbury University Botany Department.
Cass River:A tributary of the Waimakariri River, flowing into it about 1 km from the
Mount White Bridge. Near where the railway rejoins the Waimakariri it crosses
the Cass River on a wooden bridge.
Mount White Bridge:A concrete vehicle bridge over the Waimakariri River providing access to the Mount White sheep station and the eastern side of Arthur' s Pass National Park and the starting point for some tramps During the building of the railway in 1910 at the Mount White turn-off there was a considerable township with two stores, police station, blacksmiths, boarding house, Public Works Department headquarters and several houses and shacks. Almost no trace of them remains.
Waimakariri River Bridge:The original bridge over the Waimakariri River was 256 metres long and made of timber. In 1974 a contract was let to E.D. Kalaugher & Co. and Ascot Construction Ltd. Of Onehunga for its replacement with the present reinforced concrete bridge, which was completed in 1979 and which also involved realignment of the bridge approaches.
Cora Lynn (122.2 klm): The name, from a place in the Dumfries and Galloway region in south west Scotland, originally applied to the run on the south bank of the Waimakariri River, taken up by the Goldney brothers Francis and George in February 1860.
They were merino breeders who held stud sales in Latimer Square opposite the Christchurch pub, the sheep farmers' home away from home in Christchurch. Their homestead was on the west bank of the Cass River and most of the domain of the run was remote from the station because of the presence of Mount Horrible and the difficulties of getting around Corner Knob.
When the road was eventually built around the Knob the station was shifted to its present site near Douglas Steam. An accommodation house license was applied for in 1865 but was not proceeded with, however today Wildnerness Lodge at Cora Lynn attracts international visitors for hunting and fishing in the area.
In 1867 the station was sold to John MacFarlane and Thomas Bruce; the latter soon went it alone and continued until 1889. Eight different owners have farmed the runs since then. Foundations of railway houses are located above the station. Cora Lynn sheep station is now run with half of the old Grasmere Station.
Siberia Curve:Named like the Klondyke Corner on the road opposite by early workers after the severe cold experience here. Locomotive remains (of V and J classes) can be seen in the quarry alongside the curve.
Bealey River:This is an upper tributary of the Waimakariri River, which it flows into near the Siberia Curve on the railway and a little north of the Highway Bridge. Its source is the Goldney Glacier on the slopes of Mount Rolleston (2,275 metres high) and flows south down the Bealey Gorge, renowned for its scenery, particularly the Devil's Punchbowl and the Bridal Veil Falls. Like the locality near the junction, it is named after Samuel Bealey, superintendent of Canterbury Province 1863-67.
Bealey River Bridge: A 111 metre long bridge with concrete and timber piers and steel spans of: I x 9.2 m; lO x 10 m; I x 4.3 m. The frame of an N class loco is in the embankment.
Halpins Creek::A tributary of the Bealey River, about 5 km from the Arthur's Pass settlementOn 1 November 1913 a temporary railhead was established here a few months
before the line was opened through to Arthur's Pass.
Rough Creek:Another tributary of the Bealey River, marking the entrance to Arthur's Pass station yard. The name derives from coaching days when in flood boulders would come down the creek. The bridge is 70 metres long with concrete and timber piers and steel spans: 2 x 4.3 m; 10 x 6.1 m.
Arthur's Pass (136 klm):Beginning of the 14km electrified sections, the first and last in the South Island. The present alpine chalet styled station building was opened on 14 October 1966, replacing the original wooden station which was destroyed by fire in 1963. At 737 metres above sea level, this is the highest railway station in the South Island (the highest in New Zealand is Waiouru at 814 metres above sea level).
There is a station yard with a former engine shed (part of it now used as a squash court) and a turntable built to turn steam locomotives that arrived from Christchurch or Springfield as well as excursion train locomotives today.
Holiday baches from two 'vice-regal' passenger cars were located here near the track side, one of them used in the 1953-54 Royal tour of Queen Elizabeth II. One of these is now at a site near Moana. The township's resident population of 83 includes 32 construction workers on the Otira Gorge road viaduct.
Bealey River Bridge (East Portal):Situated at the west end of the Arthur's Pass station yard, this is a 128 metre long steel bridge with seven 18.3 metre spans, crossed immediately before entering the Otira Tunnel. This bridge, at 742 metres, marks the highest point on the Midland Line, and thus also in the South Island rail system.
Otira Tunnel (No. 17):This 8,554 metre long straight tunnel was atthe time of its opening immediately famous as the longest in the. British Empire, the longest in the Southern Hemisphere, and the seventh longest in the world.
As the other six were all in densely populated continental Europe, it was no mean achievement for a country of just 1.25 million people. It created another first in that electric locomotives were used through it as from opening, this being the first use of electric locomotives on New Zealand Railways.
In 1923 the choice of motive power available to railways was either steam or electric, the development of diesel motors and transmissions had not yet emerged from the experimental stage. Maintaining special crews for just a 14 km section is not economic for today's express freight trains and serious attempts, with less than complete success, have been made in the last few years to do away with the electric's and use diesels through the tunnel. This is now predicted to happen in 1997.
Rolleston River:This river is fed by streams from the Armstrong Glacier on the eastern flank of Mt Armstrong near the Main Divide and joins the Otira River above the was opened.
From this date it became the western terminus of the first electrified section in the South Island. Railway facilities include a seven track yard on the level (which was the site of the railhead station before the opening of the Otira tunnel), a turning triangle, engine shed for the electric locomotives, original power house, and a runaway track in case of locomotive failure on the 1in 33 grade to Arthur's Pass.
Otira:Located at the eastern foot of Mt. Barron (1,725 metres), this has been a railway town with a resident population of around 45, and the row of houses to the north of the road and railway line was for locomotive and maintenance staff and their families. Most are no longer occupied.
Before the tunnel was opened, coaches used to load and unload their passengers here for the journey over the Arthur's Pass road. For passers-by the licensed hotel here still serves the same function that it did in coaching days. As well there is a heated indoor swimming pool here.
Kelly's Creek:The starting point for several tramps. In the earliest days of the West Coast road, a Mr Kelly kept a store at this creek. When the coaches started running, the store became the Otira Hotel and was a changing house for the coaches.
The place was well known for its signboard which read, "Otira Hotel kept by Kelly where man and beast may fill their belly".
The hotel was burnt down in 1870. A shelter is situated across the road and tracks up Kelly's Creek to Hunt's Saddle and to the Carroll hut on the Kelly Range are marked from the end of a short road leading to the shelter and picnic area.
Deception River:A footbridge across the Otira River marks the junction of the Deception River which leads to Goat Pass, a popular tramping track and route of the annual "ironman" coast to coast race.
The name Deception replaced the former name of Goat Creek. The popular story is that the name was adopted when surveyors returning from the area warned railway engineers, who were building the line up the side of the Otira valley, to watch the water from this river as it was very deceiving. In truth it is most likely from George Dobson who discovered the pass now known as Goat Pass in March 1865.
Realizing that this pass would be hopeless for the purposes of a road, he decided to name the rivers "Hoaxing Creek" and "River Deception".
Aickens (157.7 klm):Named after William Aicken who began the famous Aickens Accommodation
house, combined with post office facilities, the latter remaining today 400 metres further down the line in a farmhouse past the level crossing. Aickens is a flag station used by trampers and a crossing loop for trains.
Taramakau River:A 72 km long river flowing from the west side of the Harper Pass (961 metres) on the Main Divide out across a multi-channelled gravel bed to the Tasman Sea between Camerons and Kumara Junction. Famed for the greenstone of its upper reaches. Gold was discovered in the river in the I 860s and a gold dredge worked on the river until the early 1980s.
Jackson (168 klm):Today the Wildfoods Charter Express transfers passengers to coach's as part of a day return experience to the Hokitika Wild Food Festival on the second Saturday in March each year.
Locality Jackson's is best known as an Accommodation House. Two brothers Adam and Michael Jackson immigrated to New Zealand from Scotland with their families in 1864. They settled on the site after having spent some time on the Otago goldfields and then at Wainihinihi en route to Kumara. The Adam Jackson's made their final shift to Canterbury some years later leaving behind their eldest daughter Jessie who had married William Aicken and thus began the Aickens Accommodation House.
In the meantime Michael Jackson realized that the Christchurch-Hokitika coach route established in March 1866 needed an accommodation stop. In 1870 he bought and ran the first hotel that was below the present railway station near the Taramaku River.
A year later the hotel was swept away in a flash flood about 1 o'clock in the morning. As well as the four Jackson children, there were 16 guests in residence. All escaped, one guest only narrowly after being sucked under the hotel before being rescued by Michael. A second hotel was established about 300 metres west of the present tavern and was called the Perry Range Hotel, which also provided postal facilities for the district under the name of Lake Brunner Post Office.
This was the railhead of the Midland Railway Company's line from Stillwater from 1894 to 1899 when the Government extended the line to Otira. After the railhead was extended the hotel declined in prominence, nevertheless in 1910 it was decided to replace it with the present one, built by Michael's second son Harry who died at the age of just 39 in 1914. In 1970 management of the hotel passed out of the family, however the name was nevertheless changed to Jackson Tavern to keep the family name alive.
Taramakau River Bridge:A 295 metre long bridge over the Taramakau River, built by the Midland Railway Company with the spans made of wrought iron (2 x 6.7 metres: 14 x 20.1metres), and piers made of steel and timber.
Inchbonnie (173 klm):Named by settler T.W. Bruce in 1868 after its beautiful scenery: Inch is Scottish for "small island" and bonnie is "attractive". A flag station established in 1894. After the completed Otira Tunnel was opened in 1923, express trains were to bypass this stop, but the original conditions of the Estate on which land the railway and station were built, that trains would stop if required, prevailed.
Lake Poerua;A small lake lying in a depression between the Alexandra Range on the east and the solitary peak of Te Kinga to the west. It is a satellite of Lake Brunner to which it is joined by the Poerua River. Noted for its trout which have orange flesh from their diet of freshwater crayfish and bullies.
Poerua (177.6 klm):A flag station built in 1894.
Roto Manu (183.8 klm);The name comes from the Maori Roto for "lake" and Manu for "bird". It was established as a railway station about 1904, prior to which provisions were left at either Poerua or Te Kinga stations. A three mile (5 kin) connecting road from the station to the settlement through deep swamp had to be surveyed more than once before it was built after the intervention of the Premier, Dick Seddon, who was always the local champion.
A story relates to the visit of Dick Seddon who, when he stepped off the train into a shelter formed by a tarpaulin stretched over poles sunk into the ground, immediately encountered a deputation of locals. After he expressed his pleasure at the successful formation of the road, the deputation pleaded for stockyards as well. Seddon looked around, nodded towards the shelter and with a twinkle in his eye said, "What's the matter with that? I've slept in worse places!" The stockyard was built and lasted until 1980. There was also a flaxmill here between 1905 and 1919. and a creamery between 1905 and 1917.
Crooked River;This arises on the northern slopes of the Kaimata Range on the north bank of the Taramakau River and flows northwards, joined by the Morgan and Evans Rivers through the Otira-Kopara state forest, before changing to a north-easterly course through Te Kinga to enter Lake Brunner at Howift Point on its north-eastern shore.
Te Kinga (189.3 klm):Maori for "The King", this is the name of both the mountain (1.227 metres) and the farming settlement on the banks of the Poerua River.
Ruru (192.4 klm):A farming and saw milling locality inland from Mol by Bay at the north eastern corner of Lake Brunner. One of the last genuinely steam worked bush tramways operated here by the Lake Brunner Sawmilling Company until it closed in 1962. The sawmill was of a considerable size and its band saw was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. When the saw was changed at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm and taken up to the saw doctor's attic for sharpening and swaging, the process took on a sort of stately ceremony, almost akin to "The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace"! The name is Maori for the native owl. The small railway station building has been bought by a preservation group and mechanical exhibits from both the sawmill and tramway have been placed on display in a paddock by the roadside.
Moana (194.8 klm);A shortened version of the Maori name for Lake Brunner, Moana is a settlement of some 90 people on the northern shore of the lake. It has boomed in recent years as a popular spot for Christchurch "yuppies" with much new building and subdividing. It has a school, licensed hotel and a camping ground. It is popular in summer with holiday makers who enjoy fishing, swimming and boating on the lake, as well as the scenic bush walks in the vicinity.
The railway station, one of the most picturesquely situated in the country, is being preserved by a local group who intend to upgrade it and turn it into a tourist shop. The footbridge is now owned and maintained by the local district council and the goods shed is now used by a builder.
Lake Brunner:Named in 1859 by surveyor John Rochfort to honour explorer Thomas Brunner. In Maori the name is "Moana Kotuku" or Lake of the White Heron.
This is the largest lake in Westland with an area of 41klm square. It fills a glaciated hollow in an area to the west of the northern reaches of the alps bounded by the Grey, Ahaura and Tarainakau Rivers. At the northern end it flows into the Arnold River. It is renowned for its excellent trout fishing.
Arnold River;This flows out of Lake Brunner from its north-westerly outfall and generally accompanies the railway line as far as the Grey River at Stillwater. It is believed to have been named after Reverend Dr Thomas Arnold, the influential headmaster of Rugby School in England between 1828 and 1841.
Kotuku (198.1 klm);A locality
Aratika (200.4 klm):A locality
Kaimata Tunnel (No. 18) (205.1 klm);Built by the Midland Railway Company, this is 118.3 metres long.
Kaimata (205.5 klm):Locality on the west bank of the Arnold River. A small hydro-electric station (Arnold River Hydro) capable of generating 3.600 kW is sited here, built by the Grey Electric Power Board and bought by the Government in 1938.
The power output is only about the same as that generated by two diesel-electric locomotives and is the smallest in the state power grid. It had the only Kaplan type turbines installed in the Southern Hemisphere. An easy 40-minute walk gives good views of the dam, the river and railway as it winds through riverside rimu and kahikatea (white pine) trees.
The dam is also visible from the train before entering the Kaimata tunnel when travelling west. The power station (out of sight on the train) is on the western side of the tunnel. By road the turn-off is sign posted and there is a short drive to the power station car park.
Patara (208 klm):A locality.
Kokiri (209.3 klm);A beef slaughterhouse is sited here next to the railway line, operated by the Phoenix Meat Company. Most of its product goes to the Middle East and beasts have to face Mecca when slaughtered, while the Moslem slaughterman present recites an incantation.
Newman and O'Neills (211.5 klm):A former flag stop.
Stillwater (217.2 klm):The connection with the railway to Westport Vulcan type railcars to Westport to meet passenger trains from Otira here until 1967 when these services were axed. There were also refreshment rooms in the station, which closed at the same time. A large sawmill is sited next to the station yard. A "triangle connection" track from the Westport line for eastbound trains to Lyttelton was put in place in 1991.
Stillwater Creek Bridge;A 67 metre bridge with steel spans (2 x 13.4 metres: 6 x 6.7 metres) and timber piers.
Grey River:Beginning in Lake Christabel to the west of Lewis Pass this river flows 121 km to the coast at Greymouth, being fed by several tributaries along the way. These include the Arnold River which drains Lake Brunner, the Ahaura River which drains Lakes Ahaura and Haupiri, and the Blackball Creek.
The first European explorers were Thomas Brunner and Charles Heaphy in 1846, the former discovering the coal seam at what would become Brunnerton the following year as he went in search of an alternative overland route to Nelson.
The lower valleys oft he river near Waipuna saw extensive alluvial gold mining in their terraces in the I 860s, but only traces remain of this today.
Brunner Tunnel (No. 19):Built by the Midland Railway Company in 1893, this tunnel is 89.3 metres long.
Brunner (219.7 klm):Originally known as Brunnerton, this was the eastern railhead of the line built in 1876 from Greymouth by the Government to facilitate the removal of coal from the mines here to the wharves at Greymouth.
The preserved remnants of the Brunner mine on the north bank of the riverside of New Zealand's worst industrial accident in 1896 are visible from the train, and are accessible by foot across the suspension bridge which survives from the days of the mine. The Brunner railway station no longer exists, being removed in the 1950s. Mining from the vicinity ceased in the early 1940s.
The train does not stop here so exploration needs to be undertaken as a separate excursion from Greymouth.
Wallsend:Locality named after the port town of Wallsend on the north bank of the river Tyne, near Newcastle in England.
Dobson (222.1 klm):This early coal town was named after the brother of Arthur Dudley Dobson, George Dobson. George was, like his brothers, a pioneer surveyor and while working on road construction here in 1866 was murdered by the infamous Burgess Gang who thought he was carrying gold.
A monument between the railway line and the river bank marks the spot where the murder occurred. The township today has a population of some 450. A memorial to pioneer explorer Thomas Brunner can be seen on the island in the middle of the river.
Kaiata (226.8 klm):The name, meaning "early morning flood", undoubtedly derives from events. Following the last major flood in September 1988, many of the houses of this locality on the bank of the Omotomutu Creek have been mounted on stilts. The name also applies to a nearby mountain range.
Omoto (228.4 klm):A locality on the outskirts of Greymouth best known for its racecourse.
Greymouth (231.2 klm):The largest township and commercial centre of the West Coast with a population of about 8,000 or 11,000 if surrounding settlements are included. has five suburbs: Cobden, the former town across the river bridge; Coal Creek Fiat, also on the north bank. Blaketown, to the west of the lagoon Erua Moana; Boddytown to the south east; and Kararo on the southern border with Grey County.
There is also a seaside settlement known as Southbeach some distance to the south. It is a long established river port with the harbor facilities being designed by English civil engineer Sir John Coode in the I 880s. The average water depth at the wharves along Mawhera Quay was 6.7 metres and at the bar at highwater, 7.5 metres.
Most of the industry in the area is that associated with coal mining and saw milling. Deep sea fishing for Hoki and other species is also a major industry and some 30 fishing boats are based here. Other industries include: general engineering, concrete products, greenstone jewelry, brewing and milk treatment.
There is also an expanding Polytechnic with a roll in excess of 250 students.
The surrounding districts, being on a narrow plain between the Southern Alps and the sea have one of the highest rainfalls in New Zealand, and the Grey River experiences regular floods, a major one occurring 17 September 1988 the whole town centre of Greymouth was under 1 metre of water, resulting from flash downpours in the mountains combining with a high tide and the river bar.
As a result a new landscaped seawall was built along the river sank, and involved the lifting of the railway tracks along the bank, where Greymouth Riverside station had been situated until 1984.
From here trains used to leave to Rewanui, across a 265 metre timber truss bridge of 11 spans dating from 1899. The speed limit over this "5" shaped bridge is 10 klm. The approach curve has a sharp 130 metres radius and an even sharper radius curve is at the northern end. It still serves coal traffic from Rapahoe and a replacement for it is proposed. A road bridge was sited alongside the rail bridge until it was replaced by a new higher level bridge in 1975 The timber piers remain, however.
