1.
New Zealand
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New Zealand /njuːˈziːlənd/ is an island nation in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The country geographically comprises two main landmasses—the North Island, or Te Ika-a-Māui, and the South Island, or Te Waipounamu—and around 600 smaller islands. New Zealand is situated some 1,500 kilometres east of Australia across the Tasman Sea and roughly 1,000 kilometres south of the Pacific island areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, because of its remoteness, it was one of the last lands to be settled by humans. During its long period of isolation, New Zealand developed a distinct biodiversity of animal, fungal, the countrys varied topography and its sharp mountain peaks, such as the Southern Alps, owe much to the tectonic uplift of land and volcanic eruptions. New Zealands capital city is Wellington, while its most populous city is Auckland, sometime between 1250 and 1300 CE, Polynesians settled in the islands that later were named New Zealand and developed a distinctive Māori culture. In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman became the first European to sight New Zealand, in 1840, representatives of Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, which declared British sovereignty over the islands. In 1841, New Zealand became a colony within the British Empire, today, the majority of New Zealands population of 4.7 million is of European descent, the indigenous Māori are the largest minority, followed by Asians and Pacific Islanders. Reflecting this, New Zealands culture is derived from Māori and early British settlers. The official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language, New Zealand is a developed country and ranks highly in international comparisons of national performance, such as health, education, economic freedom and quality of life. Since the 1980s, New Zealand has transformed from an agrarian, Queen Elizabeth II is the countrys head of state and is represented by a governor-general. In addition, New Zealand is organised into 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities for local government purposes, the Realm of New Zealand also includes Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue, and the Ross Dependency, which is New Zealands territorial claim in Antarctica. New Zealand is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ANZUS, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Pacific Islands Forum, and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman sighted New Zealand in 1642 and called it Staten Landt, in 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicised the name to New Zealand, Aotearoa is the current Māori name for New Zealand. It is unknown whether Māori had a name for the country before the arrival of Europeans. Māori had several names for the two main islands, including Te Ika-a-Māui for the North Island and Te Waipounamu or Te Waka o Aoraki for the South Island. Early European maps labelled the islands North, Middle and South, in 1830, maps began to use North and South to distinguish the two largest islands and by 1907, this was the accepted norm. The New Zealand Geographic Board discovered in 2009 that the names of the North Island and South Island had never been formalised and this set the names as North Island or Te Ika-a-Māui, and South Island or Te Waipounamu
2.
Kingston, New Zealand
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Kingston is a small town at the southernmost end of Lake Wakatipu, just north of the border of Otago and Southland, in New Zealands South Island. It is 47 kilometres south of Queenstown by a road which winds between the lake to the west and The Remarkables mountains to the east and it is 70 kilometres north of Lumsden, and close to the headwaters of the Mataura River. Kingston was originally named St Johns after police commissioner St. John Branigan, the Kingston Flyer historic railway service is closely associated with the town. Media related to Kingston, New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons
3.
Southland Province
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The Southland Province was a province of New Zealand from March 1861, when it split from Otago Province, until 1870, when it rejoined Otago. When provinces were formed in 1853, the part of New Zealand belonged to Otago Province. Settlers in Murihiku, the southernmost part of the South Island purchased from Māori in 1853 by Walter Mantell, petitioning started in 1857, and the Province of Southland was proclaimed in 1861. It was named Southland despite the wishes of settlers and Māori, the province started to accumulate debt, whereas Otago prospered due to the Central Otago Gold Rush. By the late 1860s, most settlers wanted to part of the Otago Province again. The province was smaller than the present day Southland region. The area was bounded by the Mataura River, the Waiau River, stewart Island was purchased by the Crown in 1863 and added to the area. The capital and largest settlement of Southland Province was Invercargill, the Southland Province began a number of railway projects. The branch to Bluff opened on 5 February 1867 and it was built to international standard gauge of 1,435 mm, wider than the national gauge of 1,067 mm gauge. When the central government passed legislation setting a standard for track gauges. The railway later became part of the New Zealand Railways Department, founded,1 April 1861 New Zealand law provides an anniversary day for each province. The Southland Province had three Superintendents,1861 Breaks away from Otago Province 1870 Reunited with Otago A page containing a map of the old provincial boundaries is available here
4.
Otago Province
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The Otago Province was a province of New Zealand until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The capital of the province was Dunedin, Southland Province split from Otago in 1861, but became part of the province again in 1870. Otago Province was one of the six original provinces established in New Zealand in 1853 and it covered the lower third of the South Island. The inland area of the Waitaki catchment was unexplored in 1853, the boundary was delineated in 1861 as following the Ohau River to Lake Ohau and from there a straight line to Mount Aspiring and Awarua Bay. Southland Province split from Otago in 1861, but became part of the again in 1870. All the New Zealand provinces were abolished at the end of 1876, New Zealand law provides an anniversary day for each province. When the Southland province amalgamated with Otago in 1870, the acquired the former provinces railways - which were built to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm
5.
Ministry of Works and Development
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The Ministry had its own Cabinet-level responsible minister, the Minister of Works or Minister of Public Works. This building held the Vogel Computer, one of the largest in New Zealand, the Ministry moved to the Vogel Building in about 1965 from the Old Government Building on Lambton Quay. The ministry was renamed the Ministry of Works on 16 March 1943 under the Ministry of Works Act, during the latter years of the Ministry there were seven District Offices each headed by a District Commissioner of Works. In each District there were a number of Residency Offices and each had a number of Depots, in addition there were Project Offices set up for a particular purpose, such as to build a power project, airport, tunnel or irrigation scheme. The corporation had two subsidiaries, Works Consultancy Services and Works Civil Construction. These were sold in 1996 and became Opus International Consultants and Works Infrastructure respectively, bob Semple tank Ohakea and Whenuapai aircraft hangars Stony Batter Wrights Hill Fortress Waitaki Dam Roxburgh Dam Tekapo A Benmore Power Station Aviemore Dam Tekapo B Ohau A, B and C. Lake Ruataniwha Clyde Dam In the North Island, the Tongariro Power Scheme was completed between 1964 and 1983. The PWD owned its own locomotives and rolling stock, some second-hand from the Railways Department, one example is a 6.4 km branch line built in 1928 from near the terminus of the Railways Departments Kurow Branch to a hydro-electric dam project on the Waitaki River. This line was removed in April 1937 as the PWD no longer required it, the block of numbers 501 to 550 were reserved by PWD, whilst numbers 1-500 and 551 onward were NZR locomotives. In later years, this agreement with New Zealand Railways Department was given flexibility, from World War 2, PWD used a new system of fleet numbers, with the year of introduction, followed by actual fleet number. Opus International Group Works Infrastructure Downer EDI Works By Design, A brief history of the Public Works Department Ministry of Works 1870-1970 by Rosslyn J. Noonan
6.
South Island
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The South Island or Te Waipounamu is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, the South Island covers 150,437 square kilometres and has a temperate climate. In the early stages of European settlement of the country, the South Island had the majority of the European population, in prose, the two main islands of New Zealand are called the North Island and the South Island, with the definite article. Charcoal drawings can be found on rock shelters in the centre of the South Island. The drawings are estimated to be between 500 and 800 years old, and portray animals, people and fantastic creatures, possibly stylised reptiles, some of the birds pictured are long extinct, including moa and Haasts eagles. They were drawn by early Māori, but by the time Europeans arrived, early inhabitants of the South Island were the Waitaha. They were largely absorbed via marriage and conquest by the Kāti Mamoe in the 16th century, Kāti Mamoe were in turn largely absorbed via marriage and conquest by the Kāi Tahu who migrated south in the 17th century. While today there is no distinct Kāti Mamoe organisation, many Kāi Tahu have Kāti Mamoe links in their whakapapa and, a notable feature of the Moriori culture, an emphasis on pacifism, proved disadvantageous when Māori warriors arrived in the 1830s aboard a chartered European ship. In the early 18th century, Kāi Tahu, a Māori tribe who originated on the east coast of the North Island, There they and Kāti Mamoe fought Ngāi Tara and Rangitāne in the Wairau Valley. Ngāti Māmoe then ceded the east coast regions north of the Clarence River to Kāi Tahu, Kāi Tahu continued to push south, conquering Kaikoura. By the 1730s, Kāi Tahu had settled in Canterbury, including Banks Peninsula, from there they spread further south and into the West Coast. In 1827-1828 Ngāti Toa under the leadership of Te Rauparaha successfully attacked Kāi Tahu at Kaikoura, Ngāti Toa then visited Kaiapoi, ostensibly to trade. When they attacked their hosts, the well-prepared Kāi Tahu killed all the leading Ngāti Toa chiefs except Te Rauparaha, Te Rauparaha returned to his Kapiti Island stronghold. After destroying Te Maiharanuis village they took their captives to Kapiti, John Stewart, though arrested and sent to trial in Sydney as an accomplice to murder, nevertheless escaped conviction. In the summer of 1831–32 Te Rauparaha attacked the Kaiapoi pā, Kaiapoi was engaged in a three-month siege by Te Rauparaha, during which his men successfully sapped the pā. They then attacked Kāi Tahu on Banks Peninsula and took the pā at Onawe, in 1832-33 Kāi Tahu retaliated under the leadership of Tūhawaiki and others, attacking Ngāti Toa at Lake Grassmere. Kāi Tahu prevailed, and killed many Ngāti Toa, although Te Rauparaha again escaped, fighting continued for a year or so, with Kāi Tahu maintaining the upper hand. Ngāti Toa never again made an incursion into Kāi Tahu territory
7.
Lake Wakatipu
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Lake Wakatipu is an inland lake in the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the southwest corner of the Otago region, near its boundary with Southland, Lake Wakatipu comes from the original Māori word Whakatipu wai-māori. With a length of 80 kilometres, it is New Zealands longest lake, the lake is also very deep, its floor being below sea level, with a maximum depth of 380 metres. It is at an altitude of 310 metres, towards the end of the Southern Alps. The general topography is a reversed N shape or dog leg, the Dart River flows into the northern end, the lake then runs south for 30 kilometres before turning abruptly to the east. Twenty kilometres further along, it sharply to the south, reaching its southern end 30 kilometres further south. The lake is drained by the Kawarau River, which flows out from the lakes Frankton Arm,8 km east of Queenstown, until about 18,000 years ago the Mataura River drained Lake Wakatipu. The Kingston Flyer follows part of the river bed now blocked by glacial moraine. Queenstown is on the shore of the lake close to eastern end of its middle section. It has a seiche of period 26.7 minutes which, in Queenstown Bay, causes the level to rise. Lake Wakatipu is renowned for its beauty, being surrounded by mountains. The Remarkables mountain range lies along its southeastern edge and it is a popular venue for adventure tourism, with skifields, paragliding, bungy jumping and tramping tracks within easy reach. A vintage steamboat, the TSS Earnslaw regularly plies its waters, several vineyards are nearby in the Gibbston Valley. The original form and meaning of the name are not known for certain, the name is believed to originate from the Waitaha people, who were later displaced by Kāti Mamoe. Taken literally, Wakatipu would mean growing canoe or possibly growing bay if the original was Whakatipu, the dialect is also known for dropping final vowels, and Wakatipua or Whakatipua have also been recorded historically, as has Wakatapu. A legend says that the bed was formed when a giant ogre. Lake Wakatipu is a habitat for the eel, brown trout, salmon. These and other fish predators such as the pied shag
8.
Express train
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Express trains are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a number of stops, instead of stopping locally. In some cases, trains run express where there is overlapping local train service available, and run local at the ends of the line. During overnight hours, or other times where it is practical, express trains may become local, while widely implemented in long-distance rail service, it has also proven successful in the planning of some rapid transit systems. A large portion of the New York City Subway has a 4-track layout, several variations of express services are also a feature in major Japanese railways, and on line 1 of the Seoul Metro
9.
Gore, New Zealand
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Gore is a town and district in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand. The town of Gore is 64 kilometres northeast of Invercargill and 70 km west of Balclutha – Dunedin, the Gore District has a resident population of 12,500. The urban area estimated resident population at the June 2016 was 9,890, Gore is a service town for the surrounding farm communities. It is divided by the Mataura River into Gore and East Gore, the Main South Line railway from Dunedin to Invercargill runs through the town, though passenger services ceased in 2003. Gore was once a railway junction, the Waimea Plains Railway ran west to connect with the Kingston Branch in Lumsden. In Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, it has an oceanic climate, the FM Hokonui radio station broadcasts from Gore to listeners in Southland and South Otago. Cave FM, Gore radio station locally owned broadcast from Gore, before the arrival of Europeans the current site of Gore was a part of or near the routes used by Maori travellers. Tuturau, near modern Mataura, was the nearest Maori settlement, in 1836 southern Maori repelled a raid from the north, which provided sufficient security for Europeans to purchase land and settle in the area. By the mid-1850s large tracts nearby had been converted into sheep runs, as crossing the Mataura River involved a long fording, the locality became known as the Long Ford, or Longford. In 1862 a few sections were surveyed on the west bank of the river and Longford was named Gore as a compliment to Sir Thomas Gore Browne. By 1864 a road from Balclutha through Gore to Invercargill had been opened for wheeled traffic which allowed the establishment of a coach service between Invercargill and Dunedin. By 1877 there were business opportunities in the area for the Bank of New Zealand to establish a branch in Gore. Within another three years both the Bank of Australasia and the Colonial Bank had also opened branches, in 1899 the Bank of New South Wales followed suit. After its construction began in the early 1870s, a line between Invercargill and Gore was opened on 30 August 1875. By 22 January 1879 the railway had extended to Balclutha where it linked with an existing line to Dunedin. A private Waimea Plains railway from Gore to Lumsden was opened on 31 July 1880 and this was subsequently purchased by the Government in 1886. It connected Gore with the Invercargill-Kingston branch line, by 1908 another branch had been completed via McNab to Waikaka. The extension of the railways established Gore as an important hub and had a significant effect on its development, by 1879, the Ensign newspaper was being published in the town, followed in 1887 by the rival Standard
10.
Invercargill
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Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff. Many streets in the city, especially in the centre and main shopping district, are named after rivers in Great Britain, mainly Scotland. These include the main streets Dee and Tay, as well as named after the Forth, Tyne, Esk, Don, Thames, Mersey, Ness, Yarrow, Spey. The 2013 census showed the population was 51,696, up 2. 7% on the 2006 census number, Southland was a scene of early extended contact between Europeans and Maori, notably whalers and missionaries – Wohlers at Ruapuke. In 1853, Walter Mantell purchased Murihiku from local Maori iwi, Otago, of which Southland was itself part, was the subject of planned settlement by the Free Church, an offshoot of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Settlement broadened with the discovery of gold in Central Otago in the 1860s, today, traces of Scottish speech persist in Southland voices, with R often pronounced with a rolling burr. This is more noticeable among country people, in 1856, a petition was put forward to Thomas Gore Browne, the Governor of New Zealand, for a port at Bluff. Due to the Otago gold rush, the population grew during the 1860s with the settlement of Bluff. Browne agreed to the petition and gave the name Invercargill to the settlement north of the port, the settlements chief surveyor was John Turnbull Thomson, a British civil engineer. Under the influence of James Menzies, Southland Province seceded from Otago in 1861 following the escalation of political tensions, however, rising debt forced Southland to rejoin Otago in 1870 and the provincial system, and with it the province of Otago, was abolished entirely in 1876. This debt was caused by a population decline stemming from poor returns from pastoral farming, in 1874, Invercargills population was less than 2,500 which reflected the drift north to large centres. In the 1880s, the development of an industry based on butter. In December 1905, Invercargill voted in local prohibition of alcohol sales and this lasted for 40 years until voted out by returning servicemen in the Second World War. When prohibition ended, a committee of citizens persuaded the Government to give the monopoly on sales in Invercargill to the specially formed Invercargill Licensing Trust. Based on a scheme in Carlisle, England, it returns profits to city amenities, even today, alcohol is not sold in supermarkets. In recent years, publicity has been brought to the city by the election of Tim Shadbolt
11.
Dunedin
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Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago region. It is named for the capital of Scotland, generally Anglicised as Edinburgh, Dunedin was the largest New Zealand city by territorial land area until superseded by Auckland on the creation of the Auckland Council in November 2010. Dunedin was the largest city in New Zealand by population from the 1860s until about 1900, the city population at 5 March 2013 was 120,246. The Dunedin urban area lies on the central-eastern coast of Otago, the harbour and hills around Dunedin represent the remnants of an extinct volcano. The city suburbs extend out into the valleys and hills, onto the isthmus of the Otago Peninsula, and along the shores of the Otago Harbour. The citys most important activity in economic terms centres around tertiary education – Dunedin is home to the University of Otago, New Zealands first university, and the Otago Polytechnic. Students account for a proportion of the population,21.6 percent of the citys population was aged between 15 and 24 at the 2006 census, compared to the New Zealand average of 14.2 percent. In 2014 Dunedin was designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, archaeological evidence shows the first human occupation of New Zealand occurred between AD 1250–1300, with population concentrated along the southeast coast. A camp site at Kaikai Beach, near Long Beach, has dated from about that time. There are numerous sites in what is now Dunedin, several of them large and permanently occupied. The population contracted but expanded again with the evolution of the Classic culture which saw the building of several pā, fortified settlements, notably Pukekura at, there was a settlement in what is now central Dunedin occupied as late as about 1785 but abandoned by 1826. Maori tradition tells first of a people called Kahui Tipua living in the area, then Te Rapuwai, semi-legendary, the next arrivals were Waitaha followed by Kāti Mamoe late in the 16th century and then Kai Tahu who arrived in the mid 17th century. These migration waves have often represented as invasions in European accounts. They were probably migrations like those of the European which incidentally resulted in bloodshed, the sealer John Boultbee recorded in the 1820s that the Kaika Otargo were the oldest and largest in the south. Lieutenant James Cook stood off what is now the coast of Dunedin between 25 February 1770 and 5 March 1770, naming Cape Saunders and Saddle Hill and he reported penguins and seals in the vicinity, which led sealers to visit from the beginning of the 19th century. Permanent European occupation dates from 1831, when the Weller brothers founded their whaling station at Otago, modern Otakou, epidemics badly reduced the Maori population. By the late 1830s the Harbour had become an international whaling port, johnny Jones established a farming settlement and a mission station, the South Islands first, at Waikouaiti in 1840. After inspecting several areas around the eastern coast of the south island, the name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland
12.
New Zealand Railways Department
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The Department was created in 1880 and was corporatised on 1 April 1982 into the New Zealand Railways Corporation. The role of operating the network was subsequently separated from that of the networks construction. From 1895 to 1993 there was a responsible Minister, the Minister of Railways and he was often also the Minister of Public Works. Originally, New Zealands railways were constructed by provincial governments and private firms, the largest provincial operation was the Canterbury Provincial Railways, which opened the first public railway at Ferrymead on 1 December 1863. Following the abolition of the provinces in 1877, the Public Works Department took over the provincial railways. The Railways Department was formed in 1880 during the premiership of Sir John Hall and that year, the private Port Chalmers Railway Company Limited was acquired by the department and new workshops at Addington opened. Ironically, the first few years of NZR were marked by the Long Depression, as a result, the central government passed legislation to allow for the construction of more private railways. A Royal Commission, ordered by Hall, had removed plans for a line on the west coast of the North Island from Foxton to Wellington. The Act had the effect of authorising the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company to build the Wellington-Manawatu Line, the most important construction project for NZR at this time was the central section of the North Island Main Trunk. Starting from Te Awamutu on 15 April 1885, the section - including the famous Raurimu Spiral - was not completed for another 23 years, the economy gradually improved and in 1895 the Liberal Government of Premier Richard Seddon appointed Alfred Cadman as the first Minister of Railways. The Minister appointed a General Manager for the railways, keeping the operation under tight political control, apart from four periods of government-appointed commissions, this system remained in place until the department was corporatised in 1982. In 1895, patronage had reached 3. 9M passengers per annum and 2. 048M tonnes, NZR produced its first New Zealand-built steam locomotive, W class, in 1889. Along with opening new lines, NZR began acquiring a number of the railways which had built railway lines around the country. In 1886 the Waimea Plains Railway Company acquired, at the same time, a protracted legal battle with New Zealand Midland Railway Company began, and was only resolved in 1898. The partially completed Midland line was not handed over to NZR until 1900, by that time,3,200 km of railway lines were open for traffic. The acquisition in 1908 of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, a new locomotive class, the X class, was introduced in 1909 for traffic on the line. The X class was the most powerful locomotive at the time, gold rushes led to the construction of the Thames Branch, opening in 1898. In 1906 the Dunedin Railway Station was completed, architect George Troup, a. L. Beattie became Chief Mechanical Officer in April 1900
13.
TSS Earnslaw
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The TSS Earnslaw is a 1912 Edwardian vintage twin screw steamer plying the waters of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand. It is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Central Otago, the Earnslaw was designed by naval architect Hugh McRae and was based on a Siemens-Martin steel hull design and using Kauri for the decking. Propulsion was provided by twin coal-fired triple-expansion, jet-condensing, vertically inclined engines, the keel was laid on 4 July 1911. The ship was named after Mount Earnslaw, a 2889-metre peak at the head of Lake Wakatipu and she was to be 51.2 metres long, the biggest boat on the lake, and the largest steamship built in New Zealand. Transporting the Earnslaw was no easy task, when construction was finally completed, she was dismantled. All the quarter-inch steel hull plates were numbered for reconstruction much like a jig-saw puzzle, then the parts were loaded on to a goods train and transported across the South Island from Dunedin to Kingston at the southern end of Lake Wakatipu. Six months later, after being rebuilt, on 24 February 1912 and she then became a valuable vessel for the New Zealand Railways and was known as the Lady of the Lake. In 1968, the Earnslaw was very nearly scrapped but she was fortunately rescued and she was leased by Fiordland Travel in 1969, and later purchased by the same company in 1982. She was taken out of service for a makeover in 1984. Her 12 metre high funnel was painted red, with the hull a snow white. During her long years on the lake, the most serious accidents to occur were two groundings on the shores of the lake. In March 1990, the Earnslaw carried Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, other royalty to travel on board have been the King and Queen of the Belgians and the Prince of Thailand. The TSS Earnslaw made a cameo appearance in the movie Indiana Jones. A plaque commemorating the ship was erected by IPENZ and the Otago Heritage Trust in 2008, the ship has had many captains over its 100-year history. Amongst them are the following, George Herbert Tom Luckie Alexander Munro Patrick Bennetts Patrick R, the ship works fourteen-hour days in the summer months and cruises for eleven months of the year, despite being over 100 years old. Visitors to the region can undertake a 1. 5-hour cruise on board the TSS Earnslaw and view the workings of the steam engine and stokers. Each year, the TSS Earnslaw undergoes an annual survey – typically from late May to early June – with every year being taken out of the lake. Each of the Earnslaws screws is turned by a driveshaft driven by a steam engine
14.
Long Depression
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The Long Depression was a worldwide price and economic recession, beginning in 1873 and running either through the spring of 1879, or 1896, depending on the metrics used. It was the most severe in Europe and the United States, the episode was labeled the Great Depression at the time, and it held that designation until the Great Depression of the 1930s. Though a period of deflation and a general contraction, it did not have the severe economic retrogression of the Great Depression. It was most notable in Western Europe and North America, at least in part because reliable data from the period is most readily available in parts of the world. The United Kingdom is often considered to have been the hardest hit, the National Bureau of Economic Research dates the contraction following the panic as lasting from October 1873 to March 1879. At 65 months, it is the longest-lasting contraction identified by the NBER, in the US, from 1873 to 1879,18,000 businesses went bankrupt, including 89 railroads. Ten states and hundreds of banks went bankrupt, unemployment peaked in 1878, long after the panic ended. Different sources peg the peak U. S. unemployment rate anywhere from 8. 25% to 14%, the period preceding the depression was dominated by several major military conflicts and a period of economic expansion. New technologies in such as the Bessemer converter were being rapidly applied. This essentially ended the bimetallic standard of the US, forcing it for the first time onto a gold standard. This measure, referred to by its opponents as the Crime of 1873 and it also drove down silver prices further, even as new silver mines were being established in Nevada, which stimulated mining investment but increased supply as demand was falling. Silver miners arrived at US mints, unaware of the ban on production of silver coins, by September, the US economy was in a crisis, deflation causing banking panics and destabilizing business investment, climaxing in the Panic of 1873. The Panic of 1873 has been described as the first truly international crisis, the optimism that had been driving booming stock prices in central Europe had reached a fever pitch, and fears of a bubble culminated in a panic in Vienna beginning in April 1873. Financial panic arrived in the Americas only months later on Black Thursday, September 18,1873 after the failure of the house of Jay Cooke. The New York Stock Exchange closed for ten days on September 20, the financial contagion then returned to Europe, provoking a second panic in Vienna and further failures in continental Europe before receding. France, which had been experiencing deflation in the preceding the crash, was spared financial calamity for the moment. The primary cause of the depression in the United States was the tight monetary policy that the US followed to get back to the gold standard after the US Civil War. The US government was taking out of circulation to achieve this goal
15.
Mixed train
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A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were common. Because mixed trains involve the shunting of wagons at stations along the way, they provide passengers with a very slow service. Their use is also at variance with the separation of passenger, in parts of Asia and Africa, mixed trains are still the norm on routes with little traffic. In Australia, mixed trains could also be called a car goods, goods train with car attached and this last term could cause confusion, as mixed goods in some other countries can refer to a freight train carrying multiple types of freight rather than just one commodity. In yet another form of mixed train, railmotors or railcars might haul a one or two goods wagons or a brake van carrying some freight. In German-speaking countries, there were two types of mixed train, the GmP and the PmG. The GmP was a train with passenger service, in other words a goods train that also had one or more coaches for the transportation of railway passengers. These were not an uncommon sight on branch lines and were run for the following reasons, insufficient vehicles and/or railway staff to operate separate goods and passenger trains. High levels of traffic, which meant that goods and passenger services had to be combined, the passenger coaches were located either in the centre or at the end of the train, so that passengers did not have to travel immediately behind the locomotive. However at times of the year when coaches required heating, the coaches had to run immediately behind the locomotive, because goods wagons usually had no heating pipes. One disadvantage for passengers was the slow speeds of a GmP and this was one of the major reasons for the eventual disappearance of this type of train. The Deutsche Bundesbahn continued to run GmP trains occasionally right into the 1980s, today they are no longer to be found in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. The other type of mixed train in German-speaking countries was the PmG or passenger train with goods service, the Deutsche Reichsbahn in East Germany continued to operate some of these trains until the early 1990s. In essence they comprised one or more goods wagons running behind the passenger coaches, towards the end, no shunting of goods wagons took place at the intermediate stations. Even private railways used to run PmG trains, but they are found today. Exceptions include e. g. ski trains in places like Interlaken which have a wagon for ski equipment behind or ahead of the passenger coaches. Mixed trains were once prolific in New Zealand, although express trains operated on the main lines, it was often not profitable to run dedicated passenger services on rural branch lines and they were served solely by mixed trains
16.
Rail transport in New Zealand
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Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of 1,067 mm narrow gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, only Auckland and Wellington have urban rail systems, both of which are being upgraded and expanded. The railway network was constructed by the provincial governments of New Zealand from 1863 onwards. New Zealands first public railway was opened in that year at Ferrymead by the Canterbury Province, the first steam-powered railway operated between Christchurch and Ferrymead. The Canterbury Provincial Railways were built to the gauge of 1,600 mm. On 5 February 1867, Southland Province opened a branch from Invercargill to Bluff to the standard gauge of 1,435 mm. From 1870, the government of Sir Julius Vogel proposed infrastructure including railway development. The central government also adopted a gauge of 1,067 mm. The first narrow-gauge line was opened on 1 January 1873 in the Otago Province, Aucklands first railway, between Auckland and Onehunga, opened in 1873. Vogel also arranged for Brogdens of England to undertake several rail construction contracts, a Minister of Railways was responsible for the department, and was a member of the New Zealand Cabinet. The first major route was completed between Christchurch and Dunedin in 1878, later extended to Invercargill the following year, the North Island Main Trunk, linking capital city Wellington with largest city Auckland, opened in 1908 after 23 years of construction. At the networks peak in 1952, about 100 branch lines were operating, large-scale closures of branch railway lines began in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1982, the Railways Department was corporatised into a new entity at the time land transport was deregulated. The Railways Department became the New Zealand Railways Corporation, the Corporation embarked on a major restructuring, laying off thousands of staff and cutting unprofitable services. In 1987 the Railways Corporation became an enterprise, required to make a profit. New Zealand Rail Limited was privatised in 1993, with the new owners adopting the name Tranz Rail in 1995, during the period of private ownership of the network, Tranz Rail was widely accused of diverting rail freight to its trucks and forcing other freight off the rails. Rail freight volumes increased between 1993 and 2000 from 8. 5m tonnes to 14. 99m tonnes carried annually, Tranz Rail was also accused of deliberately running down some lines through lack of maintenance. The Midland Line, which carries coal from the West Coast to Lyttelton, was assessed to be in a safe but poor state by the LTSA government safety body in 2003
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Main South Line
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It is one of the most important railway lines in New Zealand and was one of the first to be built, with construction commencing in the 1860s. At Christchurch it connects with the Main North Line to Picton, construction of the first section of the line began in 1865 and the whole line was completed on 22 January 1879. The Canterbury provincial government built and opened the first public railway in New Zealand, a line south to connect with major South Canterbury centres, northern Otago and Dunedin was desired, and on 24 May 1865 construction of what was then termed the Canterbury Great South Railway began. The Canterbury Provincial Railways were broad gauge,1,600 mm, the first section of the line was opened to Rolleston on 13 October 1866. Beyond Rolleston, three routes south were considered, A route well inland to cross rivers in narrower places. A coastal line through fertile country, a compromise between the two, following the most direct route and crossing major rivers at more reasonable places than the coastal route. The third option was chosen and the line was built through an at times relatively barren part of the Canterbury Plains towards Rakaia. By the time the line reached Selwyn in October 1867,35 km from central Christchurch the provincial government was so short of finances that construction was temporarily halted. In 1870 Julius Vogel announced his Great Public Works Policy and placed a priority on the completion of a line between Christchurch and Dunedin. Soon after this, the government recognised the need to conform with the uniform gauge. Construction not only progressed south from the Christchurch end and north from Dunedin, construction was swift through the 1870s, and on 4 February 1876, Christchurch was linked with Timaru. Just under a later, on 1 February 1877, the line was complete all the way from Christchurch to Oamaru in north Otago. At the southern end, the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway opened on 1 January 1873, most of this line became part of the Main South Line, with construction progressing north from a junction at Sawyers Bay, leaving the final two kilometres to become the Port Chalmers Branch. A difficult hillside climb out of Dunedin was encountered, with taking a significant length of time. The construction south from Oamaru included the creation of two branch lines along the way, the Moeraki Branch and the Shag Point Branch. On 7 September 1878 the route from Christchurch to Dunedin was opened in its entirety, in 1871, the Dunedin and Clutha Railway was one of the first authorised railways under Vogels Great Public Works Policy, and construction was rapid. This was the first major line constructed to 1,067 mm gauge, on 1 September 1875 the line opened to Balclutha, the major town of the lower Clutha River region,84 kilometres from Dunedin. At the Invercargill end, construction was swift, and Gore was reached on 30 August 1875, from here, undulating countryside necessitated heavier earthworks to Balclutha, completing the route from Dunedin to Invercargill, and construction was completed on 22 January 1879
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NZR K class (1877)
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The NZR K class of 1877 was the first example of American-built locomotives to be used on New Zealands railways. Their success coloured locomotive development in New Zealand until the end of steam, in 1877, the new Chief Mechanical Engineer of the NZR, Allison D. Smith required some new motive power for the fledgling Government system. It had been intended to order more J Class locomotives which were of an English design, however, Mr Smith was adamant American locomotives would be much more suitable for New Zealands conditions. His argument won, and an order was placed with the Rogers Locomotive Works of New Jersey, for two tender locomotives with a wheel arrangement of 2-4-2. In addition this first pair, K87 Lincoln and K88 Washington, reputedly wore a kaleidoscope of colours - green, blue, yellow, red, purple, after arrival in the South Island at Lyttelton, the locomotives were quickly put into service. K87 Lincoln quickly distinguished itself by hauling the first bogie-carriage passenger train, Allison Smiths faith was well placed with railway authorities regarding the first two Ks as infinitely superior to the English locomotives in operation during the same period. In 1883, due to its characteristics, the K class was the only class of engine officially permitted to run at 35 miles per hour in ordinary service. Two of the Ks, K93 and K96, were transferred to the North Island during this time, beginning just after 1900 the class started receiving new NZR-built boilers to replace their Rogers-built wagon-top boilers. The South Island locomotives gained boilers of a Belpaire design, while the North Island pair received round-top boilers, all the new boilers were pressed to 160psi, an increase over the original boilers 130psi. By this time all the locomotives had received Westinghouse brake equipment also, the days of the K class in service were over during the 1920s. Both the North Island examples, plus K87 Lincoln had been withdrawn as early as 1922, the others managed to linger on for a few more years yet, with the last two, K92 and K95, not withdrawn until 1927. As was customary at the time, the locomotives were set aside pending disposal, all remaining South Island class members lasted long enough to be dumped as embankment protection, something which began in 1926. Three of the Rogers K class have so far been exhumed and entered into preservation, the first and most notable of these locomotives is K88 Washington, which was exhumed from its river grave by the Southland Vintage Car Club on 19 and 20 January 1974. There were a number of plans regarding the locomotives future. The locomotive wreck was threatened with being pushed back into the river until the The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum came up with plans to restore it back to working order. Beginning in July 1974, they achieved this goal in on the 7 November 1981 proving that the restoration of exhumed locomotives was possible and it was recommissioned on the 25 November the following year. The other two locomotives exhumed so far are K94, exhumed by an owner and moved to The Plains Railway on 21 April 1986. It is in storage in a state with no active plans for restoration
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Steam locomotive
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A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its pulling power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning combustible material—usually coal, wood, the steam moves reciprocating pistons which are mechanically connected to the locomotives main wheels. Both fuel and water supplies are carried with the locomotive, either on the locomotive itself or in wagons pulled behind, the first steam locomotive, made by Richard Trevithick, first operated on 21 February 1804, three years after the road locomotive he made in 1801. The first practical steam locomotive was built in 1812-13 by John Blenkinsop, Steam locomotives were first developed in Great Britain during the early 19th century and used for railway transport until the middle of the 20th century. From the early 1900s they were superseded by electric and diesel locomotives, with full conversions to electric. The majority of locomotives were retired from regular service by the 1980s, though several continue to run on tourist. The earliest railways employed horses to draw carts along railway tracks, in 1784, William Murdoch, a Scottish inventor, built a small-scale prototype of a steam road locomotive. An early working model of a rail locomotive was designed and constructed by steamboat pioneer John Fitch in the US during 1794. His steam locomotive used interior bladed wheels guided by rails or tracks, the model still exists at the Ohio Historical Society Museum in Columbus. The authenticity and date of this locomotive is disputed by some experts, accompanied by Andrew Vivian, it ran with mixed success. The design incorporated a number of important innovations that included using high-pressure steam which reduced the weight of the engine, Trevithick visited the Newcastle area in 1804 and had a ready audience of colliery owners and engineers. The visit was so successful that the railways in north-east England became the leading centre for experimentation. Trevithick continued his own steam propulsion experiments through another trio of locomotives, Four years later, the successful twin-cylinder locomotive Salamanca by Matthew Murray for the edge railed rack and pinion Middleton Railway debuted in 1812. Another well known early locomotive was Puffing Billy built 1813–14 by engineer William Hedley and it was intended to work on the Wylam Colliery near Newcastle upon Tyne. This locomotive is the oldest preserved, and is on display in the Science Museum. George Stephenson built Locomotion No.1 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway, north-east England, in 1829, his son Robert built in Newcastle The Rocket which was entered in and won the Rainhill Trials. This success led to the company emerging as the pre-eminent builder of locomotives used on railways in the UK, US. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened a year later making exclusive use of power for passenger
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Steamboat
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A steamboat is a boat that is propelled primarily by steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the prefix designation SS, S. S. or S/S or PS, the term steamboat is used to refer to smaller, insular, steam-powered boats working on lakes and rivers, particularly riverboats. As using steam became more reliable, steam power became applied to larger, Early attempts at powering a boat by steam were made by the French inventor Denis Papin and the English inventor Thomas Newcomen. Papin invented the steam digester and experimented with closed cylinders and pistons pushed in by atmospheric pressure, Papin proposed applying this steam pump to the operation of a paddlewheel boat and tried to market his idea in Britain. He was unable to convert the piston motion into rotary motion. Newcomens design did solve the first problem, but remained shackled to the inherent limitations of the engines of the time, a steamboat was described and patented by English physician John Allen in 1729. In 1736, Jonathan Hulls was granted a patent in England for a Newcomen engine-powered steamboat, William Henry of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, having learned of Watts engine on a visit to England, made his own engine. In 1763 he put it in a boat, the boat sank, and while Henry made an improved model, he did not appear to have much success, though he may have inspired others. At its first demonstration on 15 July 1783, Pyroscaphe travelled upstream on the river Saône for some fifteen minutes before the engine failed, presumably this was easily repaired as the boat is said to have made several such journeys. Following this, De Jouffroy attempted to get the government interested in his work, De Jouffroy did not have the funds for this, and, following the events of the French revolution, work on the project was discontinued after he left the country. Similar boats were made in 1785 by John Fitch in Philadelphia and William Symington in Dumfries and this boat could typically make 7 to 8 miles per hour and traveled more than 2,000 miles during its short length of service. The Fitch steamboat was not a success, as this travel route was adequately covered by relatively good wagon roads. The following year, a boat made 30-mile excursions, and in 1790. Miller sent King Gustav III of Sweden an actual version,100 feet long. Miller then engaged engineer William Symington to build his patent steam engine drove a stern-mounted paddle wheel in a boat in 1785. The boat was successfully tried out on Dalswinton Loch in 1788 and was followed by a steamboat the next year. The boat was built by Alexander Hart at Grangemouth to Symingtons design with a cylinder engine. Trials on the River Carron in June 1801 were successful and included towing sloops from the river Forth up the Carron and thence along the Forth, in 1801, Symington patented a horizontal steam engine directly linked to a crank
21.
Queenstown, New Zealand
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Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealands South Island. It has an population of 14,300, making it the 27th largest urban area in New Zealand. In 2016, Queenstown overtook Oamaru to become the second largest urban area in Otago, the Queenstown-Lakes District has a land area of 8,704.97 square kilometres not counting its inland lakes. The region has a resident population of 34,700. Its neighbouring towns include Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Kingston, Wanaka, Alexandra, the nearest cities are Dunedin and Invercargill. Queenstown is known for its tourism, especially adventure and ski tourism. The area was discovered and first settled by Māori before non-Māori arrived, the first non-Māori to see Lake Wakatipu was European Nathanael Chalmers who was guided by Reko, the chief of the Tuturau, over the Waimea Plains and up the Mataura River in September 1853. Evidence of stake nets, baskets for catching eels, spears and it is likely Ngāi Tahu Māori visited Queenstown en route to collect Pounamu. European explorers William Gilbert Rees and Nicholas von Tunzelmann were the first non-Maoris to settle the area, many Queenstown streets bear names from the gold mining era and some historic buildings remain. Williams Cottage, the Lake Lodge of Ophir, Queenstown Police Station, the miners and especially the Irish had taken an interest in the ceremony held for a small town called The Cove in Ireland which was renamed to Queenstown in honour of Queen Victoria in 1850. They may have had their own ceremony at the intersection of Rees, by 9 and 10 January 1863 the town was being reported with the name of Queenstown from several reports written by a correspondent in the Otago Witness on Monday the 5th and Tuesday the 6th. It was during the meeting there may have been a reference by a miner of the town being fit for a Queen, the Māori name for Queenstown of Tāhuna means shallow bay. A resort town, Queenstown boasted 220 adventure tourism activities in 2012, skiing and snowboarding, jet boating, whitewater rafting, bungy jumping, mountain biking, skateboarding, tramping, paragliding, sky diving and fly fishing are all popular. Queenstown is a centre for snow sports in New Zealand, with people from all over the country. Cross country skiing is available at the Waiorau Snowfarm, near Cardrona village. The 100-year-old twin screw coal fired steamer TSS Earnslaw traverses Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown lies close to the centre of a small wine producing region, reputed to be the worlds southernmost. The Two Paddocks vineyard is owned by local actor Sam Neill, neighbouring, historic Arrowtown features restaurants and bars. In 2013, examples include Bike Festival, Winter Festival, jane Campions six-part drama mystery Top of the Lake was shot during 2012 for pay TV release in 2013
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New Zealand Railways Road Services
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The New Zealand Railways Road Services was a branch of the New Zealand Railways Department and later the New Zealand Railways Corporation. It operated long-distance, tourist and suburban bus services and freight trucking, the first bus operation by NZR began on 1 October 1907, between Culverden on the Waiau Branch and Waiau Ferry in Canterbury. In November 1926, NZR purchased a private bus operating between Hastings and Napier in the Hawkes Bay region. NZR then acquired various other bus services in Dunedin and the Hutt Valley, in 1931 Parliament passed the Transport Licensing Act, which regulated local bus services to ensure that services would not compete with NZR. This further increased acquisitions by NZR of small bus companies, there was a certain amount of rivalry within NZR between NZRRS and the rail Traffic Branch and in many ways they competed with rather than complemented each other. For example, many cities had bus terminals some distance from railway stations and many NZRRS routes ran parallel to, by 1954 the bus routes covered 6,000 miles, but generally at higher fares than the railways. For example, the 230 miles Christchurch-Dunedin return journey cost £2 13s 6d by rail, but £3 10s by bus and took 7hr 10min on the fastest train, early years of the Road Services saw many different brands of buses acquired with the various constituent companies. From Ford Model T-based cars to Straker steam trucks, to various Albion, Cadillac, Dodge, the builders of the bodies were many and various. Leading up to World War II, standardisation was the call, during the 1940s Ford V8 and Bedford truck chassis with New Zealand Motor Bodies became the standard NZRRS bus. During the 1950s NZRRS began to use the Bedford SB chassis fitted with NZMB bodies. So much so, that the Bedford SB was ordered right up until 1980, NZRRS eventually bought 1,240 of these chassis, which were used in suburban, local rural, and long distance service. This was the largest fleet of Bedford SB buses in the world, during the late 1970s NZRRS, like many other operators, was having issues with the general reliability of their fleet. Orders were made to Volvo and Hino in an effort to find a better vehicle, Hino and Volvo buses and coaches were purchased right up until the end of the NZRRS
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NZR AB class
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The NZR AB class was a class of 4-6-2 Pacific tender steam locomotive that operated on New Zealands national railway system. An additional ten were rebuilt from the version of the AB – the WAB class – between 1947 and 1957. Two North British-made locomotives were lost in the wreck of the SS Wiltshire in May 1922, the genesis of the AB class originated from the construction of A class 4-6-2 NO409 at Addington Railway Workshops in 1906. AB409 was in reality the guinea pig for what would become the most prolific type on the New Zealand Railways network, the new locomotive, AB608, was to a completely different design from AB409 when it emerged from the Addington Workshops in 1915. Although largely similar to the A class, it had a new design of cab and boiler and it also had the distinctive Vanderbilt tender, which would become a hallmark of the AB class during its working life. This locomotive was to become the first of 141 similar locomotives built by builders in New Zealand. The AB class compared more favourably in service against the compound A class, reputedly the first engine able to generate one horsepower for every 100 pounds of weight, the AB class was efficient and versatile, and the engines were easy to maintain and operate. However, it clear that there were several shortcomings of the design – notably the cab was too small. A new and longer cab was fitted to all new locomotives being built from that time onwards, New tender structures were also built at a later date. The locomotives were extremely versatile, and the AB class were used on almost every section of the NZR network, in later years, the class were displaced from their mainline duties first by the larger J and K series locomotives, and later by the arrival of diesels. The final duties of the AB class were on branchline workings and these in turn displaced the A and Q class 4-6-2 locomotives from their duties, resulting in the withdrawal of all Q class locomotives by 1957 and a reduction in the number of A class locomotives. The locomotives also worked some lesser mainline duties, and others, being highly capable, the AB class were used for both freight and passenger trains. The AB class was able to pull an express passenger train at speeds of 100 km/h. They, along with the earlier F class, were known as the Maids of all work, despite being displaced, the AB class could still be found at work on relief expresses during holiday periods. The locomotives did not change greatly during their NZR career, the first change was to fit Waikato-type spark arrestors to many of the North Island-based engines, resulting in a new pear-shaped smokebox with an ash hopper at the base of the smokebox. Another notable change was that many of the class were fitted with ballast blocks for mechanical purposes, as the locomotives rode well, this was not to prevent derailments as with the Q class 4-6-2s of 1901. Furthermore, certain engines were not fitted with ballast blocks, so their inclusion is questionable, other cosmetic changes included fitting a large Pyle National electric headlight on top of the smokebox and replacement of the copper-capped funnels with the standard NZR flowerpot type. The AB type boiler had a pressure of 180psi, a standard across the type
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4-6-2
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The 4-6-2 locomotive became almost globally known as a Pacific type. The introduction of the 4-6-2 design in 1901 has been described as a milestone in locomotive progress. Nevertheless, new Pacific designs continued to be built until the mid-1950s, the type is well-suited to high speed running. The world speed record for steam traction of 126 miles per hour has been held by a British Pacific locomotive, the two earliest 4-6-2 locomotives, both created in the United States of America, were experimental designs which were not perpetuated. In 1889, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway rebuilt a conventional 4-6-0 with trailing wheels as a means of reducing its axle load, in 1896, six Q class 4-6-2 tank locomotives were introduced on the Western Australian Government Railways. Even before Baldwin had completed the order from New Zealand, their engineers realised the advantages of the new type, the design was soon widely adopted by designers throughout the world. There are different opinions concerning the origin of the name Pacific, the design was a natural enlargement of the existing Baldwin 4-4-2 Atlantic type, but the type name may also be in recognition of the fact that a New Zealand designer had first proposed it. Usually, however, new arrangements were named for, or named by. In the case of the Pacific, that was the Missouri Pacific Railroad in 1902, the Pacific type was used on mainline railways around the world. During the first half of the 20th century, the Pacific rapidly became the predominant passenger steam power in North America, between 1902 and 1930, about 6,800 locomotives of the type were built by North American manufacturers for service in the United States and Canada. With exported locomotives included, about 7,300 were built in total, about 45% of these were built by the American Locomotive Company which became the main builder of the type, and 28% by Baldwin. Large numbers were used in South America, most of which were supplied by manufacturers in the United Kingdom. Africa was the continent upon which the Pacific was regularly used. The earliest African examples were built in the United Kingdom by Kitson, within a few weeks, these were followed by a German Pacific type that, although already designed in 1905, only entered service in late 1907. The next was a British type, introduced in January 1908, by the outbreak of the First World War, the type was being widely used on the railways of Continental Europe. The Pacific type was introduced into Asia in 1907, the year that it was first used in Europe. By the 1920s, Pacifics were being used by many throughout the Asian continent. In 1923, the Pacific gave its name to Arthur Honeggers orchestral work, Pacific 231, during the first two decades of the 20th century, the Pacific wheel arrangement enjoyed limited popularity on tank locomotives
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Christmas
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In several countries, celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24 has the main focus rather than December 25, with gift-giving and sharing a traditional meal with the family. Although the month and date of Jesus birth are unknown, by the fourth century the Western Christian Church had placed Christmas on December 25. Today, most Christians celebrate on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar and this is not a disagreement over the date of Christmas as such, but rather a preference of which calendar should be used to determine the day that is December 25. Although it is not known why December 25 became a date of celebration, December 25 was the date the Romans marked as the winter solstice, the shortest, and therefore darkest day of the year. Jesus was identified with the Sun based on an Old Testament verse, the date is exactly nine months following Annunciation, when the conception of Jesus is celebrated. Finally, the Romans had a series of pagan festivals near the end of the year, so Christmas may have been scheduled at this time to appropriate, or compete with, one or more of these festivals. The celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian, Christian, the economic impact of Christmas has grown steadily over the past few centuries in many regions of the world. Christmas is a form of Christs mass. It is derived from the Middle English Cristemasse, which is from Old English Crīstesmæsse, crīst is from Greek Khrīstos, a translation of Hebrew Māšîaḥ, Messiah, meaning anointed, and mæsse is from Latin missa, the celebration of the Eucharist. The form Christenmas was also used, but is now considered archaic and dialectal, it derives from Middle English Cristenmasse. In addition to Christmas, the holiday has been known by other names throughout its history. The Anglo-Saxons referred to the feast as midwinter, or, more rarely, Nativity, meaning birth, is from Latin nātīvitās. In Old English, Gēola referred to the corresponding to December and January. Noel entered English in the late 14th century and is from the Old French noël or naël, itself ultimately from the Latin nātālis, the canonical gospels of Luke and Matthew both describe Jesus as being born in Bethlehem in Judea, to a virgin mother. In the Gospel of Luke account, Joseph and Mary travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the census and it says that angels proclaimed him a savior for all people, and shepherds came to adore him. In the Matthew account, magi follow a star to Bethlehem to bring gifts to Jesus, King Herod orders the massacre of all the boys less than two years old in Bethlehem, but the family flees to Egypt and later settles in Nazareth. The Nativity stories of Matthew and Luke are prominent in the gospels, the first recorded Christmas celebration was in Rome in 336. Christmas played a role in the Arian controversy of the fourth century, the feast regained prominence after 800, when Charlemagne was crowned emperor on Christmas Day
26.
New Zealand TR class locomotive
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The New Zealand TR class is a class of diesel shunting locomotives built by many different manufacturers. Many of these locomotives have been withdrawn, but some are still in service, the first locomotive of this class was built by NZR in 1924. The most powerful were Japanese-built Hitachi TRs, with 138 kW Cummins engines, the original batch of six 0-4-0 TRs, 13-18, supplied in 1936 by the Drewry Car Co. was supplemented by TR 20-22 and 30-36 in 1939-40. These were powered by Parsons petrol engines, in 1939-40 seven 0-6-0 TRs, 23-29, were supplied and were fitted with Leyland 10-litre petrol engines Wairarapa railcars. Finally, in 1950 five 0-4-0 TRs, 60-64, with diesel engines were introduced, the locomotives were built at various UK works including Vulcan Foundry and Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns. Practically all Drewry TRs are out of service today, rebuilds TR 23-29 were re-engined from 1954 with Gardner 8LW engines developing 78 kW at 1200 rpm, transmission being a Wilson 4-speed gearbox. TR 13-18, 20-22 and 30-36 were re-engined from 1958, and TR81 in 1968, with the Detroit Diesel 4-71 series engine developing 78 kW at 2000 rpm, W. G. Bagnall built seven TRs in 1956-57. The first five were supplied with McLaren M6 engines, the last two with Gardner 6L3 engines, all with a Self-Changing Gears 4-speed gearbox, the McLaren engines were unsuccessful, so from 1973 TR 150-154 were re-engined with the Gardner 6LX with Twin Disc torque converters. These TRs were the heaviest and one of the more powerful types, the long established NZ engineering firm A & G Price of Thames supplied a total of 39 TRs, making them the largest single builder. The McLaren engined TRs were re-powered from 1975 with Gardner 6LX engines, Hitachi received an order for six TRs, 177-182, at a time when NZR was turning away from traditional English suppliers and purchasing an increased number of vehicles from Asia. The locomotives were equipped with a Cummins 6-cylinder engine developing 138 kW and Niigata torque converter, the last TRs were manufactured by NZR at their Hillside workshops. Up to two were completed each year between 1973 and 1978, the design is an unusual centre-cab style with a single Gardner 6LX engine and Rolls Royce torque converter. Standard parts such as DSC class windows were utilised in these TRs, the typical role of a TR was at small stations where a normal shunting locomotive was not needed due to light traffic. NZRs operating rules allowed TRs to be driven by staff who were not members of the locomotive branch, other roles have included railway workshops and depots, and most of the remaining locomotives can still be found at these locations. There are very few stations where they are still in use owing to rationalisations of freight terminals, the trend towards containerisation of traffic, a number of locomotives have been leased to industrial operators for private siding use. The last TR was built in 1978, TR191, however four locomotives have been reclassified from other types. The TR classification has applied to two former industrial locomotives. One of these is TR81, which was purchased from the Ohai Railway Board in 1955, built by the Drewry Car Co in the 1930s, it is similar to the first generation 0-4-0 Drewry TRs, but was originally fitted with the Gardner 6LW diesel engine
27.
A & G Price
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A & G Price Limited is an engineering firm and locomotive manufacturer in Thames, New Zealand, established in 1868. In 2004 a precision formed yacht keel division was formed to make the Maximus canting keel, the firm currently has 135 employees. The firm was established in 1868 in Princes Street, Onehunga by two brothers from Stroud, Gloucestershire, Alfred Price and George Price and they built almost 100 flax machines in their first year. In the 1930s the firm hired Abner Doble to help develop a steam engine for buses at the Thames workshops. The first engine was trialed by the Auckland Transport Board in the early 1930s, a second bus was constructed in 1932 for White and Sons for the Auckland Thames route. Price manufactured 22 carriages and wagons in the early 1870s, the Thames Branch railway line opened in 1898, and Price won a tender to make locomotives for NZR in 1903 and 1906. Later in the 1950s and 1960s they manufactured a number of shunting locomotives for the NZR, the TR class. In 1990 A & G Price regauged 24 of the 31 Silver Star carriages to metre gauge for running in Malaysia Singapore and Thailand as the Eastern and Oriental Express. Six carriages from this train were stored at Prices Thames workshop in any extra carriage conversions were required, with the remaining carriage shipped to SE Asia. As of 2013, these carriages remained on-site at Thames, five of which are listed on the New Zealand Rolling Stock Register page for NZR passenger carriages and it used a Fordson Major E1 as its base. A423 - Glenbrook Vintage Railway A428 - Weka Pass Railway AB699 - Pleasant Point Railway, CB108 - Tokomaru Steam Museum. CB113 - Canterbury Railway Society, CB117 - Bush Tramway Club. CBA119 - Shantytown and Westland Heritage Park, E111 - Bush Tramway Club. Price 152 - Ormondville Rail Preservation Society, Price 166 and 168 - Blenheim Riverside Railway. Price 184 - Bay of Islands Vintage Railway, Price 185 - Ocean Beach Railway. Price 198 - The Plains Railway, Price 199 - Main Trunk Rail Ohakune. Price 200 - Whangarei Steam & Model Rly Club, Price 213 - Mainline Steam Heritage Trust. Price 218 - Putaruru Timber Museum, Price 221 - Silver Stream Railway
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Radio New Zealand
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Radio New Zealand is a New Zealand public service radio broadcaster and Crown entity formed by the Radio New Zealand Act 1995. It operates the news, current affairs, and arts network Radio New Zealand National and classical music, since 2014, the organisation focuses increasingly on its production of digital content in audio, video and written forms. The organisation plays a role in New Zealand public broadcasting. Under law, it is responsible for the Radio New Zealand International Pacific shortwave service and it has a statutory role under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 to act as a lifeline utility in emergency situations. The New Zealand Parliament also fully funds its AM Network, for the broadcast of Parliamentary proceedings, the organisation placed a strong emphasis on training its staff in Received Pronunciation, until it began promoting local and indigenous accents in the 1990s. The broadcaster is bound by the Charter and Operating Principles included in the Radio New Zealand Act and it must operate a news service, an international shortwave service and an archiving programme. It must also produce and commission high quality programming based on research of public needs, in achieving these objectives, it must be socially and financially responsible. Radio New Zealand National, formerly National Radio, is Radio New Zealands general public service broadcaster, flagship news and current affairs programmes Morning Report, Midday Report and Checkpoint total thirty hours every week and news updates are broadcast every hour. Its news service has specialist correspondents, reporters and a network of regional correspondents, magazine programmes include a broad range of contributors, interviews, music pieces and dramas, with reports and regular features in English and Māori. The network provides coverage of science, politics, philosophy, religion, rural affairs, sports, Radio New Zealand National broadcasts in AM and FM via mono terrestrial transmitters based around New Zealand and the Optus satellite. It is also available on Sky Digital TV channel 421, Freeview satellite channel 50, Radio New Zealand National claims a cumulative audience of 522,000 people, which would make it the most popular station in New Zealand. Its station share of 11% also makes it one in terms of station share among people 15. The network was known as Concert FM but the name was changed as part of a wider name change within Radio New Zealand to associate Concert FM with the Radio New Zealand brand. The station broadcasts in FM stereo via terrestrial transmitters located around New Zealand and it is also available on Sky Digital TV channel 502, and on Freeviews satellite and terrestrial services on channel 51. Concert features four full-time continuity presenters and several part-time and specialist presenters, the playlist is among the most diverse and eclectic of the worlds state run classical music networks. The AM Network is a network of radio transmitters operated by Radio New Zealand which broadcast all sittings of the New Zealand Parliament through a contract with the Parliament. Sitting hours are seasonal, and may be extended due to certain circumstances, AM Network Parliamentary coverage is also streamed online, with podcasts and transcripts available. The transmitters were used by The Concert Programme before it moved to FM broadcasting
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Newshub
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Newshub is a New Zealand news service that airs on Three and radio stations run by MediaWorks. The Newshub brand replaced 3 News on the TV3 network and the Radio Live news service heard on MediaWorks Radio stations on 1 February 2016, the flagship 6, 00pm bulletin of Newshub is currently presented by Mike McRoberts and Samantha Hayes. Newshub Live at 6pm replaced the TV3 6pm news bulletin previously known as 3 News at 6pm, Melissa Davies & Tom McRae present the weekend edition at 6pm and are also back up anchors for Samantha Hayes and Mike McRoberts. Other back up anchors on Newshub Live at 6pm have included Hamish Clark, Late night news show on TV3 which usually airs weeknights around 10, 30pm but can run later depending on the evening schedule. The bulletin was presented by Samantha Hayes until her promotion to 6pm anchor, Current anchors for Newshub Late include Sacha McNeil and Jenny Suo. This is TV3s fourth late night show with the original show being Nightline between 1990 and 2013, The Paul Henry Show in 2014 and Newsworthy in 2015. Launched on March 20, the airs for half an hour on weekdays. The AM Show is a New Zealand morning news and talk show airs on TV3. It is presented by Duncan Garner, with news anchor Amanda Gillies, sports presenter Mark Richardson, the show replaced Paul Henry after it was announced the frontman of the show, Paul Henry, was resigning and therefore the show was going to be replaced. The announcement was made by MediaWorks in November 2016, and Paul Henry last aired on 16 December 2016, the AM Show will premiere on 13 February 2017. The Project is a New Zealand current affairs show hosted by Jesse Mulligan, Josh Thomson and it premiered on Three in early February 2017, and airs from 7pm to 7, 30pm. The show replaced Story after it was canceled and aired its final episode on 16 December 2016, storys frontman, Duncan Garner, was moved to the breakfast timeslot taking over Paul Henry to host The AM Show. The shows format was taken from the Australian version of the show, The Project, the Nation is TV3s in-depth political current affairs show focusing on the major players and forces that shape New Zealand. The show is presented by Lisa Owen and Patrick Gower and airs on Saturday mornings at 9, 30am and Sunday mornings at 10, three60 is TV3s newest current affairs show focusing on international news, politics & business. Three60 is presented by Newshub anchor Mike McRoberts and airs on Sunday mornings at 9, the TV3 6pm news bulletin was known as 3 News or 3 News at 6pm up to 31 January 2016. 3 News was originally known as 3 National News and first went on air in November 1989 when TV3 began broadcasting, for the first year of broadcast 3 National News was a thirty-minute bulletin screening at 6, 30pm, the same time slot as Holmes on TV1. The original bulletin was presented by former BCNZ and TVNZ anchor Philip Sherry, joined by sportscaster Greg Clark, the final report, by Janet McIntyre, described TV3s launch party and the networks first day of operation. The sports segment was produced by Tony Ciprian, in 1991 TV3 extended 3 National News to a 1-hour bulletin starting at 6pm, this occurred during the Gulf War but TV3 continued to screen a 1-hour bulletin following the war
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Stuff.co.nz
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Stuff. co. nz is a New Zealand news website published by Fairfax Digital, a division of Fairfax New Zealand Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian company Fairfax Media Ltd. It is also a web portal to other Fairfax websites, as of June 2012, the website had an Alexa rank in New Zealand of 8, the sites main competitor, The New Zealand Herald website, had a rank of 9. The site statistics for April 2012 were 4.9 million unique browsers, the development of Stuff was supported and governed by, the INL Board, Mike Robson, INL CEO, and Don Higgins, Corporate Development Manager. Mark Wierzbicki, INL Internet Business Manager, lead development and ongoing management of the Stuff site, advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi conceived the name Stuff, and INL had to buy the domain name from a cyber squatter. In its first month, the site had 120,000 unique visitors, at the time, Mark Wierzbicki, described the name as a copywriters dream, although he conceded that its not without risk, especially if we stuff up. The start up website was built by a group of companies in Wellington led by project managers Bill Alp and Will Everitt. On 30 June 2003, INL sold its assets including The Dominion Post, The Press. Fairfax upgraded the website in December 2006, and again on 4 March 2009, the first mobile phone news service from Stuff began in 2003, in a partnership with Vodafone New Zealand. On 21 April 2009, Stuff launched a mobile site. For larger news events, the site creates a dedicated section, such as for the Bain family murders retrial. During the trial of Clayton Weatherston, press. co. nz, the article was quickly withdrawn, and Fairfax executive editor Paul Thompson said it was a mistake we take very seriously. The site has won awards including the Newspaper Publishers Association awards Best News Website for 2010 and 2011. The earliest articles still available on Stuff are from around August 2007, on 17 April 2013, to celebrate the passing of same-sex marriage in New Zealand, the colour of the Stuff logo was changed from black to the colours associated with the pride flag. The editor of Stuff at the time, Mark Stevens, openly declared his support in August 2012, Media of New Zealand Official website Archivestuff
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Railway preservation in New Zealand
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Railway preservation in New Zealand is the preservation of historically significant facets of New Zealands rail transport history. The earliest recorded preservation attempt took place in 1925, although the movement itself did not start properly until 1960, after this, the preservation movement entered a hiatus until the founding of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society in 1944, which established branches throughout the country. A railway museum was established at Te Awamutu by the NZR&LS Waikato Branch and these groups at the time were attempting to save part of the fabric of rural branch lines that had been operated by New Zealand Railways but were being closed down at the time. As the replacement of steam was accelerated during this period, and was completed in 1971, other groups were initiated to preserve the line locomotives. The first group to do so was Steam Incorporated, based out of the former Paekakariki locomotive depot site just north of Wellington. This ban required that if steam locomotives were to operate in New Zealand, they would be confined to either heritage railways, museums and this period also saw the birth of the Otago Excursion Train Trust, founded in 1978 to run excursion trains over the scenic Otago Central Railway. This group was joined by Steam Incorporated and the Railway Enthusiasts Society in running similar excursions using NZR diesel locomotives, in 1985, NZR agreed to remove the steam ban in conjunction with the centenary of the start of construction of the North Island Main Trunk. A steam excursion was run from Wellington to Auckland, using Steam Incorporateds KA945, as NZR still used red as the colour for its coaching stock, these groups used their own liveries, predominantly brown or yellow. During this time, the National Federation of Railway Societies was formed to provide a network between the different groups. This group would work as a coordinator and organiser in later years between different groups, with the retirement of the first-generation diesel locomotives, the Diesel Traction Group was founded in Christchurch in 1983 with an aim to preserve these locomotives. By 1990 this group had four locomotives at their Ferrymead base, other groups and individuals started to acquire other first-generation diesels to add to their fleet, such as Steam Incorporateds two DA class diesel locomotives which were purchased in 1988. Other individuals also purchased similar locomotives for preservation, and based them at established heritage sites, NZR also selected several diesel and electric locomotives, along with two carriages, for inclusion in their Heritage Fleet. During this time, Ian Welchs Mainline Steam Trust emerged as an operator with its fleet of preserved ex-NZR steam locomotives. Very few new groups emerged from 1990 to 2000 due to the pace of NZ Rail. The most ambitious project to date is the Rimutaka Incline Railway. This is the route of the former Rimutaka railway and Rimutaka Incline over a distance of some 20 km, including 5 km of the 1 in 15 incline worked by the Fell centre-rail system. Although the Taieri Gorge Railway in Dunedin is a longer and successful heritage railway at 60 km length. The Rimutaka proposal faces many obstacles from the construction of new track and formation rehabilitation works, the project is in the planning stages and it will be some years before any construction starts
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Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
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The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust is a heritage railway in Kawakawa, in Northland in New Zealand. The railway operates on part of the former Opua Branch railway, the railway was formed as the Bay of Islands Scenic Railway, a private company, in 1985 following the withdrawal of New Zealand Railways Corporation services beyond Otiria. The service began with a J1211 which was brought up from the Wellington on the main trunk rail-line, the railway proved popular with tourists, and in the summer seasons of 1985/1986 and 1986/1987 the railway leased Mainline Steams J1211 to haul three return trains a day. In 1987 the group was reformed as a society, the Opua-Kawakawa Railway Preservation Society Incorporated. The Taumarere Northland Railway Trust was formed around the same time, the railway continued operations until 2001, when the Land Transport Safety Authority withdrew the lines operating licence. The rail line between Opua and Taumamere is currently part of the Twin Coast Cycle Trail with gravel laid over the sleepers and rails. There is now a campaign to restore the railway, including the rebuilding of the locomotives, refurbishment of passenger carriages. Currently, operations cover 4.5 km of track, including the stretch along Kawakawas main street. The railway is now opened as far as Taumarere, having passed a safety audit on a bridge before the station, the group is currently raising funds to restore bridge No.9 on the line and repair the Whangae Tunnel, then on to Opua. The terminus in Opua is on now owned by Far North Holdings, the trading arm of Far North District Council. The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway runs throughout the year. As of May 2010, it runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and everyday during school and public holidays at 10. 45am, passengers may leave the train at Taumarere and catch a later train back to Kawakawa. List of New Zealand railway museums and heritage lines Bay of Islands Vintage Railway website
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Driving Creek Railway
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The railway leads up the mountain to a viewing platform building 165 m high above the surrounding Coromandel west coast country. The original line was built by the potter Barry Brickell on his 22-hectare property and he started construction of the 15-inch gauge rail line in 1975, originally mainly using it to transport clay and pine wood fuel to his kiln. In 1975, Brickell purchased a larger 60ha block of land, the new line would be of 15 in gauge instead of 10 1⁄2 in gauge, and would serve the same purpose as the original, to bring clay and firewood down from the slopes above the potteries. It would also be used to help re-plant the hillsides on Brickells property with kauri, the Driving Creek Railway was slowly expanded over the next 25 years to become one of the very few completely new railway lines in New Zealand in recent years. The project required significant civil engineering works due to the steep, among these are the famous Double-Deck viaduct, three tunnels, ten bridges and inclines as steep as 1 in 14. The trip takes approximately 1 hour return, the line terminates at the Eyefull Tower, completed in 2004 as the final terminus of the railway. The design of the building was based on the Bean Rock Lighthouse in Auckland, the attraction now brings over 30,000 people to the railway per year, with much of the proceeds funding nature conservation works. A further slip occurred just above the NO3, or Cascade, due to the damage, trains were forced to terminate just beyond the Taniwha tunnel, where passengers could see the damage. A concrete retaining wall was constructed at Cascade to prevent further slips from blocking the railway, the line operates a number of items of rolling stock, the most important of which are the three diesel railcars, which were built on site by the railways own workshops. Possum is an 14-seater one-car unit, and Snake and Linx are 36-seater, the railway also operates two diesel locomotives, Dieselmouse, a 0-4-0DM built in 1979 and the first locomotive used on the DCR, and Elephant, a 0-4-4-0DM built in 1980. In his book Rails toward the Sky, Barry Brickell stated that Dieselmouse is harder to drive, Elephant, being more powerful, is used on work trains and to haul Possum, Snake, and Lynx in the event of a mechanical failure. It can also haul the lines solitary passenger carriage, nicknamed the Vintage Train, in times when extra capacity is required, the line climbs the hill behind Brickells pottery, changing direction five times at reversing points to zigzag across the face of the hill. At the terminus is a building, the Eyefull Tower. Although this is a pun on the name Eiffel Tower, its design is based on a much nearer landmark. There are a variety of features on the site, such as a growing areas of re-planted native forest, a wildlife sanctuary. Driving Creek Railway Map of the railway at OpenRailwayMap
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Glenbrook Vintage Railway
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The Glenbrook Vintage Railway is a heritage steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. It is a fully self-supporting operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour and it is an ongoing project, with items being collected and restored or replicated as time, labour and finance permit. The GVR is run by a trust board of three trustees elected and appointed from Railway Enthusiasts Society membership, the board appoints a general manager who is responsible for day-to-day operation. The 7.4 km long railway carries up to 30,000 passengers during the operating season, which is from October to June. There is a project being undertaken to extend the railway to the Tamakae Reserve in Waiuku, the railway is staffed and maintained by volunteers and RES membership provides automatic access to all activities as a volunteer. Special Events are often held, such as Friends of Thomas weekends, Railfan Days, Country and Western days, the GVR is based on part of the old Waiuku branch line which opened in 1922 and closed from Glenbrook to Waiuku in 1967. Re-construction of the GVR began in 1970, slashing back overgrown gorse that had covered the line, renewing rail and building the Pukeoware Depot and the terminus at Glenbrook. Delivery of items of rolling stock included the delivery rail-tours bringing the locomotive fleet from the South Island back to Auckland for use at Glenbrook. Carriages were sourced out of stock being retired from the Auckland commuter network at the time, and in some cases, in 1977 the railway opened between Glenbrook and Pukeoware. Early services over the railway used the lines ex-Ministry of Works Ruston diesel, a motor trolley, for the first proper services, steam locomotive NO1 was used with two carriages, a guards van and an open car. In 1985, JA1250 hauled the first mainline steam excursion from Auckland to Wellington and this was the first steam excursion to run after NZR lifted their ban on steam traction. In 1986 an extension was completed to Fernleigh,6 km from Glenbrook, on 5 December 1986 DC4444 and six Cityrail branded carriages made the run from Auckland to Fernleigh. This train carried Lange to Fernleigh to open the extension, prime Minister David Lange preseideed the opening on 6 December 1986. The next day a special train ran from Auckland. JA1250 and DA529 hauled a large public excursion out to Glenbrook station from Auckland dubbed the Sunset Coast Express, acquisitions and improvements to track and structures occurred during the late 1980s and 1990s. In 1995 plans were out for the extension of the railway line from the Fernleigh Terminal into the actual town of Waiuku. Planning, lobbying public support and fundraising continued until the physical works began in 1999. As the original Waiuku station and yards had been developed following the closure of the line in 1968, the decision was made to have the new Waiuku Station at Tamakae Reserve
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Goldfields Railway
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The Goldfields Railway is a heritage railway that operates between Waihi and Waikino in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealands North Island. It operates over a section of track that was part of the East Coast Main Trunk Railway until the Kaimai Tunnel deviation made it redundant in 1978. The Goldfields Railway was formed in 1980 as the Goldfields Steam Train Society to retain a portion of the old main line and switched to its current name in the mid-nineties. It was not intended to be a line, but after extensive surveys and a few false starts, it became part of the East Coast Main Trunk to Tauranga, Te Puke. Accordingly, a new route was required and the direct Kaimai Tunnel deviation was built, the Karangahake Gorge route was closed and dismantled in the 1980s, except for the 6 kilometres between Waihi and Waikino, which the Goldfields Railway saved. The line to Waikino is 6 km long and includes a few bridges, the station is now used as a cafe and to link the railway with a walkway through the Karangahake Gorge and other local attractions. The Goldfields Railway possesses a variety of locomotives, primarily small diesel locomotives used in industry or for shunting on the national network. The railway has also visited by steam locomotives owned by others. The Goldfields Railways collection of rolling stock consists of passenger carriages and freight wagons. The three passenger carriages are the focus of efforts and date from 1911,1913, and 1931. They are augmented by a passenger carriage built in 1993 and attached to a chassis dating from 1911. The societys diverse freight wagons are currently awaiting restoration, trains are run three times daily from Waihi to Waikino and return. The trip takes 30 minutes each way, with a 15-minute stopover at Waikino, unlike many heritage railways and regular rail services, the Goldfields Railway allows pets to ride on the train, though only on the open carriage that is included in each journeys consist. The railway also offers charter services by arrangement and regularly hosts themed rides as fundraisers for local organisations, official website of the Goldfields Railway
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Mainline Steam Heritage Trust
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The Mainline Steam Heritage Trust is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand and these excursions provide travellers with the unique opportunity to relive the days when steam was king while experiencing the magnificent New Zealand countryside. Excursions are operated by the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch branches, the Trust began in 1988 after the Ferrymead 125 events in Christchurch. Depots sprang up in Parnell, Middleton and later Plimmerton, the Auckland depot used to be based in the old Parnell diesel depot. It was in the past the primary restoration base and most of Mainline Steams currently active locomotives were restored there. The Wellington depot, located at Plimmerton, is a building which replaced the formerly leased Upper Hutt goods shed. It has now become the primary base for the organization. The depot in Christchurch is an industrial building that used to be located at Studholme. Mainline Steam is notable for having imported a number of African steam locomotives from South Africa and Zimbabwe, the organisation regularly operates excursions out of Auckland and Christchurch, the latter operating excursions primarily along the highly scenic Midland Line. Mainline Steam also has a number of diesel and electric locomotives in its care, the trust also has tenders from JA1270 and KA939, an inner-firebox from K921 and a boiler from JA1256. The tender from 939 was transferred by rail from Parnell to Plimmerton in April 2015, in addition to their core fleet of NZ locomotives, Mainline Steam owns a number of ex-South African and Zimbabwean locomotives. Four are stored in South Africa at Bloemfontein and one near Pretoria, while several engines have been shipped to the Auckland and it is anticipated that some will not be shipped to New Zealand but remain in South Africa. Mainline Steam rosters a large fleet of carriages which will be formed into three trains, Train One - a 1920s-era train, painted in Emerald Green, Train Two - a train of 56 steel-paneled stock, painted Midnight blue with white lettering. Train Three - a train of BR MkII coaches, painted in Midnight Blue with Pearl Grey window band, at present the stock for these trains are kept at Plimmerton and Middleton. Mainline Steam has a collection of freight rolling stock, mostly consisting of tank wagons used for oil and water storage. These wagons are largely of the UC class, although there are one each of the UCA. The group also has a number of KP, ZA, and ZL class box wagons for use as storage for locomotive and carriage parts. Mainline Steam operate regular excursions using steam locomotives from the trusts collection and these run from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch to a number of destinations
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Museum of Transport and Technology
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The Museum of Transport and Technology is a science and technology museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. It is located close to the Western Springs Stadium, Auckland Zoo, the museum has large collections of civilian and military aircraft and other land transport vehicles. An ongoing programme is in place to restore and conserve items in the collections and this work is largely managed by volunteers many of whom have been associated with MOTAT for upwards of four decades. New public programmes and facilities now promote the collections, MOTAT was established in 1960 by a combination of groups including the Old Time Transport Preservation League, which was formed in 1957 and preserved trams and railway locomotives. MOTAT was formally opened in 1964, MOTAT1 was built around the site of a beam engine pump house, which originally provided Aucklands water supply. The Council engaged the services of famed engineer, William Errington, to design and construct the Pumphouse, adjacent swampland was excavated creating a 6-foot-deep dammed lake, which is filled by three natural springs. This area is now the Western Springs Lake and parkland, the engine is a Double Woolf Compound built by John Key and Sons of Kirkcaldy in Scotland, who also built the long scrapped Lancashire boilers that originally provided the steam. The Western Springs Water Works officially opened in a ceremony on 10 July 1877. The pumphouse was superseded by Aucklands extensive dam system and reticulation in 1928, restoration and earthquake strengthening of the building was completed in 2002 and overhaul of the long dormant Beam Engine commenced at the start of 2005. On 11 October 2007 the engine moved under pneumatic pressure for the first time in 79 years and was tested under steam during the evening of 29 November the same year. The Beam engine was re-commissioned in a public opening on 19 April 2008. The engine ended its life in the Tirau dairy factory. Steam for the Beam Engine and other artifacts provided by a 1957 Daniel Adamson steam boiler, there is also a colonial village of early shops and houses, including a fencible cottage and a blacksmith shop. A volunteer bindery group also demonstrate their talents and hold classes, in the 1970s visitors to MOTAT were entertained by the MOTAT Chorus, a group of barbershop singers who later became the Auckland City of Sails Chorus. The Pioneers of Aviation Pavilion holds memorabilia of early aviators, the displays include miscellaneous parts from Richard Pearses experimental aircraft, a replica of the craft which was flown and his third aircraft. Also celebrated is Charles Kingsford-Smiths trans-Tasman flight in the Southern Cross, Jean Battens England–New Zealand flight, the engine from Jean Battens Percival Gull is displayed at MOTAT2. The Road transport collection rotationally displays in excess of 100 cars, trucks, motorbikes, the NZ Police Collection of 40 plus vehicles were housed at MOTAT for a number of years until 2011. Trams are displayed at MOTAT1 and operate daily between MOTAT 1s Great North Road Site, via Western Springs Park and Auckland Zoo to MOTAT2, the extended line was opened by Helen Clark on Friday 27 April 2007
New Zealand
