89-459: Lyttelton Line is a name sometimes used to refer to the section of the Main South Line in New Zealand 's South Island between Lyttelton and Christchurch , and can also be used to refer to the operations on this section. As it has always been part of the Main South Line (originally the Canterbury Great Southern Railway ), this name has never been officially used to refer to the track itself. The line between Lyttelton and Christchurch
178-534: A build-up of water on the vehicle deck, although several specialist advisers to the inquiry believed that she had grounded a second time, taking on more water below decks. The report of the inquiry stated that more lives would almost certainly have been lost if the order to abandon ship had been given earlier or later. The storm was so strong that rescue craft would not have been able to help passengers any earlier than about midday. Charges were brought against Wahine 's officers but all were acquitted. Early hopes that
267-466: A fall at Gore. As the line from Dunedin to Christchurch had been finished on 7 September 1878, a rail link was opened all the way from Invercargill to Christchurch, thus completing the Main South Line. For much of New Zealand's railway history, the passenger service from Christchurch to Dunedin was the flagship of the railway. What is regarded as the country's first "express" run on 6 September 1878
356-427: A hill cutting at Edendale caved in several times. In December 1875 the lines to Winton and Bluff were narrowed from the standard gauge in two days. Undulating countryside necessitated heavier earthworks to Balclutha, completing the route from Dunedin to Invercargill, and construction was completed on 22 January 1879. An opening function was held at Invercargill. The Commissioner of Railways, Mr Conyer injured himself in
445-537: 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 construction taking a significant length of time. For this reason, the line from Dunedin met that advancing south from Oamaru at Goodwood, midway between Palmerston and Waikouaiti , some 310 kilometres south of Christchurch but only 57 kilometres north of Dunedin. The construction south from Oamaru included
534-589: A new maintenance facility began at Waltham in 2020, with the Scenic Journeys Servicing Centre, which provides for carriage washing, refuelling, waste handling, watering and has an inspection pit. The mechanical hub will replace other Christchurch depots and be the main locomotive, carriage and wagon workshop for South Island/Te Waipounamu, covering 9,200 m (99,000 sq ft), with 21 maintenance berths, underfloor wheel lathe , wheelset drop table and locomotive axle weigh systems. The hub
623-426: A normal crossing Wahine 's crew complement was usually 126. In the deck department, the master, three officers, one radio operator and 19 sailors managed the overall operation, and in the engine department, eight engineers, two electricians, one donkeyman and 12 general workers supervised the operation of the engines. In the victualling department, 60 stewards, seven stewardesses, five cooks and four pursers catered to
712-565: A permanent commemorative exhibition on its maritime floor that includes artifacts and a film about the storm and the sinking. It was more than a year before the Union Company ordered a ferry to replace Wahine . In May 1969 it ordered TEV Rangatira , built by a different British shipyard and to a new design. She had accommodation for 159 fewer passengers, and like Wahine could carry more than 200 cars. Rangatira did not enter service until March 1972, almost four years after Wahine
801-413: A routine "precautionary measure". The storm continued to grow more intense. The wind increased to over 250 km/h (160 mph) and Wahine dragged her anchors and drifted into the harbour. At about 11:00, close to the western shore at Seatoun , the anchors finally held. At about the same time the tug Tapuhi reached Wahine and tried to attach a line and bring her in tow, but after 10 minutes
890-580: A schedule of 23 passenger trains and 11 goods trains each way on weekdays. One of the biggest advantages enjoyed by the suburban passenger services on the Lyttelton Line for many years was the lack of competition from the roads due to the absence of a convenient road connection between Lyttelton and Christchurch. This changed with the opening of the Lyttelton road tunnel in 1964, and the passenger rail services were consequently cut as demand declined. Following
979-453: A staple of freight traffic on the line, along with West Coast coal and timber. The railways also formerly handled other bulk traffic for the port such as oil. Sidings to the oil terminals west of the Lyttelton marshalling yard are still in situ, but have long been disused. Though regular ferry services between Wellington and Lyttelton commenced in 1895, and a nightly service from 1905, passengers were required to carry their own luggage between
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#17328590190541068-488: Is mothballed. Until the 1960s, there was little focus on long-distance freight between the major centres. Instead, the Main South Line was used to feed its many branch lines, with the majority of goods trains being local services between regional areas and major centres or harbours in Christchurch ( Lyttelton ), Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin (Port Chalmers), and Invercargill ( Bluff ). A good example of how regionalised this traffic
1157-464: Is notable for several reasons, including: incorporating part of the first public railway in New Zealand, between Ferrymead and Christchurch; including in its route the still operational first railway tunnel in New Zealand; and, having been the site of the first electrified suburban service in New Zealand. Part of the Lyttelton Line was originally operated as New Zealand's first public railway, connecting
1246-658: Is on the site of the former Waltham rail yard. Main South Line The Main South Line , sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway , is a railway line that runs north and south from Lyttelton in New Zealand through Christchurch and along the east coast of the South Island to Invercargill via Dunedin . It is one of the most important railway lines in New Zealand and
1335-575: The 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge that later became New Zealand's uniform gauge. The first section of the line was opened to Rolleston on 13 October 1866. Beyond Rolleston, three routes south were considered: 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
1424-502: The Kaikōura Coast , transporting passengers and cargo between Wellington in the north and Picton or Lyttelton in the south. From 1933 the Union Company's Wellington – Lyttelton service was marketed as the "Steamer Express". The introduction of Wahine in 1966 enabled the withdrawal of TEV Rangatira (1930–1967) from service in 1965 and TEV Hinemoa (1945–1971) in 1966 and the sale of both Rangatira and Hinemoa in 1967. Wahine
1513-588: The North Island . It hit Wellington at the same time as another storm that had driven up the West Coast of the South Island from Antarctica . The winds in Wellington were the strongest ever recorded there. At one point, the wind reached 275 km/h (171 mph) and in one Wellington suburb the wind ripped off the roofs of 98 houses. Three ambulances and a truck were blown onto their sides when they tried to go into
1602-498: The original J class or the Rogers K class , except on the hilly section south of Oamaru where the T class was used. In 1906, the A class was introduced and maintained an eight-hour schedule, though they soon handed over duties to the superheated A class of 1915. The introduction of the J class and J class in 1939 and 1946 respectively was the final development in steam motive power, and they took just 7 hours 9 minutes to haul
1691-557: The " South Island Limited " express from Christchurch to Dunedin. During their heyday, these steam-hauled expresses were famous for the speeds they attained across the Canterbury Plains along a section of track near Rakaia nicknamed the "racetrack". They were replaced on 1 December 1970 by the Southerner , headed by DJ class diesel-electric locomotives . Steam engines continued to operate Friday and Sunday night expresses, and they were
1780-617: The "K" driver made "Josephine" do too much of the work). When trains began to run between Christchurch and Invercargill in a day in November 1904, the main passenger services on the Dunedin-Invercargill section were essentially an extension of the Christchurch-Dunedin trains. When the line was completed in the late 19th century, trains took 11 hours to travel from Christchurch to Dunedin and were usually headed by steam engines of
1869-649: The DJ class, or sometimes the DI class and DSC class . The Port Chalmers services lasted 11 more years and were cancelled in late 1979, followed by the Mosgiel services in December 1982. Between 1908 and 1914, the line to Mosgiel was double-tracked because of the commuter traffic, but it has been converted back to single track since the end of commuter services. On 10 February 2002, the Southerner
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#17328590190541958-521: The Lyttelton Wharf. Though this began in 1897, it was not until 1909 that passengers were able to travel directly from Invercargill to Lyttelton, as previously an overnight stop in Dunedin was required. The express services from Timaru were taken all the way through to Lyttelton by the same locomotives until the mid-1920s. In 1927 the schedules were revised and passengers were given a choice of boat trains in
2047-406: The Lyttelton tunnel in 1914, this never went ahead. The Lyttelton Line has been host to a gamut of train operations, from suburban and long-haul passenger services to freight trains, as well as steam, electric and diesel motive power. From the opening of the Lyttelton tunnel, passenger services were provided on mixed trains which initially ran six times daily. It was not until 5 November 1872 that
2136-473: The Lyttelton tunnel; and electrification in Dunedin from Port Chalmers to Mosgiel. Following the release of the report, it was decided to proceed only with the electrification of the Christchurch – Lyttelton line. In line with the successful electrification of the Otira Tunnel using the 1500 volt DC system with overhead catenary, the same system was chosen for the Christchurch project. English Electric Co.
2225-461: The Main North Line to Rangiora and the Main South Line to Rakaia in 1874 led to a further increase in the frequency of goods services to six per day. Because of its "isolation", Lyttelton was for many years operated as a railway port. The wharves had tracks running on to them from the Lyttelton yards, and cargo was loaded on and off ships at the wharves directly to and from goods trains. Much of
2314-492: The South Island Limited was slowed down by handling mail. When many branch lines were open, local passenger services and "mixed trains" of both passengers and freight were a regular sight on the Main South Line as they made their way to their branch destination, but such trains were progressively cancelled during the 20th century and ceased to exist entirely a number of decades ago. An evening railcar service operated in
2403-557: The area to rescue injured people. As the storms hit Wellington Harbour, Wahine was making her way out of Cook Strait on the last leg of her journey. Although there had been weather warnings when she set out from Lyttelton, there was no indication that storms would be severe or any worse than those often experienced by vessels crossing Cook Strait. At 05:50, with winds gusting at between 100 and 155 km/h (62 and 96 mph), Captain Hector Gordon Robertson decided to enter
2492-406: The cessation of the electrified passenger services in 1970, a limited diesel service continued to operate until the running of the last train on 28 February 1972. Thereafter, the only passenger trains on the line were the non-stop Steamer Express’, or "boat trains", until they were likewise cancelled four years later. The frequency of train running in the early years of operation was limited more by
2581-484: The city of Christchurch to a wharf at Ferrymead. Because of the inaccessibility of the harbour at Lyttelton, shipping traffic berthed at the Ferrymead wharf from which people and supplies were transported to Christchurch by train. The construction of such a long and expensive tunnel and line was controversial in the 1850s and 1860s, see William Moorhouse . Following the opening of the Lyttelton rail tunnel on 9 December 1867,
2670-638: The creation of two short 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. The railway from Dunedin to Clutha was one of the first railways to be built under Vogel's " Great Public Works Policy ". Authorised by the Railways Act 1870 at a cost of £5,000 per mile, the line was the first major line constructed to 1,067 mm gauge. Construction
2759-580: The disaster with a bow thruster, near where the survivors reached the shore at Seatoun. J. G. Churchill Park in Seatoun has a memorial plaque, the ship's anchor and chain, and replica ventilators. A plaque and the foremast are at the parking area near Burdans Gate on the eastern side of the harbour, on the coast where many of the survivors and dead washed up. The main mast forms another memorial in Frank Kitts Park in central Wellington. The Wellington Museum has
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2848-401: The disaster, recalled this event vividly, as her three-year-old daughter Alma drowned in this lifeboat. Some managed to hold onto the overturned boat as it drifted across the harbour to the eastern shore, towards Eastbourne. The three remaining standard lifeboats, which, according to a number of survivors, were severely overcrowded, did manage to reach shore. Lifeboat S2 reached Seatoun beach on
2937-462: The distinction of being the last timetabled passenger services to run on the Lyttelton Line. The main impetus for electrification of the Lyttelton Line was to alleviate the nuisance created by the smoke exhaust of the steam locomotives in the Lyttelton tunnel for passengers and crews alike. Other options tried or investigated for this line were duplication, and an attempt in 1909 to convert a Wf class steam locomotive to oil burning for operation through
3026-526: The earlier Otira locomotives, but later became Ec's, short for E lectrics based at C hristchurch. By 1970, the Ec locomotives had reached the end of their working lives and it was decided that the cost of continuing to maintain the sub-station at Woolston and overhauling the existing locomotives or replacing them could not be justified. Another factor against the electrification was the operational cost of marshalling trains at Christchurch and Lyttelton to add or remove
3115-465: The electric locomotives from trains for just a 10 km (6.2 mi) journey. It was decided to dieselise the line, and accordingly the last electric train ran on Friday, 18 September 1970. All electrical infrastructure on the line was subsequently removed. The suburban passenger trains on the Lyttelton Line made stops at four intermediate stations between Christchurch and Lyttelton. Some of these stations also handled goods traffic. Work on building
3204-529: The electrical overhead came from a sub-station erected at Woolston in which was housed two English Electric rotary converters. They had a rated output of 900 amps, and an 11,035 volt AC input in six phases from two transformers supplied by Lake Coleridge . Standard operation of the sub-station involved the use of the converters on alternate days to allow for maintenance and repair. With the sub-station being located in Woolston, roughly halfway between both termini of
3293-805: The electrification of the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch urban networks, and possibly also Dunedin. It concluded that if the North Island Main Trunk through Johnsonville were electrified, that would delay the need for the Tawa Flat deviation . Also recommended were the electrification of the Wairarapa Line via Haywards as far as Upper Hutt; the electrification of the Hutt Valley Branch; electrification in Auckland out to Henderson and Otahuhu; electrification in Christchurch out to Rangiora and through
3382-478: The electrified section, the greatest distance travelled by the current was a little more than 3 miles (4.8 km). As the entire line was double-tracked, with the exception of the tunnel, there were two parallel paths to supply current to, including some electrified sidings. The total length of electrified track was 10.8 miles (17.4 km), including 4.3 miles (6.9 km) of double-track and 2.2 miles (3.5 km) of single-track. Section isolators were fitted at
3471-416: The elements for several hours while rescue teams tried to navigate the gravel road along the shoreline. It was here that a number of bodies were recovered. At about 14:30, Wahine rolled completely onto her starboard side. Some of the survivors reached the shore, only to die of exhaustion or exposure. Fifty-one people died at the time, and two more died later from their injuries, 53 victims in all. Most of
3560-651: The end of the tunnel and the entrance to Christchurch station so the central section could be operated independently if necessary. The six locomotives ordered for use on the Lyttelton Line were built in 1928 at the Dick Kerr works of the English Electric Co. in Preston. They were similar in many respects to the Eo locomotives deployed at Otira, but had longer bogies and more powerful motors. They were originally classified E, as were
3649-441: The end of the year, she made 67 crossings to Lyttelton. From August 1966, TEV Wahine and TEV Maori (1953–1972) provided a two-ship regular overnight service between Wellington and Lyttleton, with one ship departing from each port each night and crossing during the night. The arrival of Wahine enabled Hinemoa to be withdrawn from service and subsequently sold. TEV Rangatira (1931–1965) had last sailed on 14 December 1965. On
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3738-497: The engines had stopped responding. At 06:40, the ship was driven onto the southern tip of Barrett Reef, near the harbour entrance less than a mile from shore. She drifted along the reef, shearing off her starboard propeller and gouging a large hole in her hull on the starboard side of the stern, beneath the waterline. Passengers were told that the ferry was aground but that there was no immediate danger. They were directed to don their lifejackets and report to their muster stations as
3827-409: The evening of 9 April 1968, Wahine departed from Lyttelton for a routine overnight crossing to Wellington, carrying 610 passengers and 123 crew. In the early morning of Wednesday, 10 April, two violent storms merged over Wellington, creating a single extratropical cyclone that was the worst recorded in New Zealand's history. Cyclone Giselle was heading south after causing much damage in the north of
3916-467: The evening. Those desiring to arrive early had the option of a service departing Christchurch at 19:10, but still had to wait for the arrival of the express and the boarding of its passengers and luggage before the ferry could depart for Wellington. The future of the ferry service was dealt a deleterious blow on 10 April 1968 with the sinking of TEV Wahine in Wellington Harbour . However, it
4005-436: The ferry wharf and Lyttelton station to transfer to a train. It was not until 1902 that express trains ran on to the wharf to collect the passengers and their luggage from beside the ferry. This involved hauling the carriages past Lyttelton station, where another locomotive pulled them around a sharp curve on to No. 2 wharf in front of the station. This wharf was operated by steam locomotives until 1970, as an important aspect of
4094-699: 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, the Ferrymead Railway , on 1 December 1863. 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 ( 5 ft 3 in ), significantly wider than
4183-446: The following months and she was completed in June 1966. She left Greenock , Scotland for New Zealand on 18 June 1966 and arrived at Wellington on 24 July 1966; she sailed on her maiden voyage to Lyttelton one week later, on 1 August. Wahine was 148.7 metres (488 ft) long, had a beam of 21.6 m (71 ft) and was 8,948 gross register tons (GRT). At the time Wahine
4272-434: The form of bulk cargo from large customers. Although passenger services no longer exist, the future of long-distance bulk freight on the line appears secure and the Main South Line is an important link in New Zealand's transport infrastructure. Many secondary and branch lines had junctions with the Main South Line. Below is a list of these lines, all of which are closed unless otherwise noted. TEV Wahine TEV Wahine
4361-554: The frequency and amount she rolled . The hull was divided by 13 watertight bulkheads into 14 watertight compartments. The lifeboat complement was eight large fibreglass lifeboats, two 7.9-metre (26 ft) motor lifeboats each with a capacity of 50 people, six 9.4-metre (31 ft) standard lifeboats each with a capacity of 99 people, and additionally 36 inflatable rafts, each with a capacity of 25 people. Wahine entered service on 1 August 1966 with her first sailing from Wellington replacing TEV Hinemoa (1947–1967). Between then and
4450-460: The goods traffic, especially inwards general cargo, was only consigned as far as Christchurch. This often had the effect of causing serious congestion at the Christchurch station goods yard, with wagons frequently being used for storage. This method of operation remained unchanged until the opening of goods sheds on Cashin Quay in 1965, which heralded the era of containerisation. Containers continue to be
4539-405: The harbour. Twenty minutes later the winds had increased to 160 km/h (99 mph), and Wahine lost her radar. A huge wave pushed her off course and in line with Barrett Reef. Robertson was unable to turn the ship back on course, and decided to keep turning around and back out to sea. For 30 minutes Wahine battled into the waves and wind, but by 06:10 she was not answering her helm and
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#17328590190544628-405: The inadequacy of port facilities rather than the capacity of the railway. All trains of this period on the Lyttelton Line were mixed, with the amount of traffic being insufficient to justify separate freight and passenger services. This remained the case until 5 November 1872 when a new timetable scheduled four goods services per day to accommodate the increasing amount of traffic. The extension of
4717-435: The last regular service in New Zealand to be hauled by a steam locomotive. The Southerner ran to an even faster schedule than the "South Island Limited". The journey between Christchurch and Dunedin was initially cut to just 6 hours 14 minutes, and by utilising two DJs north of Oamaru and three south, the schedule was further cut to 5 hours 55 minutes. Part of these gains resulted from the Southerner not carrying mail , while
4806-470: The last steam passenger trains in New Zealand. This makes New Zealand unusual, as steam saw out its final days on quiet, unimportant branch lines in most countries, while the last regular services operated by New Zealand's steam engines were prominent express passenger trains. This was because the trains' carriages were steam heated, so separate steam heating vans with boilers were required. So on 26 October 1971, an express from Christchurch to Invercargill became
4895-500: The line broke. Other attempts failed, but the deputy harbourmaster , Captain Galloway, managed to climb aboard from the pilot boat . Throughout the morning, the danger of the ship sinking seemed to pass as the vessel's location was in an area where the water depth did not exceed 10 metres (33 ft), and the crew's worst-case scenario was the clean-up once the vessel either arrived in Wellington or had grounded in shallower water. There
4984-404: The line required a reduction in the number of stops made by the passenger trains in 1870. The trains had been stopping at the intermediate stations of Heathcote, Hillsborough (Woolston), and Opawa, but with the adjustments to the timetable, the number of stops at Hillsborough was reduced to two daily. By 1874, it was possible for those trains not needing to stop at Hillsborough or Opawa to complete
5073-425: The major centres rising to prominence. The concentration of exports on fewer ports and the development of containerisation spurred on long-distance freight, and the first freight train from Christchurch to Invercargill was introduced in December 1970 on a 16-hour schedule. Today, to meet the demands of modern business and to compete with road transportation, operations continue to be enhanced, and much traffic comes in
5162-479: The middle of the 20th century and took 6 hours 10 minutes between Christchurch and Dunedin: it was cancelled in April 1976. The Main South Line was used in Dunedin to provide commuter services both north to Port Chalmers and south to Mosgiel . In the days of steam, A , B , and B classes operated suburban trains, though railcars were used on occasion until 1967. In 1968 commuter services were dieselised and operated by
5251-530: The mixed services ceased and a new timetable scheduled 5 daily passenger trains, increasing to seven daily services on 9 February 1876. These services were popular with school pupils travelling from Lyttelton to classes in Christchurch, and with workers travelling from Woolston and Heathcote to jobs in Lyttelton. It was found that the separation of passenger and goods traffic led to a reduction in operational costs, with savings made in fuel and wear-and-tear on machinery. Increases in traffic density and train speed on
5340-442: The needs of the passengers. On trips made during the day Wahine could carry 1,100 passengers, and on overnight crossings 927, in over 300 single-, two-, three- and four-berth cabins, with two dormitory-style cabins each sleeping 12 passengers. Common areas included a cafeteria, lounge, smoke room, gift shop, two enclosed promenades and open decks. Wahine had two vehicle decks with a combined capacity for more than 200 cars. On
5429-535: The passenger rescue and loss of life. TEV Wahine was designed and built for the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand, and was one of many ferries that have linked New Zealand's North and South Islands . The first regular interisland ferry service between Wellington and Picton began in 1875, and the first Wellington – Lyttelton service began in 1895 with the Union Steamship Company vessel SS Penguin . Since then ferries have plied Cook Strait and
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#17328590190545518-544: The portion of the line from the main line to the wharf reverted to branch line status, but quickly lost its traffic to the line through to Lyttelton and became a siding after July 1868. As with other railway lines then under construction by the Canterbury Provincial Council, the line and the tunnel were constructed to accommodate 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ) rolling stock at the behest of contractors Holmes & Richardson of Melbourne , as this
5607-428: The ports of Wellington and Lyttelton in 1966. The Wahine was permitted to carry a maximum of 1,100 passengers on day trips, or 927 berthed passengers on overnight trips. On 10 April 1968, near the end of a routine northbound overnight crossing from Lyttelton , Wahine was caught in a fierce storm stirred by tropical cyclone Giselle . She ran aground on Barrett Reef , then drifted and capsized and sank in
5696-497: 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 high priority on the completion of a line between Christchurch and Dunedin. The act of parliament that established the nation's uniform gauge as 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) granted Canterbury an exemption, permitting it to extend its 5 ft 3 in ( 1,600 mm ) gauge line to Rakaia, which
5785-439: The rough sea. When the weather cleared, the sight of Wahine foundering in the harbour led many vessels to race to the scene, including the ferry GMV Aramoana , tugs, fishing boats, yachts and small personal craft. They rescued hundreds of people. Over 200 passengers and crew reached the rocky shore of the east side of the channel, south of Eastbourne. As this area was desolate and unpopulated, many survivors were exposed to
5874-408: The service was the use of steam to heat the carriages. This work was performed by F-class locomotives until 1964, after which Ab locomotives were used. From the wharf, the express services ran non-stop to Christchurch, where passengers could avail themselves of refreshments or the station dining room before the train continued on to Dunedin. In the opposite direction, the evening express’ terminated on
5963-577: The shallow waters near Steeple Rock at the mouth of Wellington Harbour . Of the 734 people on board, 53 people died from drowning, exposure to the elements, or from injuries sustained in the hurried evacuation and abandonment of the stricken vessel. The unfolding shipwreck drama was covered by radio and television crews, as the Wahine ran aground within a short distance of New Zealand's capital city, Wellington . Newspaper crews, and other journalists and photographers, provided immediate news coverage documenting
6052-449: The ship could be salvaged were abandoned when the magnitude of structural damage became clear. As the wreck was a navigational hazard, preparations were made over the next year to refloat her and tow her into Cook Strait for scuttling . However a similar storm in 1969 broke up the wreck, and it was dismantled (partly by the Hikitia floating crane) where it lay. Wahine Memorial Park marks
6141-574: The sinking of the Italian passenger liner Andrea Doria off the coast of New England in 1956, the severe starboard list left the four lifeboats on the port side useless: only the four on the starboard side could be launched. The first starboard motor lifeboat, boat S1, capsized shortly after being launched. Those aboard were thrown into the water, and many were drowned in the rough sea, including two children and several elderly passengers. Survivor Shirley Hick, remembered for losing two of her three children in
6230-430: The trip to Lyttelton in 15 minutes. Normal service times ranged from 15 to 25 minutes. Primarily motivated by a desire to eliminate the smoke nuisance in the tunnel and to cater for an increasing amount of traffic, the line was electrified in 1929. For most of the period during which electric services operated, 20 return services were provided daily, with the trip taking about 17 minutes. The 1952 working timetable shows
6319-414: The tunnel, a move that proved to be only partially successful, and a study done into the idea of using diesel motive power through the tunnel, an option that was abandoned due to the immaturity of the technology at the time. The government commissioned British consultants Merz & McLellan in 1925 to report on various proposals for electrification of parts of the rail network. Their report recommended
6408-490: The victims were middle-aged or elderly, but the toll included three children; victims dying from drowning, exposure or injuries from being battered on the rocks. Forty-six bodies were found; 566 passengers were safe, as were 110 crew, and six were missing. Ten weeks after the disaster, a court of inquiry found errors of judgement had been made, but stressed that the conditions at the time had been difficult and dangerous. The free surface effect caused Wahine to capsize due to
6497-507: The western side of the channel with about 70 passengers and crew, as did Lifeboat S4, which was severely overcrowded with over 100 people. Heavily overcrowded Lifeboat S3 landed on the beach near Eastbourne , about 5 kilometres (3 mi) away on the opposite side of the channel. Wahine launched her life rafts, but waves up to 6 metres (20 ft) high capsized some of them and many people were killed. She sank in 11.6 metres (38 ft) of water. forcing hundreds of passengers and crew into
6586-603: Was a twin-screw , turbo-electric , roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry . Ordered in 1964, the vessel was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , in Govan , Glasgow , Scotland for the Union Steam Ship Company 's Wellington-Lyttelton Steamer Express Service in New Zealand. The Wahine began transporting passengers on day and overnight trips on New Zealand 's inter-island route between
6675-527: Was a special train hauled by the new Rogers K class locomotive "Washington". Leaving Christchurch at 6 am the train arrived at Dunedin at 6.40 pm; there was a breakfast with the Governor and other official guests at Oamaru, passengers were left behind at intermediate stops, and the train was assisted by the Double-Fairlie "Josephine" between Oamaru and Seacliff (where the engine was left for fitters as Ben Verdon
6764-587: Was already beginning to feel the effects of competition from air services, which were greatly improved with the National Airways Corporation (now Air New Zealand ) introducing Boeing 737-200 aircraft to its main routes in 1968, and by the Railway Departments own road-rail ferry service between Picton and Wellington, which commenced in 1962 and provided considerable time savings, especially to those north of Christchurch. The first service lost
6853-432: Was built by the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in Govan , Glasgow, Scotland. Plans were made by the Union Company in 1961, and her keel was laid on 14 September 1964 as Hull No. 830. Built of steel, her hull was completed in ten months, and she was christened and launched on 14 July 1965 by the Union Company's director's wife. Wahine 's machinery, cargo spaces and passenger accommodations were installed in
6942-423: Was comes from the Dunedin-Invercargill portion of the line. North of Clinton were five branches whose traffic essentially ran to and from Dunedin/Port Chalmers, while south of Clinton were four branches whose traffic essentially ran to or from Invercargill/Bluff. As this short-distance local traffic declined in the 1950s and 1960s and branch lines closed, long-distance freight increased, with through services between
7031-425: Was done on 2 June 1873. Soon after this, the provincial government recognised the need to conform with the uniform gauge and the broad gauge was phased out by 6 March 1876. Construction not only progressed south from the Christchurch end and north from Dunedin, but also from the intermediate ports of Timaru and Oamaru in both directions. Construction was swift through the 1870s, and on 4 February 1876, Christchurch
7120-453: Was indication that the ship would even sail again that evening as usual, albeit later than scheduled while the damage done by the reef was repaired. Around 13:15, the combined effect of the tide and the storm swung Wahine around, providing a patch of clear water sheltered from the wind. As she suddenly listed further and reached the point of no return, Robertson gave the order to abandon ship. In an instance similar to what had occurred during
7209-410: Was linked with Timaru. Just under a year 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, the first 1,067 mm ( 3 ft 6 in ) gauge line in New Zealand. Most of this line became part of the Main South Line, with construction progressing north from
7298-402: Was made in the record time of 10½ minutes, including 3 minutes to traverse the tunnel. Regular electric train services commenced using the new timetables from the following Saturday. Christchurch thus became the first city in New Zealand to receive an electric train service, preceding those inaugurated in Wellington in 1938 (to Johnsonville), 1940 (to Paekakariki) and 1953 (to Taita). Power for
7387-621: 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 , the other part of the South Island Main Trunk. Construction of the Main South Line falls into two main sections: from Christchurch through southern Canterbury to Otago 's major city of Dunedin; and linking the southern centres of Dunedin and Invercargill, improving communication in southern Otago and large parts of Southland . Construction of
7476-476: Was rapid, and the first 10 km section south from Dunedin to Abbotsford opened on 1 July 1874. On 1 September 1875 the line opened to Balclutha ; the major town of the lower Clutha River region and 84 kilometres from Dunedin. At the Invercargill end, construction was swift. The first 17 km to Woodlands opened on 11 February 1874, but the whole section to Gore was not completed until 30 August 1875 as
7565-416: Was the Union Company's largest ship and one of the world's largest passenger ferries. The powerplant was turbo-electric transmission , with four boilers supplying steam to two turbo alternators that drove the twin main propellers and gave a top speed of 22 knots (41 km/h). The ship also had stern and bow thruster propellers to propel her sideways for easier berthing. She had stabilisers that halved
7654-579: Was the early boat train from Christchurch at 19:10 in September 1968. From 1970 "boat train" services were provided by the Southerner , introduced in December of that year, which started its run to Invercargill from Lyttelton. However, patronage continued to decline and the last boat train met the final run of the Rangatira on 14 September 1976. Following the demise of the ferry connection, Southerner trains commenced their journeys from Christchurch. These trains had
7743-463: Was the gauge they were already working with in Victoria . The line remained this way until, following the abolition of provincial government in New Zealand and the establishment of a new uniform national track gauge, the line was converted to 3 ft 6 in ( 1,067 mm ) by April 1876. Double-tracking of the line was completed as far as Heathcote in 1878. Though NZR considered duplicating
7832-402: Was the successful tenderer for the six locomotives, power supply and overhead contact system. The inaugural electric train service on the Lyttelton Line departed Christchurch station for Lyttelton with 18 cars and headed by EC 12 on 14 February 1929 at 15:00. Included in the consist was a ministerial car and two special cars for early Canterbury settlers, guests of the department. The journey
7921-687: Was withdrawn as it was claimed to no longer be economic to operate. As of January 2020, only two regular passenger services utilise small portions of the Main South Line: between Christchurch and Rolleston by the TranzAlpine before it heads along the Midland Line to Greymouth ; and the only passenger trains to use Dunedin Railway Station are those operated by Dunedin Railways , which is as of May 2020
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