|
Stillwater–Ngākawau Line
The Stillwater Ngākawau Line (SNL), formerly the Stillwater–Westport Line (SWL) and the Seddonville Branch, Ngakawau Branch, is a secondary main line, part of New Zealand's Rail transport in New Zealand, national rail network. It runs between Stillwater, West Coast, Stillwater and Hector and Ngakawau, New Zealand, Ngakawau via Westport, New Zealand, Westport on the West Coast, New Zealand, West Coast of the South Island. It was one of the longest construction projects in New Zealand's history, with its first section opened in and the full line completed . Construction A railway link from Greymouth, New Zealand, Greymouth east to Brunner, New Zealand, Brunner was opened in 1876, but work on a link from this point to Westport became delayed for ten years by disputes over the best route to link the West Coast with Nelson, New Zealand, Nelson and Canterbury, New Zealand, Canterbury. Ultimately, the New Zealand Midland Railway Company (NZMRC) was formed to construct the rout ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seddonville Branch
The Seddonville Branch, later truncated as the Ngākawau Branch, is a branch line railway in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. Construction began in 1874 and it reached its terminus at the Mokihinui Mine just beyond Seddonville in 1895. In 1981 it was closed past Ngākawau and effectively became an extension of the Stillwater–Westport Line, since formalised as the Stillwater–Ngākawau Line. Construction The branch was built for transporting coal from mines to the harbour at Westport. Unlike most other railways of the era, there was no expectation that it would open up country for settlement and farming, as the terrain was mountainous and not suited to settlements of significant size. Coalfield surveys had identified significant deposits of bituminous coal on the Mount Rochfort and Stockton plateaus high above the coastal plain and outcrops of sub-bituminous coal had been located at low level close to the rivers at Waimangaroa and Ngākawau. However ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heavy Rail
Various terms are used for passenger railway lines and equipment; the usage of these terms differs substantially between areas: Rapid transit A rapid transit system is an electric railway characterized by high speed (~) and rapid acceleration. It uses passenger railcars operating singly or in multiple unit trains on fixed rails. It operates on separate rights-of-way from which all other vehicular and foot traffic are excluded (i.e. is fully grade-separated from other traffic). It uses sophisticated signaling systems, and high platform loading. Originally, the term ''rapid transit'' was used in the 1800s to describe new forms of quick urban public transportation that had a right-of-way separated from street traffic. This set rapid transit apart from horsecars, trams, streetcars, omnibuses, and other forms of public transport. A variant of the term, ''mass rapid transit (MRT)'', is also used for metro systems in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. Though the term was almost alway ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reefton, New Zealand
Reefton is a small town in the West Coast region of New Zealand, some 80 km northeast of Greymouth, in the Inangahua River valley. Ahaura is 44 km south-west of Reefton, Inangahua Junction is 34 km to the north, Maruia is 63 km to the east, and the Lewis Pass is 66 km to the south-east. In 1888, it was the first town in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere to be lit by electricity, generated by the Reefton Power Station. Reefton was a thriving gold mining town in the late 19th century, and gold mining lasted from the 1870s to the 1950s. Its economy is based on tourism, forestry, coal mining and farming. Reefton is home to the Inangahua County Library. Name The rich veins of gold found in a quartz reef near the town led to its name, originally spelled "Reef Town". Two nicknames in use soon after it was founded were "Rest Town" and "Quartzopolis". The main street, Broadway, was named after West Coast magistrate Charles Broad. The nearby Wealth of Na ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are often attended by dignitaries such as politicians and businesspeople. The actual shovel used during the groundbreaking is often a special ceremonial shovel, sometimes colored gold, meant to be saved for subsequent display and may be engraved. In other groundbreaking ceremonies, a bulldozer is used instead of a shovel to mark the first day of construction. In some groundbreaking ceremonies, the shovel and the bulldozer mark the first day of construction. Meaning When used as an adjective, the term groundbreaking may mean being or making something that has never been done, seen, or made before; "stylistically innovative works". History Groundbreaking ceremonies have been celebrated for centuries in an attempt to begin the construction ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Main North Line, New Zealand
The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk railway, is a railway line that runs north from Christchurch in New Zealand up the east coast of the South Island through Kaikōura and Blenheim to Picton. It is a major link in New Zealand's national rail network and offers a connection with roll-on roll-off ferries from Picton to Wellington. It was also the longest railway construction project in New Zealand's history, with the first stages built in the 1870s and not completed until 1945. Construction The first proposal for a line resembling the present day Main North Line was made in 1861. A proposal for a line linking Christchurch and Blenheim was put before the Marlborough Provincial Council in April 1861. Later that year, the national government passed the Picton Railway Act in October, approving a line from Picton to the Wairau River under the auspices of the Marlborough Provincial Council.General Assembly of New Zealand"The Picto ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harry Holland
Henry Edmund Holland (10 June 1868 – 8 October 1933) was an Australian-born newspaper owner, politician and unionist who relocated to New Zealand. He was the second leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. Early life Holland was born at Ginninderra, now in the northern suburbs of Canberra. Initially, he worked on his parents' farm, but later was apprenticed as a compositor for the ''Queanbeyan Times'' in nearby Queanbeyan. Holland did not receive an extensive education, but developed an enthusiasm for reading. He also became highly religious, joining the Salvation Army. In 1887, Holland left Queanbeyan to work in Sydney. Shortly afterwards, on 6 October 1888, he married Annie McLachlan, whom he had met at a Salvation Army meeting. The two were to have five sons and three daughters. In 1890, however, Holland found himself unemployed, putting the family in a poor financial position. Holland left the Salvation Army at this point, believing that its response to poverty was in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fighting occurring throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific, and parts of Asia. An estimated 9 million soldiers were killed in combat, plus another 23 million wounded, while 5 million civilians died as a result of military action, hunger, and disease. Millions more died in genocides within the Ottoman Empire and in the 1918 influenza pandemic, which was exacerbated by the movement of combatants during the war. Prior to 1914, the European great powers were divided between the Triple Entente (comprising France, Russia, and Britain) and the Triple Alliance (containing Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy). Tensions in the Balkans came to a head on 28 June 1914, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nelson Section
The Nelson Section was an isolated government-owned railway line between Nelson and Glenhope in the Tasman district of New Zealand's South Island. While part of the New Zealand Government Railways, the section was never connected to the national railway network, although there were plans to do so. The line operated for years between 1876 and 1955. Unusually for an isolated line, there were passenger and freight services for most of its existence, with freight outlasting passenger services by just a year. This line is noteworthy for several reasons, including being the last completely isolated section of the government-owned railway network; gaining a reprieve after being closed for the first time until being closed for a second – and final – time; and, its route was chosen to serve existing communities in Nelson's hinterland rather than being constructed to open up new areas for development or serve specific industries. History Nelson was founded as a New Zealand Compa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inangahua Junction
Inangahua is a small settlement in the northwest of New Zealand's South Island. It consists of three settled areas: Inangahua Junction at the confluence of the Inangahua and Buller Rivers, north of Reefton and southeast of Westport; Inagahua Landing, 10 km further up the Inangahua River; and Inangauhua township, 2 km east of the Junction. Murchison is further east. After the 1968 Inangahua Earthquake, most of the inhabitants left the area or shifted to the township, which is now the population centre and known simply as Inangahua. Inangahua's main industries include forestry, coal, farming and sawmilling. There is a small primary school, shops, fire station and earthquake museum. The population of Inangahua and its surrounds was 144 in the 2013 census, a decrease of 15 people from 2006. Name The name of the town refers to ''inanga'', the Māori word for whitebait (''Galaxias'' spp.) and ''hua'', the act of drying and preserving them in sealed containers; the riv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Buller Gorge
The Buller Gorge is a gorge located in the northwest of the South Island of New Zealand. The Buller River flows through the deep canyon between Murchison and Westport. Land Information New Zealand lists two sections for the gorge, Upper Buller Gorge and Lower Buller Gorge. runs alongside, but considerably above, the river through the gorge. The Stillwater - Westport Line railway also runs through the gorge. New Zealand's longest swingbridge at in length spans the Buller River west of Murchison. That area also offers rides on a zip-line across the gorge Buller Gorge Swingbridge Adventure and Heritage Park website. Accessed 2013-09-18. as well as several short |
Te Kuha
Te Kuha is a small village located to the east of Westport in the Buller District of the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located at the western end of the Lower Buller Gorge, with the Buller River flowing through the village. It was the site of a punt that connected Westport to the south bank before the "black bridge" was constructed at Westport itself. runs on the southern bank of the river, and the Stillwater - Westport Line railway runs on the northern bank. This railway was opened to Te Kuha from Westport in 1912, but a connection through the Buller Gorge to connect with the railway in Inangahua Junction was not completed until 1942. Passenger services no longer pass through Te Kuha and the railway mainly transports coal to the east coast port of Lyttelton. There is not much evidence that the village at Te Kuha even existed now in 2023. The road ends as the railway enters the Buller Gorge, and the surrounding flats are used for farming. There are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cronadun
Cronadun is a small village located in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island. It is situated on the east bank of the Inangahua River, near its junction with Boatmans Creek. SH 69 and the Stillwater–Westport Line railway pass through the village. Name Sometimes recorded as ''Cronaden'' and ''Cronadon'', the locality was named by three brothers – Timothy, John, and Dominic Gallagher – after their home in County Donegal. ''Crough na dun'' (Irish:''Cró na Doinne'') means "hill of the fort", and Anglicised is Cronadun. History In 1901 Cronadun had a population of 39, with a hotel, post office, store, and telephone bureau. Railway For a few years, Cronadun was the terminus of the Stillwater–Westport Line as construction progressed from Reefton alongside the Inangahua River towards the Buller Gorge. Cronadun became the terminus in 1908, and the next section to Inangahua Junction Inangahua is a small settlement in the northwest of New Zealand's South ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
.jpg "Click for more on -> Harry Holland")
