100 Years Since First Railway Engine Landed

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30116, 27 April 1963, Page 13

100 Years Since First Railway Engine Landed

On Monday at 11 am. a function to mark the centenary of the landing of the first railway engine for use on a public railway system in New Zealand will be held near the old wharf at Ferrymead, where the engine was landed on May 6. 1863.

The ceremony is being held there by courtesy of Mr I* Sherman, the present owner of the wharf, and is arranged by the National Historic Places Trust in conjunction with the Railway and Locomotive Society. The engine, the Pilgrim, ran on a sft 3in gauge It was made in Bristol. Eng 's nd, by Slaughter and Company and was bought unused in Melbourne by the Provincial

I. was shipped to New Zealand in the vessel Choice, and was transferred to the ketch Sarah tor the trip up the estuary A lighter brought the engine on the final stage

ot its journey to the wharf, which is about 300 yards upstream from the present Heathcote bridge. The Pilgrim was assembled m ■ shed at Ferrymeed while the line between Ferrymead and Christchurch was completed. The laying of the rails was completed on November 6. 1863 The broad-gauge line was last used in 1878, when rolling stock was taken down it on the way to be sold overseas. The Pilgrim was scrapped in 1876

One of the speakers at the ceremony will be the Rev W. A Pierr, a leading Carrierbury railway historian, who is shortly to publish a book on Canterbury railways. There will also be an exhibition of early photographs. In December the Railways Department will hold national celebrations to mark the centenary of the opening of the line.