Branch EGM + “Looking Back – New Zealand”

Presenter: Bill Jagger

The October meeting opened with an EGM, significantly set up to elect two new members of the Branch Committee as Secretary Bob Green and Treasurer David Beeken were both retiring in October at the year end of the Society.  In their places Peter Mann and David Ellis were unanimously confirmed by the members as their replacements.

Entertainment for the evening comprised of a tour around New Zealand presented by Chairman Bill Jagger which commenced on North Island with a visit to the Museum of Transport in Auckland at which many preserved main line locomotives were to be found including some of UK origins. Innumerable historical standard gauge trams catered for rides around the museum yards.

A visit to a coal fired power station at Rotorua preceded a South bound Kiwi Rail tourist diesel hauled train journey from Hamilton to Wellington featuring a mid-journey tour of the engine depot at Paekakariki.  The engine shed remnants at Ohakune were visited before venturing onto South Island via the Wellington to Picton ferry sailing across the Cook Strait.

South Island adventures were to feature a riding of the Trans-Alpine train to Christchurch journeying southwards via Greymouth on the West Coast, Otira and through the National Park of Arthur’s Pass.  Railway pictures aplenty described the journey in full.

A day around the Ferrymead Heritage Park in Christchurch where several interesting diesel, electric locomotives, steam engines and trams were to be seen.  Significantly, a number of the preserved engines are employed on their internal railway system which was originally built as part of New Zealand’s first public railway.  As such it was to be the closing feature of the presentation.  This wide-ranging programme from lands afar was very much enjoyed by the well attended meeting.