Canterbury Provincial Railways

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The Canterbury Provincial Railways were an early part of the railways of New Zealand. Built by the Canterbury Provincial government to the broad gauge of 5 feet 3 inches (1600 mm), the railway reached most of the Canterbury region by the time the province was abolished in 1876.

[edit] History

New Zealand's first public railway was opened at Ferrymead in 1863. In 1867, the line to Ferrymead was made redundant when a tunnel was opened to the port of Lyttelton in 1867.

Once this connection was established, linking Christchurch to its harbour, the Canterbury Provincial Railways proceeded to expand into rural regions. Two lines were proposed, the Main South Line down the east coast to Timaru and eventually Dunedin, and the Main North Line up the east coast towards Marlborough. Both lines were initially built to the broad gauge; the furthest extent of the Main South Line's broad gauge was Rakaia, reached in June 1873; the furthest extent of the Main North Line was Amberley 50km north of Christchurch.

By the time the provinces were abolished and the Provincial Railways absorbed into the national network, the entire Canterbury network had been converted from broad gauge to 1,067mm (3'6") narrow gauge.

[edit] Motive power

All motive power of the railway was imported from Melbourne, Victoria in Australia.