NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Main South Line

The Main South Line is half of the South Island Main Trunk Railway in New Zealand and runs south from Lyttelton through Christchurch and down the east coast of the South Island to Invercargill via Dunedin. It is one of the most important railway lines in New Zealand and 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, which is the other half of the South Island Main Trunk. The South Island Main Trunk Railway runs down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, from Picton to Bluff. ... Lyttelton can be: One of the Barons Lyttelton. ... Situated on the Eastern coast, Christchurch is the principal city of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The South Island The South Island forms one of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the North Island. ... Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost settlements in the world. ... Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, located in coastal Otago. ... // Events and trends Technology The First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States is built in the six year period between 1863 and 1869. ... A view of the harbour in Picton. ...

Construction

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 the first section of the line began in 1865 and the whole line from Lyttelton to Invercargill was completed on 22 January 1879. Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England and nominal head of the Anglican Communion. ... Otago (helpÂ· info) is one of the regions of New Zealand and lies in the south-east of the South Island. ... Otago (helpÂ· info) is one of the regions of New Zealand and lies in the south-east of the South Island. ... Categories: New Zealand-related stubs | Southland, New Zealand | Territorial Authorities of New Zealand ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Christchurch-Dunedin Section

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 southern 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, 1600 millimetres (5 feet 3 inches), significantly wider than the 1067 mm (3 foot 6 inch) 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: (For the current top-level subdivision of New Zealand, see Regions of New Zealand) Provinces in New Zealand were used from 1841 until the Abolition of the Provinces Act came into force on November 1, 1876. ... Introduction The Ferrymead Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway built upon the formation of New Zealands first public railway, the line from Ferrymead to Christchurch, which opened in 1863. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ... Great Western Railway broad gauge steam locomotives awaiting scrapping in 1892 after the conversion to standard gauge. ... A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ... Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails which make up a railway track. ... Rolleston is a satellite town of Christchurch, Located next to State highway 1 on the Canterbury Plains in the South Island of New Zealand. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years). ... 1866 (MDCCCLXVI) is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

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, the provincial government was so short of finances that construction was temporarily halted. Location of the Canterbury Plains The Canterbury Plains is an area bounded by the foothills of the Southern Alps and the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The town of Rakaia is seated close to the southern banks of the Rakaia River on the Canterbury Plains in New Zealands South Island. ... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

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 1067 mm granted Canterbury an exemption permitting it to extend its 1600 mm gauge line to Rakaia, which 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. Sir Julius Vogel (February 24, 1835 - March 12, 1899) was New Zealands first Jewish prime minister. ... 2 June is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

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 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. Timaru is a major port city in south Canterbury, New Zealand, located 160 kilometres south of Christchurch and about 200 kilometres north of Dunedin on the eastern Pacific coast of the South Island. ... pronunciation[?] Waitaki District Council building, Thames Street, Oamaru Oamaru is the largest town of North Otago in New Zealands South Island, and serves as its principal centre. ... // Events and Trends Technology The invention of the telephone (1876) by Alexander Graham Bell. ... February 4 is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1877 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

At the southern end, the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway had been opened on 1 January 1873, becoming the first 1067 mm gauge line in New Zealand. Most of this line became part of the Main South Line, with construction progressing north from 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, some 310 kilometres south of Christchurch but only 57 kilometres north of Dunedin. The construction south from Oamaru resulted in the creation of two insignificant 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. January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... The Port Chalmers Branch was the first railway line built in Otago, New Zealand, and linked the regions major city of Dunedin with the port in Port Chalmers. ... The Moeraki Branch was one of the most short-lived railway lines in New Zealand. ... The Shag Point Branch was a short branch off the Main South Line on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Dunedin-Invercargill Section

In 1871, the Dunedin and Clutha Railway was one of the first authorised railways under Vogel's "Great Public Works Policy", and construction was rapid. This was the first major line constructed to 1067 mm gauge, and the first section south from Dunedin was opened to Abbotsford on 1 July 1874. On 1 September 1875, the line was opened to the major town of the lower Clutha River region, Balclutha, some 84 kilometres from Dunedin. 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Geography The Clutha River is the second longest river in New Zealand and flows south-southeast for 340 kilometres through Central and South Otago to the Pacific Ocean, 75 kilometres south west of Dunedin. ... Looking across the Clutha towards the town centre. ...

At the Invercargill end, construction was swift, and Gore was reached on 30 August 1875. From here, undulating countryside necessitated heavier earthworks to Balclutha, completing the route from Dunedin to Invercargill, and this construction was completed on 22 January 1879. As the line from Dunedin to Christchurch had been finished on 7 Sptember 1878]], this created a rail link all the way from Invercargill to Christchurch and completed the Main South Line. Gore is a town and surrounding borough in the South Island of New Zealand. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... January 22 is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Operation

Passenger services

For much of New Zealand's railway history, the passenger service from Christchurch to Dunedin was the flagship of the railway. 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 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 AB class of 1915. 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A locomotive (from lat. ... The original J class were steam locomotives with the wheel arrangement of 2-6-0 that were built in 1874 to operate on the railway network of New Zealand. ... The members of the Rogers K class were some of the first steam locomotives of American design to be used on New Zealands railways. ... The T class was the first class of steam locomotive made by Baldwin to operate in New Zealand. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Preserved No. ... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

The introduction of the J class and JA class in 1939 and 1946 respectively was the final development in steam motive power, and they took just 7 hours 9 minutes to haul 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 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, but heating technology evolved and on 26 October 1971, an express from Christchurch to Invercargill became the last regular steam service, until limited re-introduction on The Overlander in 2005. During the 1930s J-class yachts were built to race in the Americas Cup. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... A locomotive (from lat. ... October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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. However, it should be noted that part of these gains resulted from the fact that the Southerner did not carry mail, while the South Island Limited did and was slowed down by deliveries of this mail during the journey. The Southerner was a famous passenger express train that ran in New Zealands South Island along the Main South Line between Christchurch and Invercargill via Dunedin. ... Postbox redirects here. ...

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 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, AB, B, and BA classes operated suburban trains, though railcars were used on occasion until 1967. In 1968 commuter services were dieselised and operated by 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 now it has been converted back to single track. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Not to be confused with railroad car. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1976 calendar). ... Commuting is the process of travelling from a place of residence to a place of work. ... Panorama overlooking the Port. ... Panorama of the view from the summit of Flagstaff Hill near Dunedin. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Recently, the Main South Line lost the last passenger service that utilised nearly all of the line's length. On 10 February 2002, the Southerner was cancelled as it was claimed to no longer be economic to operate. Now only two regular passenger services utilise small portions of the Main South Line. The most northerly part between Christchurch and Rolleston is used by the TranzAlpine before it heads along the Midland Line to Greymouth, and the only passenger trains to now use the beautiful Dunedin station are heritage services operated by the Taieri Gorge Railway. February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Midland Line is a suburban railway line in Perth, Western Australia. ... Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region on the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. ... Dunedin Railway Station clocktower (left). ... The Taieri Gorge Railway is a railway based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand. ...

Freight services

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 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 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. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... Lyttelton on a sunny day Lyttelton (43. ... Panorama of the view from the summit of Bluff Hill near Invercargill Bluff is a town and seaport located in the Southland region on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. ... Clinton is a small town in South Otago, in New Zealands South Island. ... // Events and trends This map shows two essential global spheres during the Cold War in 1959. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ...

Today, to meet the demands of modern business and to compete with road transportation, operations continue to be enhanced, and much traffic comes in 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.

List of secondary and branch lines

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.

The Bluff Branch is a railway line in Southland, New Zealand that links Invercargill with the port of Bluff. ... The Catlins River Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealands national rail network. ... The Fernhill Branch is a railway line in Otago, New Zealand. ... The Kaitangata Line was a branch line railway in Otago, New Zealand. ... The Kingston Branch was a major branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Wairio Branch is a branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Methven Branch was a branch line railway that was part of New Zealands national rail network in Canterbury. ... Midland Line is a suburban railway line in Perth, Western Australia. ... Greymouth is the largest town in the West Coast region on the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. ... The Moeraki Branch was one of the most short-lived railway lines in New Zealand. ... The Mount Somers Branch, sometimes known as the Springburn Branch, was a branch line railway in the region of Canterbury, New Zealand. ... The Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches were two connected branch lines in northern Otago, New Zealand that formed part of the national railway system. ... The Taieri Gorge Railway is a railway based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Outram Branch was a branch line railway near Dunedin, Otago that operated from 1877 to 1953 as part of New Zealands national rail network. ... The Port Chalmers Branch was the first railway line built in Otago, New Zealand, and linked the regions major city of Dunedin with the port in Port Chalmers. ... The Shag Point Branch was a short branch off the Main South Line on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Tapanui Branch was a railway line located near the border of the regions of Southland and Otago, New Zealand. ... The Tokanui Branch, also known as the Seaward Bush Branch, was a railway line located in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Waikaka Branch was a railway line that ran through agricultural and gold-mining country in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Waimate Branch was a railway line built in south Canterbury, New Zealand to the major rural town of Waimate. ... The Waimea Plains Railway was a secondary railway line (not a branch line) that linked the towns of Lumsden and Gore in northern Southland, New Zealand. ... The Walton Park Branch was located in Otago, New Zealand and operated from 1874 until 1957, except for the first section, which survived until 1980. ... The Wyndham Branch, also known as the Glenham Branch, was a railway line in Southland, New Zealand. ...

External link

References

Category: Railway lines in New Zealand // NZ National Rail Network These are lines that are part of the national network currently owned by New Zealand Railways Corporation, a government company trading as ONTRACK. Most of them were constructed by national or local government bodies of New Zealand from 1863 onwards. ... The North Island Main Trunk Railway (NIMT) is the railway line connecting Auckland and Wellington, the two major cities of New Zealands North Island. ... The South Island Main Trunk Railway runs down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, from Picton to Bluff. ... The North Auckland Line is a major railway line in New Zealands national rail network. ... The Waimea Plains Railway was a secondary railway line (not a branch line) that linked the towns of Lumsden and Gore in northern Southland, New Zealand. ... The Dargaville Branch is a branch line railway that leaves the North Auckland Line not far south of Whangarei and runs westward to Dargaville. ... The Donnellys Crossing Section (later the Donnellys Crossing Branch), also known as the Kaihu Valley Railway, was a railway line in Northland, New Zealand. ... The Kumeu-Riverhead section was a short-lived railway line located north-west of Auckland, New Zealand. ... The Auckland-Newmarket Line (sometimes called the Newmarket Branch) is the railway line between Britomart and Newmarket. ... The Okaihau Branch, sometimes known as the Kaikohe Branch and rarely as the Rangiahua Branch, was a branch line railway that joined with the national rail network of New Zealand at the northern terminus of the North Auckland Line in Otiria. ... The Onerahi Branch, sometimes known as the Grahamstown Railway, was a branch line railway in the Northland Region of New Zealand. ... The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway (sometimes erroneously called the Opua Branch, once the Otiria-Opua Industrial Line) is a former section of the North Auckland Line in the Northland Region of New Zealand between Kawakawa and the Bay of Islands township of Opua. ... The Foxton Branch was a railway line in New Zealand. ... The Taonui Branch was a minor railway line in New Zealands national network. ... The Methven Branch was a branch line railway that was part of New Zealands national rail network in Canterbury. ... The Mount Somers Branch, sometimes known as the Springburn Branch, was a branch line railway in the region of Canterbury, New Zealand. ... The Waimate Branch was a railway line built in south Canterbury, New Zealand to the major rural town of Waimate. ... The Bluff Branch is a railway line in Southland, New Zealand that links Invercargill with the port of Bluff. ... The Catlins River Branch was a branch line railway that formed part of New Zealands national rail network. ... The Fernhill Branch is a railway line in Otago, New Zealand. ... The Hedgehope Branch, also known as the Browns Branch, was a branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand that started life in the 1880s as a privately owned bush tramway. ... The Kingston Branch was a major branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Moeraki Branch was one of the most short-lived railway lines in New Zealand. ... The Mossburn Branch was a branch line railway in New Zealand from Lumsden on the Kingston Branch to the town of Mossburn in western Southland. ... The Ngapara and Tokarahi Branches were two connected branch lines in northern Otago, New Zealand that formed part of the national railway system. ... The Outram Branch was a branch line railway near Dunedin, Otago that operated from 1877 to 1953 as part of New Zealands national rail network. ... The Port Chalmers Branch was the first railway line built in Otago, New Zealand, and linked the regions major city of Dunedin with the port in Port Chalmers. ... The Shag Point Branch was a short branch off the Main South Line on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Tapanui Branch was a railway line located near the border of the regions of Southland and Otago, New Zealand. ... The Tokanui Branch, also known as the Seaward Bush Branch, was a railway line located in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Tuatapere Branch, including the Orawia Branch, was a branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Waikaia Branch, also known as the Switzers Branch, was a branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Waikaka Branch was a railway line that ran through agricultural and gold-mining country in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Wairio Branch is a branch line railway in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Walton Park Branch was located in Otago, New Zealand and operated from 1874 until 1957, except for the first section, which survived until 1980. ... The Wyndham Branch, also known as the Glenham Branch, was a railway line in Southland, New Zealand. ... The Kaitangata Line was a branch line railway in Otago, New Zealand. ... The Sanson Tramway was a tramway in the Manawatu region of New Zealand that operated from 1885 until 1945. ... The Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR) was a railway between Thorndon in Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, and Longburn, near the town of Palmerston North, in the Manawatu. ...

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