Main North Line
Encyclopedia
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The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway
, is an important railway line that runs north from Christchurch
in New Zealand
up the east coast of the South Island
through Kaikoura
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.
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. However, the political authorisation did not translate into actual construction and no work on building the line was undertaken in the 1860s. In the 1870s the Canterbury Provincial Railways
began to extend their 1,600 mm (5'3") broad gauge
network north from Christchurch through Kaiapoi
and Rangiora, reaching Amberley
in 1876 and Waipara
in 1880 - by this stage, the Canterbury network had been re-gauged to the national gauge
of 1,067 mm narrow gauge and acquired by the central government. At the other end of the line, progress had been made in Marlborough, with a line opened between Blenheim and Picton. Nelson
also sought a connection to the national network, possibly via an extension of the east coast main line or a branch line from it, and the first portion of the Nelson Section
railway had opened in 1877.
In the 1880s, work ground to a halt as debate raged over what route to construct. An 1880 Royal Commission on the state of New Zealand's railways felt that an east coast main line would be premature, but possibly necessary in the future. Contrarily, regional actors in Canterbury
, Marlborough, Nelson, and the West Coast
argued passionately in favour of the proposals that best suited their interests. Canterbury slowly progressed its "Great Northern Railway
" and pursued an inland route from Waipara, reaching Waikari
in 1882, Medbury
in 1884, and Culverden
in 1886. Also in 1882, the Middle Island Railway Extension Commission ('Middle Island' then being the name for the South Island) was established to study proposals for a line northwards, including the following routes:
Interests in Marlborough favoured the coastal proposal and began work on extending their railway south from Blenheim. Canterbury appeared indecisive on a route north; once Culverden was reached in 1886, it was treated as the terminus of the east coast main line, then after roughly 15 years of inactivity, work began on a coastal "branch" north from Waipara at the start of the 20th century. This reached Scargill in 1902, Ethelton in 1905, Domett in 1907, Cheviot
in 1910 (the station was in nearby Mina), and in 1912 the line crossed the Waiau River
with a 706 m long bridge and was opened to Parnassus. Over the next two years, work progressed from Parnassus up the Leader River
valley, with roughly three kilometres of track laid, a few more kilometres of formation
made, preliminary activity undertaken for a diversion of the Hookhamsnyvy Creek
, and work commenced on a bridge across the Leader River. The line was envisaged to then follow a series of inland valleys (such as those of the Conway
and Charwell
Rivers) to Kaikoura. The outbreak of World War I
led to a halt on construction and the track beyond Parnassus was removed. At the other end of the line, work south from Blenheim had completed the line through Seddon
and Ward
, but the onset of war meant that its construction halted at Wharanui
.
Not all work was postponed by the war. A campaign to extend the line from Culverden to Waiau was successful and construction continued through the war, with the line opened to Waiau on 15 December 1919. This boosted the hopes of those seeking an inland route, and more work was undertaken, with 3 km of formation built for a line from Waiau to Kaikoura, but ultimately nothing came of this proposal and the terminus remained in Waiau. The 1920s saw little progress made on the Main North Line as various interest groups, governments, and expert reports contested to achieve their respective desired outcomes. At this stage, both the Leader Valley and Tophouse routes were still possibilities, but it was around this time that proposals of a route out of Parnassus in a more easterly direction than the Leader Valley began to be formulated. This became the present-day route.
In the late 1920s, construction finally recommenced on on the coastal line south of Wharanui, but this soon stopped again when the Great Depression
's effects began to be severely felt. Public pressure for a resumption of work was strong, and as the economy was starting to improve in 1936 the government issued orders for completion in four years. In 1939, the line beyond Parnassus was opened to Hundalee
, but the outbreak of World War II
created more delays and the goal of completion in four years was not achieved. Construction continued through the war, and not long after the resumption of peace the northern and southern railheads met in Kaikoura. The Main North Line from Christchurch to Picton was completed and officially opened on 15 December 1945.
For a number of decades before the connection of the northern and southern ends, the Canterbury section was operated with its terminus in Culverden, even when the coastal route reached Parnassus. The most important passenger train was the Culverden Express
, with carriages for Parnassus detached at Waipara. The express was supplemented by slower mixed train
s. When the Waiau Branch
reached Waiau in 1919 one goods train per day between Christchurch and Culverden was added to the schedule and the passenger train operated twice daily; these services continued to Waiau thrice weekly. The section of the Main North Line between Christchurch and Rangiora also saw commuter services and trains from the Oxford Branch and Eyreton Branch.
In the mid-1920s Parnassus became the primary terminus and the carriages detached in Waipara were conveyed to Culverden. During this period the train was used for trials of the 'Midland Red' paint scheme that came to be used nationwide for passenger carriages until the 1990s.
In 1930 a Royal Commission on New Zealand's railways suggested all passenger services on the southern and northern sections be replaced by mixed trains, but this was not positively received by the public. However, on 29 January 1939 the passenger services on the Waiau line were cancelled.
When the line was completed, the Picton Express
began operating between Christchurch and Picton. A decade after it commenced, the RM class
88 seater
railcar
s were introduced to New Zealand and they were placed in service between Christchurch and Picton.
The scenic value of the route, especially through the Kaikoura area, led to the creation of the tourist-focused Coastal Pacific, an express passenger train that ran between Christchurch and Picton in 5 hours and 20 minutes. It began on 25 September 1988 and runs today as the TranzCoastal. In the summer of 1994/1995 the Lynx Express
met the Lynx fast ferry service in Picton and ran to a faster timetable than the Coastal Pacific. It was unsuccessful and did not operate in subsequent summers.
The Main North Line parts from the Main South Line
in Christchurch. Unlike the Main South Line, few branch line
s diverged from the Main North Line. The three that did were:
In 1960 work commenced on a line to link Nelson and Blenheim, but a change of government led to a change in policy and this project was halted. Presently, no lines branch from the Main North Line, though the first 13 km of the Waiau Branch has been restored as the Weka Pass Railway
and it retains a connection to the Main North Line in Waipara.
The Main North Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway
South Island Main Trunk Railway
The Main North Line between Picton and Christchurch and the Main South Line between Lyttelton and Invercargill, running down the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand, are sometimes together referred to as the South Island Main Trunk Railway...
, is an important railway line that runs north from Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
up the east coast of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
through Kaikoura
Kaikoura
Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 180 km north of Christchurch.Kaikoura became the first local authority to reach the Green Globe tourism certification standard....
and Blenheim
Blenheim, New Zealand
Blenheim is the most populous town in the region of Marlborough, in the north east of the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the regional council. It has a population of The area which surrounds the town is well known as a centre of New Zealand's wine industry...
to Picton
Picton, New Zealand
Picton is a town in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is close to the head of Queen Charlotte Sound near the north-east corner of the South Island. The population was 2928 in the 2006 Census, a decrease of 72 from 2001...
. It is a major link in New Zealand's national rail network
Rail transport in New Zealand
Rail transport in New Zealand consists of a network of gauge railway lines in both the North and South Islands. Rail services are focused primarily on freight, particularly bulk freight, with limited passenger services on some lines...
and offers a connection with roll-on roll-off
RORO
Roll-on/roll-off ships are vessels designed to carry wheeled cargo such as automobiles, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers or railroad cars that are driven on and off the ship on their own wheels...
ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
from Picton to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
. 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 CouncilMarlborough Province
The Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:...
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
Wairau River
The Wairau River is one of the longest rivers in New Zealand's South Island. It flows for 170 kilometres from the Spenser Mountains , firstly in a northwards direction and then northeast down a long, straight valley in inland Marlborough.The river's lower reaches are noted for the surrounding...
under the auspices of the Marlborough Provincial Council. However, the political authorisation did not translate into actual construction and no work on building the line was undertaken in the 1860s. In the 1870s the Canterbury Provincial Railways
Canterbury Provincial Railways
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 , the railway reached most of the Canterbury region by the time the province was abolished in 1876...
began to extend their 1,600 mm (5'3") broad gauge
Broad gauge
Broad-gauge railways use a track gauge greater than the standard gauge of .- List :For list see: List of broad gauges, by gauge and country- History :...
network north from Christchurch through Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi is a town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand, located close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River, and approximately 17 kilometres north of Christchurch....
and Rangiora, reaching Amberley
Amberley, New Zealand
Amberley is a town located in the Hurunui District of north Canterbury, on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 approximately 50 km north of Christchurch...
in 1876 and Waipara
Waipara
Waipara is a small town in north Canterbury, on the banks of the Waipara River.It is at the junction of State Highways 1 and 7 60 kilometres north of Christchurch...
in 1880 - by this stage, the Canterbury network had been re-gauged to the national gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
of 1,067 mm narrow gauge and acquired by the central government. At the other end of the line, progress had been made in Marlborough, with a line opened between Blenheim and Picton. Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
also sought a connection to the national network, possibly via an extension of the east coast main line or a branch line from it, and the first portion of the Nelson Section
Nelson Section
The Nelson Section was an isolated, gauge, government-owned railway line between Nelson and Glenhope in the Tasman district of New Zealand's South Island. It operated for years between 1876 and 1955...
railway had opened in 1877.
In the 1880s, work ground to a halt as debate raged over what route to construct. An 1880 Royal Commission on the state of New Zealand's railways felt that an east coast main line would be premature, but possibly necessary in the future. Contrarily, regional actors in Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
, Marlborough, Nelson, and the West Coast
West Coast, New Zealand
The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland...
argued passionately in favour of the proposals that best suited their interests. Canterbury slowly progressed its "Great Northern Railway
Waiau Branch
The Waiau Branch was a branch line railway in the northern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. Known as the Great Northern Railway for its first few decades of life, the Waiau Branch was seen as part of a main line north but was ultimately superseded by a coastal route...
" and pursued an inland route from Waipara, reaching Waikari
Waikari
Waikari is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on State Highway 7 near the Weka Pass and was served by the Waiau Branch railway from 6 April 1882 until its closure on 15 January 1978...
in 1882, Medbury
Medbury
Medbury is a rural locality in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located just off State Highway 7 near the Hurunui River...
in 1884, and Culverden
Culverden
Culverden is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. The 2006 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings had a usually-resident population of 420. This represented an increase of 7% or 27 people from the previous census in 2001.Culverden is located on State Highway...
in 1886. Also in 1882, the Middle Island Railway Extension Commission ('Middle Island' then being the name for the South Island) was established to study proposals for a line northwards, including the following routes:
- from Culverden to Hanmer SpringsHanmer SpringsHanmer Springs is a small town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located 65 kilometres southwest of Kaikoura , in the Hurunui District. The town lies on a minor road 9 kilometres north of State Highway 7, the northern route between Christchurch and the West Coast...
and TophouseTophouseTophouse, also known as Tophouse Settlement, is a rural locality in the Tasman District of New Zealand's South Island, some 8 km northeast of Saint Arnaud. It is named after a hotel established in the 19th century to service drovers transporting their sheep between Canterbury and Marlborough...
, with the line splitting into two branches in Tophouse, one to Nelson and the other down the Wairau RiverWairau RiverThe Wairau River is one of the longest rivers in New Zealand's South Island. It flows for 170 kilometres from the Spenser Mountains , firstly in a northwards direction and then northeast down a long, straight valley in inland Marlborough.The river's lower reaches are noted for the surrounding...
valley to Blenheim. - from Culverden up the Waiau RiverWaiau River, CanterburyWaiau River is a river in north Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand. The Waiau River rises in the Spenser Mountains and flows eastward to the Pacific Ocean. The Waiau River has the second largest catchment of North Canterbury's rivers....
to Reefton, New ZealandReefton, New ZealandReefton is a small town on New Zealand's West Coast region, some 80 km northeast of Greymouth, in the valley of the Inangahua River. State Highway 7 passes through the southern part of the town, and State Highway 69 runs north to connect to State Highway 6...
, establishing a trans-AlpineSouthern AlpsThe Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
route to the West Coast, followed by a line up the Buller GorgeBuller GorgeThe 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. State Highway 6 runs...
to Nelson. (At this stage, no route for the Midland LineMidland Line, New ZealandThe Midland line is a 212 km section of railway between Rolleston and Greymouth in the South Island of New Zealand. The line features five major bridges, five viaducts and 17 tunnels, the longest of which is the Otira tunnel.-Freight services:...
connecting the east and west coasts had been chosen; this was one of a number of candidates.) - from Waipara up the coast to Blenheim via ParnassusParnassus, New ZealandParnassus is a town located in the Canterbury region's Hurunui District on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is located on the north bank of the Waiau River and the 2001 New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings gave its usually resident population as 900, a decline of 6.8% or...
and KaikouraKaikouraKaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 180 km north of Christchurch.Kaikoura became the first local authority to reach the Green Globe tourism certification standard....
.
Cheviot, New Zealand
Cheviot is a town in the Hurunui District of north Canterbury, on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is on the Main North Line railway and State Highway 1 approximately north of Christchurch. It was originally called Mackenzie after politician John McKenzie, who was closely...
in 1910 (the station was in nearby Mina), and in 1912 the line crossed the Waiau River
Waiau River, Canterbury
Waiau River is a river in north Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand. The Waiau River rises in the Spenser Mountains and flows eastward to the Pacific Ocean. The Waiau River has the second largest catchment of North Canterbury's rivers....
with a 706 m long bridge and was opened to Parnassus. Over the next two years, work progressed from Parnassus up the Leader River
Leader River
The Leader River is a river in the Hurunui District of the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island. It is a tributary of the Waiau River, which it meets near Parnassus...
valley, with roughly three kilometres of track laid, a few more kilometres of formation
Track bed
A track bed or trackbed is the term used to describe the groundwork onto which a railway track is laid. Trackbeds of disused railways are sometimes used for recreational paths or new light rail links....
made, preliminary activity undertaken for a diversion of the Hookhamsnyvy Creek
Hookhamsnyvy Creek
The Hookhamsnyvy Creek is a natural watercourse in the northern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island.The Hookhamsnyvy Creek is north of Parnassus and rises in the Hundalee Hills...
, and work commenced on a bridge across the Leader River. The line was envisaged to then follow a series of inland valleys (such as those of the Conway
Conway River, New Zealand
The Conway River is part of the traditional boundary between the Canterbury and Marlborough regions in the South Island of New Zealand.It arises in the Amuri Range near Palmer Saddle and runs for thirty kilometres south-east through the Hundalee Hills at the south end of the Seaward Kaikoura...
and Charwell
Charwell River
The Charwell River is a river in the northeast of New Zealand's South Island. Its headwaters are in the Seaward Kaikoura Ranges and it feeds into the Conway River, the traditional boundary between Marlborough and Canterbury...
Rivers) to Kaikoura. The outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
led to a halt on construction and the track beyond Parnassus was removed. At the other end of the line, work south from Blenheim had completed the line through Seddon
Seddon, New Zealand
Seddon is a small town in Marlborough, New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1, 25 kilometres south of Blenheim and 20 km north of Ward...
and Ward
Ward, New Zealand
Ward is a small town in Marlborough, New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1, 20 kilometres south of Seddon. Kaikoura is 82 km to the southwest...
, but the onset of war meant that its construction halted at Wharanui
Wharanui
Wharanui is a small village located in Marlborough on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island between Ward and Kaikoura. State Highway 1 and the Main North Line railway both pass through the village. For over a decade, Wharanui was the southern terminus of a railway that ran from Picton...
.
Not all work was postponed by the war. A campaign to extend the line from Culverden to Waiau was successful and construction continued through the war, with the line opened to Waiau on 15 December 1919. This boosted the hopes of those seeking an inland route, and more work was undertaken, with 3 km of formation built for a line from Waiau to Kaikoura, but ultimately nothing came of this proposal and the terminus remained in Waiau. The 1920s saw little progress made on the Main North Line as various interest groups, governments, and expert reports contested to achieve their respective desired outcomes. At this stage, both the Leader Valley and Tophouse routes were still possibilities, but it was around this time that proposals of a route out of Parnassus in a more easterly direction than the Leader Valley began to be formulated. This became the present-day route.
In the late 1920s, construction finally recommenced on on the coastal line south of Wharanui, but this soon stopped again when the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
's effects began to be severely felt. Public pressure for a resumption of work was strong, and as the economy was starting to improve in 1936 the government issued orders for completion in four years. In 1939, the line beyond Parnassus was opened to Hundalee
Hundalee
Hundalee is a rural locality in the Hurunui District of the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It straddles the Conway River, the traditional boundary between Canterbury and Marlborough and is in the Hundalee Hills....
, but the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
created more delays and the goal of completion in four years was not achieved. Construction continued through the war, and not long after the resumption of peace the northern and southern railheads met in Kaikoura. The Main North Line from Christchurch to Picton was completed and officially opened on 15 December 1945.
Operation
Culverden Express
The Culverden Express was a passenger train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between Christchurch and Culverden. It ran from 1886 until its replacement by the Picton Express in 1945 and its route followed both the Main North Line and the Waiau Branch...
, with carriages for Parnassus detached at Waipara. The express was supplemented by slower mixed train
Mixed train
A mixed train is a train that hauls both passenger and freight cars or wagons. In the early days of railways they were quite common, but by the 20th century they were largely confined to branch lines with little traffic. As the trains provided passengers with very slow service, mixed trains have...
s. When the Waiau Branch
Waiau Branch
The Waiau Branch was a branch line railway in the northern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. Known as the Great Northern Railway for its first few decades of life, the Waiau Branch was seen as part of a main line north but was ultimately superseded by a coastal route...
reached Waiau in 1919 one goods train per day between Christchurch and Culverden was added to the schedule and the passenger train operated twice daily; these services continued to Waiau thrice weekly. The section of the Main North Line between Christchurch and Rangiora also saw commuter services and trains from the Oxford Branch and Eyreton Branch.
In the mid-1920s Parnassus became the primary terminus and the carriages detached in Waipara were conveyed to Culverden. During this period the train was used for trials of the 'Midland Red' paint scheme that came to be used nationwide for passenger carriages until the 1990s.
In 1930 a Royal Commission on New Zealand's railways suggested all passenger services on the southern and northern sections be replaced by mixed trains, but this was not positively received by the public. However, on 29 January 1939 the passenger services on the Waiau line were cancelled.
When the line was completed, the Picton Express
Picton Express
The Picton Express was a passenger express train operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between Christchurch and Picton. It ran from December 1945 until February 1956, and was thus the shortest-lived provincial express in New Zealand.- Introduction :...
began operating between Christchurch and Picton. A decade after it commenced, the RM class
NZR RM class
The RM class is the classification used by the New Zealand Railways Department and its successors given to most railcars and railbuses that have operated on New Zealand's national rail network. As NZR and its successors has operated many diverse types of railcars, alternate names have been given...
88 seater
NZR RM class (88 seater)
The NZR RM class 88-seaters were a class of railcar used in New Zealand, known unofficially as 'articulateds', 'twinsets', 'Drewrys' and 'Fiats'. They were purchased to replace steam-hauled provincial passenger trains and mixed trains...
railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
s were introduced to New Zealand and they were placed in service between Christchurch and Picton.
The scenic value of the route, especially through the Kaikoura area, led to the creation of the tourist-focused Coastal Pacific, an express passenger train that ran between Christchurch and Picton in 5 hours and 20 minutes. It began on 25 September 1988 and runs today as the TranzCoastal. In the summer of 1994/1995 the Lynx Express
Lynx Express (train)
The Lynx Express was a long-distance passenger train in the South Island of New Zealand that ran the length of the Main North Line between Picton and Christchurch...
met the Lynx fast ferry service in Picton and ran to a faster timetable than the Coastal Pacific. It was unsuccessful and did not operate in subsequent summers.
Branch lines
Main South Line
The Main South Line, sometimes referred to as part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway, is a railroad line that runs north and south from Lyttelton in New Zealand through Christchurch and along the east coast of the South Island to Invercargill via Dunedin...
in Christchurch. Unlike the Main South Line, few branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
s diverged from the Main North Line. The three that did were:
- Eyreton Branch (junction at Eyreton Junction, closed in 1954)
- Oxford Branch (junction at Rangiora, closed in 1959)
- Waiau BranchWaiau BranchThe Waiau Branch was a branch line railway in the northern Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. Known as the Great Northern Railway for its first few decades of life, the Waiau Branch was seen as part of a main line north but was ultimately superseded by a coastal route...
(junction at WaiparaWaiparaWaipara is a small town in north Canterbury, on the banks of the Waipara River.It is at the junction of State Highways 1 and 7 60 kilometres north of Christchurch...
, closed in 1978)
In 1960 work commenced on a line to link Nelson and Blenheim, but a change of government led to a change in policy and this project was halted. Presently, no lines branch from the Main North Line, though the first 13 km of the Waiau Branch has been restored as the Weka Pass Railway
Weka Pass Railway
The Weka Pass Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway based in Waipara, North Canterbury. It is operated on a 12 km length of the former Waiau Branch railway between Waipara and Waikari. The railway is operated by an incorporated society whose members come from all walks of life and are largely...
and it retains a connection to the Main North Line in Waipara.