Construction of the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel

Rail Tunnel

Rail Tunnel

Rail Tunnel

Rail Tunnel

Entrance to the tunnel on the Christchurch railway

Heathcote Railway Tunnel

30 July 2003

Area: South East / Heathcote

Source: Kete Christchurch

Reference ID: CCL-Kete-39846

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

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Martindales Road Railway Overbridge

circa 2000

Currently labelled Bridge 3 Main South Line, but originally referred to as Bridge No.1, the Martindales Road railway underpass was quite possibly the oldest extant railway bridge in the country, depending on how much original material remains of the Opawa Bridge. It is also rare if not unique in having brick abutments.

Area: South East / Heathcote

Source: Kete Christchurch

Reference ID: CCL-Kete-3204

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Martindales Road Railway Overbridge

circa 2000

Area: South East / Heathcote

Source: Kete Christchurch

Reference ID: CCL-Kete-3201

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Martindales Road Railway Overbridge

circa 2000

Currently labelled Bridge 3 Main South Line, but originally referred to as Bridge No.1, the Martindales Rd railway underpass was quite possibly the oldest extant railway bridge in the country, depending on how much original material remains of the Opawa Bridge.

Area: South East / Heathcote

Source: Kete Christchurch

Reference ID: CCL-Kete-3200

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Heathcote Railway Tunnel Portal

30 July 2003

Area: South East / Heathcote

Source: Kete Christchurch

Reference ID: CCL-Kete-39843

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Construction of the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel

1867

The Lyttelton portal of the Lyttelton Rail Tunnel with construction workers. Man with top-hat is Edward Dobson, Provincial Engineer.

Area: South East / Lyttelton

Source: Ephemera 25

Reference ID: CCL-KPCD02-0023

Uploaded by: Christchurch City Libraries

Entrance to the tunnel on the Christchurch railway

Circa 1868

Contractors drilled the railway tunnel through the Port Hills from Heathcote to Lyttelton and completed it in 1867. The first train passed through the tunnel on 18 November 1867. It is 1.6 miles long, cost £240,000, and was the first time a complete section of an extinct volcano had been cut. The scheme was promoted by the Canterbury Superintendent, William Sefton Moorhouse as a government scheme to get around the problem of farmers transporting their goods to Lyttelton either over the Bridle Path or the very difficult Sumner Road. Goods could be taken over the Sumner Bar but this too was dangerous.

Area: South East / Heathcote