The Railways of New Zealand A Journey Through History By Geoffrey B. Churchman & Tony Hurst

The authors tell the story of the Railways of New Zealand from the beginnings when a small crowd at Christchurch farewelled a broad gauge steam locomotive with 4-wheel passenger cars to Ferrymead, 7 km away, to today's high-tech freight operations on 4,200 km of rail network. The broad vision and narrow-mindedness of politicians, the trials and tribulations of different locomotive classes, the engineering brilliance that overcame many natural obstacles, the dogged perseverance of those responsible for the planning and building of some 5,700 km of railway lines throughout New Zealand since 1863 and the changing role of the railway since the end of World War II are documented here.

Illustrated with over 300 photographs, of which nearly half are in full colour, this book recalls to life the changing face of the railway over the last one and a quarter centuries. The "good old days of steam" receive rightful coverage, but the contribution of diesel and electric locomotives is not neglected.

Paperback, 1991(0), 221pages, very good condition