The fairlie flyer was the name the 6 locals ’ gave to a simple branch-line railway link¬ ing a series of country towns with the coastal city of Timaru. Within this book you will read the history, legends and local stories of this railway. The people who worked and travel¬ led on it, and the part it played in the lives of the numerous rural communities it served so well.
4 Farewell to the Fairlie Flyer ’ was first published for the commemorative run of the train on March 2, 1968. This revised second edition has been produced by public demand, with the main intention of pre¬ serving for all time another part of our districts history.
The fate of this 36 - mile branch-line is still uncertain, but one thing is sure — if the Fairlie Railway was to continue for another generation, those colourful adventurous days of the 6 Flyer ’ would never return again. It is those times we are proud to record within these pages.
W. H. Timmings, Publications Section Fairlie Flyer Committee
Opening of the Railway to Fairlie Creek
The fallowing account of the first excursion train appeared in the Timaru Herald of 31 /I /1884.
‘ The extension of the Albury branch railway from Albury to Fairlie Creek was opened for general traffic on Monday last, and this event was celebrated yesterday by the running of an excursion train from Timaru to the new terminus of the line. The importance to Timaru of increased facilities of communication with the interior was practically acknowledged by the townspeople, a requisition being handed to the Mayor asking him to proclaim a public holiday in Timaru, in order to allow business people and others to honour the occasion by joining in the excursion. The proclamation was made, and the holiday was well kept, nearly all the shops being closed. Special arrangements were made by the railway authorities for the excursion, a number of carriages being brought down from Christchurch on Tuesday night. Yesterday morning a train was made up consisting of fourteen carriages and brake van and two engines, — An American, the 4 Washington 9 and one of the F class — and, seeing the numbers of people who were crowding the platform as the hour of starting drew nigh, a couple more carriages were put on, with the view of accommodating comfortably all who might join the train at Pleasant Point and Albury, as well as those booking at Timaru. Fewer people joined at those places than was expected, however, and the long train was by no means full, the total number of passengers disembarking at Fairlie Creek being estimated at about 600, — a nice little crowd, however, to turn loose in that unsophisticated little country township. The previous night had been wet, and the morning was dull, and very many who went only made up their minds at the last moment, on seeing that the sky was gradually getting brighter, and there seemed to be a good prospect of a fine day after all, otherwise the number of holiday makers would probably have been considerably larger. As it turned out, a finer day could not have been desired, except that a clearer sky would have permitted the mountains surrounding Fairlie Creek to be seen to better advantage. Mr F. Back, District Traffic Manager; Mr A. Smith, Superintendent of the Locomotive Department; Mr J. Jones, Stationmaster at Timaru; and Mr Dickenson, Locomotive Foreman, accompanied the train, and among the excursionists were the Mayor of Timaru, Mr Sutter, M.H.R. for Gladstone, a iarge number of business men of Timaru, and a good many 4 old identities ’ who had been familiar with Fairlie Creek in the old days, and desired a pleasant 4 shock ’ from seeing the iron horse careering over ground where they had been accustomed to canter their horses of bone and sinew, without the thought of railways or excursion trains.
The train started punctually at the time appointed, and as the long string of carriages wound around the curves near town, allowing its length to be seen by the passengers, many were the jokes made about its 4 astonishing the natives.’ The two engines labored heavily in taking the train, with cold and still wheels, through the cuttings round the Bay, belching forth steam and dust and ashes like minature Krakatoas, and if any unusual degree of redness is noticed in the sunset skies of the next few days, it may be attributed by anyone who pleases to this outburst. The outward journey was not very eventful. The only stations called at were Pleasant Point and Albury. At the former about 100 persons joined the train, and a good many more, including a host of cheering and hat-and-handkerchief-waving, school children were assembled to see the train pass. As a matter of course, no such train having passed up the line before, every resident along the line came out to see it pass, both going out and returning. At Albury about a score of adults, and the school children in a body, were added to the load, and the place was left apparently deserted, and most disconsolate looking. The scenery along the route presents little that is very remarkable, but plenty that is interesting enough. A mist obscured the distant hills, compelling a closer attention to the nearer features of the country passed through. As far as the Cave there were crops of grain to see, whitening to the harvest, and plump cattle and sheep happy among plentiful feed, and cottages and homesteads scrattered among the paddocks, looking very calm and peaceful in contrast with the hurry and rattle of the train. At the Cave the cave was looked for, and its vicinity declared to be the place for a picnic ramble. The Tengawai River here runs near the line, and it was seen to be much discoloured, though not in high flood, indicating that a good deal of rain had fallen among the hills during the night. The cave on the right hand side has its opposite on the other side, in the shape of a prominent block of limestone which withstood the action of the destructive forces — glaciers, probably — which carried away its former neighbours. Seen from this side
the Cave Station this rock had a remarkable resemblance to a dog’s head, very much in repose, a very disconsolate dog, with very tearful eyes. (Has this observation ever been made before ?) For several miles beyond the Cave, nearly all the way to Fairlie Creek in fact, the line runs along a narrow valley. The country to the left is monotonous and not at all interesting from a scenic point of view. On the right, however, rises the steep, slip-scarred western face of The Brothers, its general brown tints relieved by many strips and patches of green scrub in its narrow gullies, by the black or yellow strips of water channels running straight from top to bottom, and here and there by a silver thread of water trickling over a rocky edge. Half way from Albury to Fairlie Creek the line enters Mr Gillingham’s downs through which it passes a series of heavy cuttings, which gave the excursionists glimpses of the 4 interior ’, and showed that Mr Gillingham’s land has a depth of subsoil he will never plough to the bottom of. The new station of Cricklewood and Winscombe, one at each end of the series of cuttings, were passed at full speed. Each station consists of a siding and a shingle platform, a small portion of the latter covered over by a leanto shed — forming a 4 sixth class ’, not a first class station. The cuttings are of considerable depth, and to save the expense of making them still deeper, the line rises to them on each side by very heavy grades. Mounting the upgrade made the engines puff; descending the downgrade, which is continued over a long embankment across Coal Gulley, steam was shut off, and gravity took the train down flying, at a very cheap rate. In one of the hollows
‘as far as Cave there were crops of grain to see, whitening to the harvest.’
between the cuttings the 4 Fairlie Creek coal mine’ was passed. The mouth of the pit or drive was within a few yards of the line. There was no sign of activity in the coal trade. Possibly the miners were on strike. Possibly there is no demand for the coal. It contains too much sulphur; 4 stinks like H-ades ’ say they who have tried it. While crossing Coal Gulley, the Fairlie Creek district comes into view, a triangular plain surrounded by mountains or high downs backed by mountains. Right ahead lay the Two Thumb range, its upper half unfortunately hidden by clouds; to the left the western continuation of the Hunter Range; and to the right, close at hand, the western end of the Brothers, left by the really stupendous and almost impassible gorge through which the river Opihi finds its way out of this deep basin, and further on, the rugged western summit of Mount Four Peaks. The Ashwick Flat, on which the outlines of a few good sized farms were to be made, backed by a long sloping stretch of tussock, lay in the middle distance, and in the foreground, divided from the last by the now muddy stream of the Opihi, Mr Gillingham’s and Mr McLean’s well-grassed paddocks. A little more expenditure of steam, and the houses of Fairlie Creek appeared in sight; still a little more and the excursionists were jumping from the train at the station, and reading from a conspicuous placard, 4 Welcome, Timaru. Better late than never.’
On arriving at the terminus, each one of us was left to his own devices. Three or four coaches were in readiness to convey to Burkes Pass those who desired to make the trip. These appeared at first to have some difficulty in obtaining patronage, but eventually six or seven coach and express loads set out for that township. About a dozen persons procured vehicles and visited the gorge; the rest contented themselves with strolling about the township and in the river bed. Where the fresh in the river obliged them to observe that the Upper Opihi resembles other Canterbury rivers in having a decided aversion to bridges. Mr J. G. Allen’s new mill came in for a good share of attention, a large number taking advantage of the permission given to inspect it. Unfortunately it could not be sung 4 Merrily goes the mill wheel,’ because the stock of grain was exhausted, and it does not pay to grind mill stones for exhibition or any other purpose. Soon after the party arrived the sun aided for a time by a light breeze from the west, succeeded in dissapating to a considerable extent the clouds which had hidden the mountain tops and during the afternoon the Two Thumb range looked very beautiful, with its big brown summit, flecked and checkered with brilliant patches of
now, appearing above the thin cloud which wreathed the range, the Mount Four Peaks stood out clear and bold, but snowless and less richly coloured. The sky overhead became quite clear and after three o’clock the sun shone very powerfully, making the air rather uncomfortably warm. The visitors were heartily congratulated by the residents on being favoured with such agreeable weather, and the visitors as heartily returned the compliment.
A large marquee had been erected near Mr Winter’s Hotel and various conjectures were hazarded as to its purpose, 4 luncheon booth ’ being the most favoured. About half an hour after the arrival of the train this is thrown open, and its purpose was the more surely guessed. Along the middle was erected a table on which were displayed bottles of 4 fizz ’, provided by the residents and champagne glasses. A general move was made towards the marquee, the crowd finding more room outside than in, notwithstanding that a good many persons had by this time strayed away. The only formal ceremony of the day being commenced.
Mr F. W. Marchant, Engineer and Clerk to the Mackenzie County Council within whose territory Fairlie Creek lies, addressed the visitors. He had been requested by the inhabitants to bid them welcome to Fairlie Creek, and he did so with great pleasure. He was very glad indeed that the sun had conceeded to shine on their visit. The Fairlie Creek line, if he may take a liberty with a quotation, has been a case of 4 linked ironwork long drawn out.’ It was now practically finished, however, and he trusted that it would be of great service both to the district and to Timaru. He ventured to predict that the district opened up by the extension of the line had a great future before it, and that with the important means of communication now provided, time alone was needed to render it a source of great commercial benefit to the town and port of Timaru. He had much pleasure, therefore, in bidding a hearty welcome to His Worship the Mayor of Timaru, to Mr Sutter, Member for Gladstone, and to the other visitors from Timaru.
Mr J. Jackson, Mayor of Timaru, returned thanks for the welcome given them. He quite appreciated the remark of Mr Marchant that the line would be of great benefit to Timaru, for if it were not for the trade of the
country districts, he for one would not be able to live. The town, he had
always felt, was dependent on the country, it was through the prosperity of the country people that the townspeople must look for theirs.
He believed with Mr Marchant that this district had a great future before it, and the opening of the railway would bring that future nearer.
Mr J. H. Sutter, M.H.R. for the district, also returned thanks for the welcome accorded them. They could hardly appreciate the trouble he had had to get the station placed where it was, and possibly some ill feeling had been aroused in the mind of the beaten party. He hoped and believed, however,
that it would soon be forgotten, and it would come to be universally
acknowledged that the line was finished so far, he thought that it would prove sufficient, and further extensions be unnecessary for some some years to come.
Mr F. Back, district Traffic Manager, proposed 4 success to the Fairlie Creek District ’. In doing so he said that if the country were likened to the backbone of the town, the railway might safely be likened to its spinal marrow. Many years ago he had been a cadet in this district, and at that time any person who should have ventured to say that within his lifetime there would be a railway up to Fairlie Creek would have been looked upon
as neither more nor less than a madman; yet a railway to Fairlie Creek was now an accomplished fact. Mr Back remarked that he looked upon this district and the Mackenzie country as the Sanatorium of Canterbury and stated that he was in communication with the Government on the subject of making arrangements for the issue of excursion tickets through by train and coach to Lake Tekapo at a low price. If that could be arranged he anticipated it would result in an increase in railway traffic, and in benefit to the people, they would thus be enabled to avail themselves of the re-invigorating atmosphere of the mountains amid grand and beautiful scenery. He begged to propose 4 success to the Fairlie District’.
The toast was warmly received, and three hearty cheers given after which the champagne was liberally circulated, and the formal proceedings terminated.
Mention must not be neglected of the preparations made by Mr Winter, of the Fairlie Creek Hotel, to meet the demands for refreshments for so large an influx of visitors. On the way up it was remarked that he could not have expected so many, and would be ill-prepared. Suffice it to say that the table in his dining room was laid and relaid time after time, and the last man got a capital luncheon as well as the first, while ladies, of whom there was a good proportion among the excursionists, were well attended to and supplied with a cup of good tea in a separate room. A good many small parties took 4 hampers ’ with them, and lunches on the grass beside one or other of the many little streams near the township, and others were invited guests of neighbouring settlers.
As the time fixed for the return drew nigh, the coaches returned from Burke’s Pass, the strollers collected near the station, and by the time appointed 5.20 p.m. all had taken their seats on the train without confusion or trouble. The platform was crowded with residents of the township and neighborhood, and as the train moved off hearty cheers were given on both sides. The return journey was made without mishap and in good time, scarcely two hours being consumed. The very best of good humour had been shown all day, and all the visitors to Fairlie Creek appeared to have enjoyed their excursion immensely.’
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