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Rail car stops
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DescriptionHi can anyone tell me when the railcars from chch to West Coast were running, how many and where did they stop for a cup of coffee? I did it but can't remember where and how many times. It's to prove a point with someone that comes from the coast - Karen Jones
COMMENTS:
Colin Coleman when i was a child they knew to st just before tunnel and then other side then springfeild
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Karen Jones
Karen Jones i know springfield but where else? i thought it was only 2 places but have been told it was more than that and yes as a child cant remember any more than that. :]
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Carolyn Graham
Carolyn Graham Stillwater I think.
Like · Reply · 2 · 18 hrs
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Laura Mills Detlaff
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Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman wasn`counting there lol and case to
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman didn1t count there cause my home there lol
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Robert McNabb
Robert McNabb From memory there was 1 around 10 in the morning both ways and 1 on the evening. Also The Press railcar carrying the papers to Greymouth left ChCh at 1:50 am everyday except Sunday (no refreshment stops). Regular services stopped at Springfield, Otira and Stillwater for refreshments
Like · Reply · 5 · 18 hrs
Wayne Nicholson
Wayne Nicholson That was my regular ride to Kaiata from ChCh. 1.50 am.
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
John Patrick Ward
John Patrick Ward We always cuaght the 1.50 am railcar to grey.
Like · Reply · 8 hrs
Robert McNabb
Robert McNabb Mine too Wayne but I got them to stop where it meets the main road as my Aunt lived near the store. Would light the fire, get my cousins up and be first on the golf course.
Like · Reply · 5 hrs
Steve Lowe
Steve Lowe 1.50am was the Press railcar to Ross... It left Grey at 10ish on the way back. Another one left Chch at 10ish for Ross and departed Greymouth around 6.15pm for the return. There was another one that left Chch about 6.30pm too
Like · Reply · 5 hrs · Edited
Laura Mills Detlaff
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Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman yes thats it
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Heidi Hawke
Heidi Hawke Yes I used that service a lot when I was a teenager stopped at Springfield, Otira, Stillwater from memory
Like · Reply · 5 · 18 hrs
Karen Jones
Karen Jones thankyou :]
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Mason Cooksley
Mason Cooksley When did the tea rooms at Otira close. Have a vague idea I remember them as a child. and the curried mince pies.
Like · Reply · 2 · 18 hrs
Wayne Cannan
Wayne Cannan And the rubber egg sandwiches
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Mason Cooksley
Mason Cooksley Thankfully I avoided them
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Laura Mills Detlaff
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Ann-Maree Duncan
Ann-Maree Duncan $6 to Christchurch and the best filled rolls at Otira
Like · Reply · 4 · 17 hrs
Roy Edwards
Roy Edwards Springfield for morning tea, Otira for lunch!
Like · Reply · 3 · 17 hrs
Anbarbara Duckett
Anbarbara Duckett Started at Ross in morning kids to high school in hokitika, on to greymouth to meet with one to Christchurch, return run Chch to hokitika to Ross end of day but there was also one at night to grey mouth, not sure if it went to hokitika or not as I used to get off at Jackson's, it was quicker to get to hokitika by car from there.
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
Martin Burt
Martin Burt Yep Otira and Springfield were the two stops for refreshments....
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
John Morel-Helen Leach Morel
John Morel-Helen Leach Morel also stopped at Stillwater for refreshments if I remember correctly the Whites ran the tearooms,the railcar to reefton and westport stopped there too
Like · Reply · 8 hrs
Laura Mills Detlaff
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Shona Bell
Shona Bell Stopped at all the little stations in between as we lived in Inchbonnie and used to catch it to town for Doctors and to Arthur's Pass to dentist. Spent half our lives on it xxx
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Gary Riddell
Gary Riddell
Like · Reply · 12 hrs
Julie Steele
Julie Steele Otira and Springfield for cuppa. Great trip did it yearly as a child
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Ken Tomlinson
Ken Tomlinson 1.50 am chch to Ross,got there about 7.30 ready for daytime return to chch.Guard used to come through carriages and turn all seats around between Hokitika and Ross
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Ken Tomlinson
Ken Tomlinson They were lonely trips going and coming to boarding school
Like · Reply · 11 hrs
Kerry Keating
Kerry Keating Stopped at Otira for a crate or two, then back to the luggage part of the railcar. One guard told us not to throw the empties out through the door, then gave us an example of what he meant.
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Mary Moffitt
Mary Moffitt "20 minutes at Stillwater for refreshments."
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Kerry Keating
Kerry Keating Cups solid enough be a good foundation for a new building in town.
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
James Codyre
James Codyre Christchurch to Ross crossing with the Westport railcar at Stillwater.Early morning from Ch Ch to coast was called "the Press railcar
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Steve Lowe
Steve Lowe Stillwater was no longer a stop for refreshments in the 70s but the window were still there in the old refreshments room
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Kerri Lowe
Kerri Lowe thankyou...was thinking to myself don't remember stopping at stillwater that will be why still remember grandad standing at train station in grey in his green jersey and a huge smile ContributorKaren JonesMap[1]
COMMENTS:
Colin Coleman when i was a child they knew to st just before tunnel and then other side then springfeild
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Karen Jones
Karen Jones i know springfield but where else? i thought it was only 2 places but have been told it was more than that and yes as a child cant remember any more than that. :]
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Carolyn Graham
Carolyn Graham Stillwater I think.
Like · Reply · 2 · 18 hrs
View more replies
Laura Mills Detlaff
Write a reply...
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Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman wasn`counting there lol and case to
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman didn1t count there cause my home there lol
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Robert McNabb
Robert McNabb From memory there was 1 around 10 in the morning both ways and 1 on the evening. Also The Press railcar carrying the papers to Greymouth left ChCh at 1:50 am everyday except Sunday (no refreshment stops). Regular services stopped at Springfield, Otira and Stillwater for refreshments
Like · Reply · 5 · 18 hrs
Wayne Nicholson
Wayne Nicholson That was my regular ride to Kaiata from ChCh. 1.50 am.
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
John Patrick Ward
John Patrick Ward We always cuaght the 1.50 am railcar to grey.
Like · Reply · 8 hrs
Robert McNabb
Robert McNabb Mine too Wayne but I got them to stop where it meets the main road as my Aunt lived near the store. Would light the fire, get my cousins up and be first on the golf course.
Like · Reply · 5 hrs
Steve Lowe
Steve Lowe 1.50am was the Press railcar to Ross... It left Grey at 10ish on the way back. Another one left Chch at 10ish for Ross and departed Greymouth around 6.15pm for the return. There was another one that left Chch about 6.30pm too
Like · Reply · 5 hrs · Edited
Laura Mills Detlaff
Write a reply...
Choose File
Colin Coleman
Colin Coleman yes thats it
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Heidi Hawke
Heidi Hawke Yes I used that service a lot when I was a teenager stopped at Springfield, Otira, Stillwater from memory
Like · Reply · 5 · 18 hrs
Karen Jones
Karen Jones thankyou :]
Like · Reply · 18 hrs
Mason Cooksley
Mason Cooksley When did the tea rooms at Otira close. Have a vague idea I remember them as a child. and the curried mince pies.
Like · Reply · 2 · 18 hrs
Wayne Cannan
Wayne Cannan And the rubber egg sandwiches
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Mason Cooksley
Mason Cooksley Thankfully I avoided them
Like · Reply · 1 · 18 hrs
Laura Mills Detlaff
Write a reply...
Choose File
Ann-Maree Duncan
Ann-Maree Duncan $6 to Christchurch and the best filled rolls at Otira
Like · Reply · 4 · 17 hrs
Roy Edwards
Roy Edwards Springfield for morning tea, Otira for lunch!
Like · Reply · 3 · 17 hrs
Anbarbara Duckett
Anbarbara Duckett Started at Ross in morning kids to high school in hokitika, on to greymouth to meet with one to Christchurch, return run Chch to hokitika to Ross end of day but there was also one at night to grey mouth, not sure if it went to hokitika or not as I used to get off at Jackson's, it was quicker to get to hokitika by car from there.
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
Martin Burt
Martin Burt Yep Otira and Springfield were the two stops for refreshments....
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
John Morel-Helen Leach Morel
John Morel-Helen Leach Morel also stopped at Stillwater for refreshments if I remember correctly the Whites ran the tearooms,the railcar to reefton and westport stopped there too
Like · Reply · 8 hrs
Laura Mills Detlaff
Write a reply...
Choose File
Shona Bell
Shona Bell Stopped at all the little stations in between as we lived in Inchbonnie and used to catch it to town for Doctors and to Arthur's Pass to dentist. Spent half our lives on it xxx
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Gary Riddell
Gary Riddell
Like · Reply · 12 hrs
Julie Steele
Julie Steele Otira and Springfield for cuppa. Great trip did it yearly as a child
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Ken Tomlinson
Ken Tomlinson 1.50 am chch to Ross,got there about 7.30 ready for daytime return to chch.Guard used to come through carriages and turn all seats around between Hokitika and Ross
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Ken Tomlinson
Ken Tomlinson They were lonely trips going and coming to boarding school
Like · Reply · 11 hrs
Kerry Keating
Kerry Keating Stopped at Otira for a crate or two, then back to the luggage part of the railcar. One guard told us not to throw the empties out through the door, then gave us an example of what he meant.
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Mary Moffitt
Mary Moffitt "20 minutes at Stillwater for refreshments."
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Kerry Keating
Kerry Keating Cups solid enough be a good foundation for a new building in town.
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
James Codyre
James Codyre Christchurch to Ross crossing with the Westport railcar at Stillwater.Early morning from Ch Ch to coast was called "the Press railcar
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Steve Lowe
Steve Lowe Stillwater was no longer a stop for refreshments in the 70s but the window were still there in the old refreshments room
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Kerri Lowe
Kerri Lowe thankyou...was thinking to myself don't remember stopping at stillwater that will be why still remember grandad standing at train station in grey in his green jersey and a huge smile ContributorKaren JonesMap[1]
West Coast New Zealand History (2nd Jul 2018). Rail car stops. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 9th Jun 2026 11:49, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16125




