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Resident Arthur McIver in front of the house available as a motel unit, Otira.
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DescriptionStephen Wright.."There is a common misconception that the Otira railway houses were prefabricated in Hamilton. In actual fact, both the Otira and Arthur's Pass houses were built by Love Brothers from Port Chalmers. This is well documented in newspaper reports from 1922 and 1923. Their contract with the Railways Department (NZR) was also mentioned in 'A Bob Both Ways, Celebrating 100 Years of Naylor Love'. They ran into financial difficulties but reached a settlement with their creditors which enabled them to carry on, subsequently building a number of the railway houses at Springfield. There were good reasons why NZR would not sent prefabricated houses to the South Island and I can explain these if anybody is interested."
After the tunnel was opened Otira became a railway settlement with drivers, guards, maintenance staff for the rolling stock and the staff houses, and engineers to service the steam engines which pulled the trains between Otira and the coast and the electric locomotives which pulled the trains up through the tunnel.
Chris Hennah at the Otira Hotel has been enthusiastically researching the history of the settlement. “Thought you might like another piece of information about the houses in the Railway village. These were built in Frankton Junction (near Hamilton) then taken apart and numbered and transported down to Otira by rail.
I think this might have been the first large scale prefabrication of houses in New Zealand. They were erected each side of Settlement Road in 1923 and I understand Eddie Evans (Senior) was involved in this part of the construction.”
Passenger trains stopped at the Otira station refreshment rooms. There was a hostel for women working for the railways. As there were no cooking facilities they had all their meals at the station. In the 1960s there were over 600 people in the settlement.Map[1] External LinkOtira, a West Coast SettlementContributorHeather Newby
After the tunnel was opened Otira became a railway settlement with drivers, guards, maintenance staff for the rolling stock and the staff houses, and engineers to service the steam engines which pulled the trains between Otira and the coast and the electric locomotives which pulled the trains up through the tunnel.
Chris Hennah at the Otira Hotel has been enthusiastically researching the history of the settlement. “Thought you might like another piece of information about the houses in the Railway village. These were built in Frankton Junction (near Hamilton) then taken apart and numbered and transported down to Otira by rail.
I think this might have been the first large scale prefabrication of houses in New Zealand. They were erected each side of Settlement Road in 1923 and I understand Eddie Evans (Senior) was involved in this part of the construction.”
Passenger trains stopped at the Otira station refreshment rooms. There was a hostel for women working for the railways. As there were no cooking facilities they had all their meals at the station. In the 1960s there were over 600 people in the settlement.Map[1] External LinkOtira, a West Coast SettlementContributorHeather Newby
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Location (city or town)OtiraPersonArthur McIver
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CommentsPauline Mountford Prefabricated houses were used a lot in the early days. New Zealand’s first prefabricated house was a gift from New South Wales Governor Philip Gidley King to Te Pahi following the Ngāpuhi chief’s visit to Sydney. It was erected on an island in the Bay of Islands in 1806. The house was later destroyed by whalers in retribution for the 1809 Māori attack on the ship Boyd.
Fergus Pickens I think there were similar houses near GTHS on the main road south
Heather Newby There are the same sort of houses in Ngaio, Wellington too
Mary Moffitt And three of them in a row near the Railway station in Stillwater. I got my knee stuck in the palings of the front porch when I was about 7 at a birthday party at Prime's house. They had to dismantle the porch. I was mortified.Lois Wotton My late husband David and I lived in Otira in the early 1960s. I remember very good times there...a really good group of people there at that time. We lived in a house this style. Lois Wotton nee Twohill (ps I remember you from school days Fergus Pickens!)
Mary Moffitt Louis, was Alan Twohill your father? We knew him well.
Lois Wotton Yes Mary. I do remember you and your family well too. Lois
Delwyn Hughes I love reading about Otira, my mum grew up their and grandad was in the railways back in the 40's
Jean Wilson John Leaker was a Plumber in Otira 60s
Fergus Pickens Lois
I Rembert you also at St Marys
Donald Hibbs when we refer to the main lines at Otira, we refer to the side witth the houses on it as the house main and the other as the south main.
Roger Reid There are three of these in barrytown
Mark Burgess is old Arthur still there ? yes I helped the trucking company remove one of the houses as no one wanted to live in it after the death of a toddler
Merle Brown Hi Lois you and I were in Otira at the same time it was a great time. Everybody seemed to mix well, pictures at the hall and the farewells were something to behold.
Lois Wotton Yes Merle, do remember those good times...where have the years gone?
Selwyn Eagle Check the calender.
2
Mark Burgess oh Buggar oh well he died doing what he has done for years. I had the Shop up Further that was burnt down in 2000 before that I used to live in the school teachers house which I believe is now private as well
Heather Newby I stayed there with my sister about 1966.. we were both about 12 and 13.. we babysat for a couple who were going to the Saturday night dance. It was humming back in those days,, a lot of families there then.
Allison Riding I lived there in the early 80s in one of the houses at the western end of the main st... it's no longer there. Worked at the refresh rooms. Short time there but loved it.
Mark Burgess Allison Riding yes unfortunately a person who was on the fire brigade also lit the houses on fire just so he could be seen putting them out he is the same person who set my shop on fire
Allison Riding Sadly that's more common than I ever thought it would be Mark Burgess. Terrible thing to do.
Mark Burgess I know Paul Chambers won't be forgotten for that sort of thing
Allison Riding I had heard that some of the houses had been moved up north. Is that not the case then Mark?
Mark Burgess Allison Riding Not that I am aware of I know that several were moved towards cobden, and along the inland road from jacksons, but the costs of moving a house North ?? just the fairy would be costly, No Paul Chambers Burnt about 5 houses when Mum lived there she was in two different houses as well. she moved away shortly after I moved in to Otira
Allison Riding Must be mistaken then. We visited in 1999 to show the kids where we lived. Just the foundation and chimney were left and a few old cars in the back yard. Was about 5 up from the social hall on the side closest to the river. Same style as the one in this photo. We had a fire there in '84 I think it was and the fire brigade attended. Our fuse board burst into flames.
Mark Burgess Allison Riding oh no Paul set fire to them he was caught running away from one of the houses he had just set fire to and busted his Ankle up, he was caught after the town was sold coming out of the fire station as well as he wanted some of the stuff, and he was seen running away from my shop when I had the old Otira Tea rooms ( Via Duct Cafe )
Martin Griffin Also in Cobden. Railway Place off Fox st at the Hall st end.
Tim Grubb Here's one https://www.bookabach.co.nz/baches-and-holiday.../view/20097
Peg Port We lived there in late 5os l worked in refresh
Ed was a shunted
Katarina Leaf-Dobbs I love the railways houses, very distinctive style and a quite grace. There is a street in Hamilton that is all old style railway houses. My childhood house in Taumarunui was this style in the photo.
Allison Riding Most of the houses were in two styles, alternating up the main street. The one we lived in the front door opened straight into the lounge room. It had and open fire with three fireplaces, in the lounge, the (huge) kitchen and one of the three bedrooms. The other style had a passage from the front to another passage at the back of the house. The station master's house was the only one in the street that was different. Used to get four hours of sun in winter. Only lived there for 18 months but many good memories.
Dave Lyes Better than kiwi build
Tania Wilson I lived in the house that backed on to the subway for 10 yrs from 81 .Great place for the kids to grow up. We had about 14 pool teams, play centre ,Country women's institute, indoor heated pool, badminton, a large fire brigade, search and rescue,netbll, rugby, softball. Ministry of work. And many moNaomi Tainui-Jones Tania Wilson I loved staying there with you and your family, we all made memories.. see you in August xx
Allison Riding 'Aint that the truth.
Shona Ratana Enjoyed travelling through Otira on the train and railcar looking at these houses and wondering who lived in them?
Daniel Dennehy Sunshine Tce,Arthurs Pass.
Ronald John Amberger My grandfather, Gordon Patterson was working at Otira building the railway houses in the 1930's. He went on tobecome
Ronald John Amberger Follow on from above message the local undertaker in Greymouth then selling the business to his brother Les Patterson
Mark Burgess Actually Les was only the manager for a Mr Burrell from Auckland, but he got to keep the profits from the hotel that he and Pat run with the help from their Daughter Brenda
Ronald John Amberger I think I have some photos of him building there, try and dig out sometime
Mark Burgess yes he was only the rental manager or landlord though for Mr Burrell whom lived in Auckland, the owner of the tea rooms about 2km up the road was going to buy the township but he took too long to do a deal that is when it was sold to Mr & Mrs Christine Hennah
Katarina Leaf-Dobbs I love the railways houses, very distinctive style and a quite grace. There is a street in Hamilton that is all old style railway houses. My childhood house in Taumarunui was this style in the photo.
Allison Riding Most of the houses were in two styles, alternating up the main street. The one we lived in the front door opened straight into the lounge room. It had and open fire with three fireplaces, in the lounge, the (huge) kitchen and one of the three bedrooms…See More
Dave Lyes Better than kiwi build
Tania Wilson I lived in the house that backed on to the subway for 10 yrs from 81 .Great place for the kids to grow up. We had about 14 pool teams, play centre ,Country women's institute, indoor heated pool, badminton, a large fire brigade, search and rescue,netbll, rugby, softball. Ministry of work.Allison Riding Certainly was alot going on there for such a small place.
Tania Wilson Allison Riding That's only some of it lol.Naomi Tainui-Jones Tania Wilson I loved staying there with you and your family, we all made memories.. see you in August xx
Allison Riding 'Aint that the truth.
Shona Ratana Enjoyed travelling through Otira on the train and railcar looking at these houses and wondering who lived in them?
Daniel Dennehy Sunshine Tce,Arthurs Pass.
Ronald John Amberger My grandfather, Gordon Patterson was working at Otira building the railway houses in the 1930's. He went on tobecome
Ronald John Amberger Follow on from above message the local undertaker in Greymouth then selling the business to his brother Les Patterson
Mark Burgess Actually Les was only the manager for a Mr Burrell from Auckland, but he got to keep the profits from the hotel that he and Pat run with the help from their Daughter Brenda
Mark Burgess Actually Ronald John Amberger who is the under taker in Greymouth now, as it used to be Dave from westport, and is he still involved in the Rodders club ?
Ronald John Amberger I think I have some photos of him building there, try and dig out sometime
Mark Burgess yes he was only the rental manager or landlord though for Mr Burrell whom lived in Auckland, the owner of the tea rooms about 2km up the road was going to buy the township but he took too long to do a deal that is when it was sold to Mr & Mrs Christine Hennah
Bob Homewood Really interested in anything about the old houses and the Frankton connection ,at one stage I had a little book that listed the different styles of houses etc that were built and prefabed out from there ,I think it included other station buildings etc and possibly some of the wooden road over-bridges ,unfortunately I loaned it and it never came back
Kay Green Lived in otira 1953
Paulette Clark My dad (Tom Lord) was a train examiners in Otira in the late 40s early 50s. So loved living there. We girls were shipped off to. St. Marys Boarding School in Hokituka as dad thought Andrew.A. Anderson the headmaster of the little school was more interested in teaching mountaineering than the "3Rs" wonderful times.Colin Pattinson Wonder if they had insulation
Mark Burgess the landlord of that village now days would be in the poop I tell you
Colin Pattinson Mark Burgess for sure Mark
Victor Smithers Mark Burgess hey mate long time no see ..remember calling up on c b ordering hamburger on my way through Otira.. I'm still driving truck through there daily .where you these days
Christine Hennah Mark Burgess The current landlord (Lester Rowntree) is flat out doing the underfloor insulation. The ceilings were done earlier.
Google Frankton Railway House Fabrication
Can I suggest you circulate an circulate a short article on the place- NZs first production line…See
I have been to the place lots. There is a coffee shop in the complex which has a most interesting booklet about the factory
Work visiting if anyone is going that way…See More
Michael Nottingham The old railway houses don't look to good now. Dilapidated like the hall where we used to go to the movies in the 60's. Unfortunately Otira village is not looking it's best..Christine Hennah Go have a look at the hotel. We sold hotel to Lester 5 years ago, village 3 years. He's working on it but I know how hard it is to compete with the weather when you try to paint outside. Give him a chance.
Kay Green
My father was an electrician for the railway We were living at otira 1953/54
Denise Green
My dad was the stationmaster from 72-76. Lots of memories of our years and the youth group discos at the hotel when the Becketts owned it.
Jennifer Gaskell
I lived there in 1956 -57, My Dad was on the railway there, He was Kevin O'Keefe, he is mentioned in the Book Railway through the Rata, when the Rail Car ran away out of the tunnel, Dad was working that night, very stressful for him, Mum is also mentioned in your book.
Fergus Pickens I think there were similar houses near GTHS on the main road south
Heather Newby There are the same sort of houses in Ngaio, Wellington too
Mary Moffitt And three of them in a row near the Railway station in Stillwater. I got my knee stuck in the palings of the front porch when I was about 7 at a birthday party at Prime's house. They had to dismantle the porch. I was mortified.Lois Wotton My late husband David and I lived in Otira in the early 1960s. I remember very good times there...a really good group of people there at that time. We lived in a house this style. Lois Wotton nee Twohill (ps I remember you from school days Fergus Pickens!)
Mary Moffitt Louis, was Alan Twohill your father? We knew him well.
Lois Wotton Yes Mary. I do remember you and your family well too. Lois
Delwyn Hughes I love reading about Otira, my mum grew up their and grandad was in the railways back in the 40's
Jean Wilson John Leaker was a Plumber in Otira 60s
Fergus Pickens Lois
I Rembert you also at St Marys
Donald Hibbs when we refer to the main lines at Otira, we refer to the side witth the houses on it as the house main and the other as the south main.
Roger Reid There are three of these in barrytown
Mark Burgess is old Arthur still there ? yes I helped the trucking company remove one of the houses as no one wanted to live in it after the death of a toddler
Merle Brown Hi Lois you and I were in Otira at the same time it was a great time. Everybody seemed to mix well, pictures at the hall and the farewells were something to behold.
Lois Wotton Yes Merle, do remember those good times...where have the years gone?
Selwyn Eagle Check the calender.
2
Mark Burgess oh Buggar oh well he died doing what he has done for years. I had the Shop up Further that was burnt down in 2000 before that I used to live in the school teachers house which I believe is now private as well
Heather Newby I stayed there with my sister about 1966.. we were both about 12 and 13.. we babysat for a couple who were going to the Saturday night dance. It was humming back in those days,, a lot of families there then.
Allison Riding I lived there in the early 80s in one of the houses at the western end of the main st... it's no longer there. Worked at the refresh rooms. Short time there but loved it.
Mark Burgess Allison Riding yes unfortunately a person who was on the fire brigade also lit the houses on fire just so he could be seen putting them out he is the same person who set my shop on fire
Allison Riding Sadly that's more common than I ever thought it would be Mark Burgess. Terrible thing to do.
Mark Burgess I know Paul Chambers won't be forgotten for that sort of thing
Allison Riding I had heard that some of the houses had been moved up north. Is that not the case then Mark?
Mark Burgess Allison Riding Not that I am aware of I know that several were moved towards cobden, and along the inland road from jacksons, but the costs of moving a house North ?? just the fairy would be costly, No Paul Chambers Burnt about 5 houses when Mum lived there she was in two different houses as well. she moved away shortly after I moved in to Otira
Allison Riding Must be mistaken then. We visited in 1999 to show the kids where we lived. Just the foundation and chimney were left and a few old cars in the back yard. Was about 5 up from the social hall on the side closest to the river. Same style as the one in this photo. We had a fire there in '84 I think it was and the fire brigade attended. Our fuse board burst into flames.
Mark Burgess Allison Riding oh no Paul set fire to them he was caught running away from one of the houses he had just set fire to and busted his Ankle up, he was caught after the town was sold coming out of the fire station as well as he wanted some of the stuff, and he was seen running away from my shop when I had the old Otira Tea rooms ( Via Duct Cafe )
Martin Griffin Also in Cobden. Railway Place off Fox st at the Hall st end.
Tim Grubb Here's one https://www.bookabach.co.nz/baches-and-holiday.../view/20097
Peg Port We lived there in late 5os l worked in refresh
Ed was a shunted
Katarina Leaf-Dobbs I love the railways houses, very distinctive style and a quite grace. There is a street in Hamilton that is all old style railway houses. My childhood house in Taumarunui was this style in the photo.
Allison Riding Most of the houses were in two styles, alternating up the main street. The one we lived in the front door opened straight into the lounge room. It had and open fire with three fireplaces, in the lounge, the (huge) kitchen and one of the three bedrooms. The other style had a passage from the front to another passage at the back of the house. The station master's house was the only one in the street that was different. Used to get four hours of sun in winter. Only lived there for 18 months but many good memories.
Dave Lyes Better than kiwi build
Tania Wilson I lived in the house that backed on to the subway for 10 yrs from 81 .Great place for the kids to grow up. We had about 14 pool teams, play centre ,Country women's institute, indoor heated pool, badminton, a large fire brigade, search and rescue,netbll, rugby, softball. Ministry of work. And many moNaomi Tainui-Jones Tania Wilson I loved staying there with you and your family, we all made memories.. see you in August xx
Allison Riding 'Aint that the truth.
Shona Ratana Enjoyed travelling through Otira on the train and railcar looking at these houses and wondering who lived in them?
Daniel Dennehy Sunshine Tce,Arthurs Pass.
Ronald John Amberger My grandfather, Gordon Patterson was working at Otira building the railway houses in the 1930's. He went on tobecome
Ronald John Amberger Follow on from above message the local undertaker in Greymouth then selling the business to his brother Les Patterson
Mark Burgess Actually Les was only the manager for a Mr Burrell from Auckland, but he got to keep the profits from the hotel that he and Pat run with the help from their Daughter Brenda
Ronald John Amberger I think I have some photos of him building there, try and dig out sometime
Mark Burgess yes he was only the rental manager or landlord though for Mr Burrell whom lived in Auckland, the owner of the tea rooms about 2km up the road was going to buy the township but he took too long to do a deal that is when it was sold to Mr & Mrs Christine Hennah
Katarina Leaf-Dobbs I love the railways houses, very distinctive style and a quite grace. There is a street in Hamilton that is all old style railway houses. My childhood house in Taumarunui was this style in the photo.
Allison Riding Most of the houses were in two styles, alternating up the main street. The one we lived in the front door opened straight into the lounge room. It had and open fire with three fireplaces, in the lounge, the (huge) kitchen and one of the three bedrooms…See More
Dave Lyes Better than kiwi build
Tania Wilson I lived in the house that backed on to the subway for 10 yrs from 81 .Great place for the kids to grow up. We had about 14 pool teams, play centre ,Country women's institute, indoor heated pool, badminton, a large fire brigade, search and rescue,netbll, rugby, softball. Ministry of work.Allison Riding Certainly was alot going on there for such a small place.
Tania Wilson Allison Riding That's only some of it lol.Naomi Tainui-Jones Tania Wilson I loved staying there with you and your family, we all made memories.. see you in August xx
Allison Riding 'Aint that the truth.
Shona Ratana Enjoyed travelling through Otira on the train and railcar looking at these houses and wondering who lived in them?
Daniel Dennehy Sunshine Tce,Arthurs Pass.
Ronald John Amberger My grandfather, Gordon Patterson was working at Otira building the railway houses in the 1930's. He went on tobecome
Ronald John Amberger Follow on from above message the local undertaker in Greymouth then selling the business to his brother Les Patterson
Mark Burgess Actually Les was only the manager for a Mr Burrell from Auckland, but he got to keep the profits from the hotel that he and Pat run with the help from their Daughter Brenda
Mark Burgess Actually Ronald John Amberger who is the under taker in Greymouth now, as it used to be Dave from westport, and is he still involved in the Rodders club ?
Ronald John Amberger I think I have some photos of him building there, try and dig out sometime
Mark Burgess yes he was only the rental manager or landlord though for Mr Burrell whom lived in Auckland, the owner of the tea rooms about 2km up the road was going to buy the township but he took too long to do a deal that is when it was sold to Mr & Mrs Christine Hennah
Bob Homewood Really interested in anything about the old houses and the Frankton connection ,at one stage I had a little book that listed the different styles of houses etc that were built and prefabed out from there ,I think it included other station buildings etc and possibly some of the wooden road over-bridges ,unfortunately I loaned it and it never came back
Kay Green Lived in otira 1953
Paulette Clark My dad (Tom Lord) was a train examiners in Otira in the late 40s early 50s. So loved living there. We girls were shipped off to. St. Marys Boarding School in Hokituka as dad thought Andrew.A. Anderson the headmaster of the little school was more interested in teaching mountaineering than the "3Rs" wonderful times.Colin Pattinson Wonder if they had insulation
Mark Burgess the landlord of that village now days would be in the poop I tell you
Colin Pattinson Mark Burgess for sure Mark
Victor Smithers Mark Burgess hey mate long time no see ..remember calling up on c b ordering hamburger on my way through Otira.. I'm still driving truck through there daily .where you these days
Christine Hennah Mark Burgess The current landlord (Lester Rowntree) is flat out doing the underfloor insulation. The ceilings were done earlier.
Google Frankton Railway House Fabrication
Can I suggest you circulate an circulate a short article on the place- NZs first production line…See
I have been to the place lots. There is a coffee shop in the complex which has a most interesting booklet about the factory
Work visiting if anyone is going that way…See More
Michael Nottingham The old railway houses don't look to good now. Dilapidated like the hall where we used to go to the movies in the 60's. Unfortunately Otira village is not looking it's best..Christine Hennah Go have a look at the hotel. We sold hotel to Lester 5 years ago, village 3 years. He's working on it but I know how hard it is to compete with the weather when you try to paint outside. Give him a chance.
Kay Green
My father was an electrician for the railway We were living at otira 1953/54
Denise Green
My dad was the stationmaster from 72-76. Lots of memories of our years and the youth group discos at the hotel when the Becketts owned it.
Jennifer Gaskell
I lived there in 1956 -57, My Dad was on the railway there, He was Kevin O'Keefe, he is mentioned in the Book Railway through the Rata, when the Rail Car ran away out of the tunnel, Dad was working that night, very stressful for him, Mum is also mentioned in your book.
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West Coast New Zealand History (17th May 2021). Resident Arthur McIver in front of the house available as a motel unit, Otira.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 4th Apr 2026 10:12, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/16447