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Inside the Otira tunnel - ALBUM -
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DescriptionThe well known Otira tunnel with a view of it that not many people get to see of it. The gate way to Westland for many years until road transport because a more viable option. Opened in 1923.
Second pic: Bruce Baxter
Plaster image of Sir Harry Lauder , in side the Otira tunnel . Photo taken just after John Winter cleaned image and put the frame around it complete with lights
John Rosanowski
The Otira tunnel is a testament to the wily politics of Richard John Seddon. (Wrote my master's thesis on it.) When the Midland company building it went broke, he argued that so much had been spent already it would be foolish not to carry on.Then he got govt funds to continue with the easier parts - keeping well away from the huge expense of the Broken River section, and how to cross the alpine divide - until ,even after his death - his original argument saw to the eventual completion.Map[1] External LinkMike Kilsby
Second pic: Bruce Baxter
Plaster image of Sir Harry Lauder , in side the Otira tunnel . Photo taken just after John Winter cleaned image and put the frame around it complete with lights
John Rosanowski
The Otira tunnel is a testament to the wily politics of Richard John Seddon. (Wrote my master's thesis on it.) When the Midland company building it went broke, he argued that so much had been spent already it would be foolish not to carry on.Then he got govt funds to continue with the easier parts - keeping well away from the huge expense of the Broken River section, and how to cross the alpine divide - until ,even after his death - his original argument saw to the eventual completion.Map[1] External LinkMike Kilsby
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)OtiraEventInside the Otira tunnel
From Facebook
CommentsJohn Kerr -Apparently they were only 6 inches out when the two crews met in the middle?
Peter Armstrong - John Kerr Which of the two crews had got it right?
John Kerr - They were both 3 inches out. I think that was the error built into the GPS at the time.
Dave Perry - Peter Armstrong The one on the left got it right
Trevor Wylde - The West Coast side got it right of course!!!
Kerry Kerr - John Kerr didn’t old Ted work on that tunnel John ?
Keren Bond - John Kerr yes it was pretty amazing
Craig Utting - John Kerr 6mm more like
John Kerr - Kerry Kerr Not sure?
John Kerr - Craig Utting Pity they didn't miss completely, we would have a road and rail tunnel now!
Kerry Kerr - John Kerr pretty sure I remember Dad telling us he did
John Kerr - I worked there for a while but was always worried I would get hit by a train!
Craig Utting - John Kerr I have a book called "East & West", which was published in 1923, on the completion of the tunnel. it says that "the discrepancy when the headings met was 1+1/8 inch in level, and ¾ inch in alignment."
Brian Molloy - Craig Utting closer to 6mm than 6 inches I was always told. Astonishing anyway to be that close.
John Kerr -The book should be right, bugger all anyway.
Ōtira - a few years ago a group of us got to travel through the tunnel in Kiwirail trucks. There we saw a painting of a person on the inside wall of the tunnel nearer the Ōtira side exit, it has been framed and is under glass.
Michelle Watt - looks quite flat in the pic but doesn't it go downhill toward the Coast?
Susan Barlow - I went through that so many times and didn't realize what I was going through!
Allan Vincent - it used to be in traveling the tunnel east to west there was a perception of time travel back several decades when if fact it was a 50 year quantum leap ahead in sanity. now-a-days ......
Sam Peters - Alan Sheehan remember driving the TA thru there with us in the cab (before osh)
Alan Sheehan - Sam Peters yep sure do.
Doreen Thomson - Sam Peters went through the tunnel on a Sunday afternoon when it had to be inspected before the railcar was due from Greymouth we traveled on Jigger with lots of stops for the inspection.
Lyn Galvin - We loved it as kids going through there on our way to Christchurch for the school holidays
Sonia Back - Been through the tunnel years and years ago with dad In the engine was cool going up in the cab was about 10 to 15 years of age think maybe even went through when I was younger couldn't see much but was cool.
Ray Vincent - Was my staff and myself who found and framed Sir Harry Lauder on the side of the tunnel. He travelled the world doing concerts at the time and used to take timeout to stay wish his sister at Rotomanu and go fishing. He, being a miner himself before becoming famous visited the tunnel to say hello to the miners, one plastered his face profile on the tunnel wall.
Ray Vincent - A very wet and dirty place to work, spent many tens of hours inside cleaning the ballast, walls and track back some 10 odd years ago. Used to be covered in coal dust and water after every visit. Can be strange place, middle of nowhere and cold under all that mountain rock. H & S were very important, especially being careful because of fumes.
Sonia Back - Remember dad saying it cold and wet in the middle and black as.
Ray Vincent - This photo taken after the traction overhead power was removed. Looking uphill the drains and traction cables on the right, the communications cable on the left as were the safety refuges.
Sonia Back
If my memory is correct didnt Frank Lucas hit the side of the tunnel with a train? I could be wrong
Ari Schwabe
Not a great place to work!
Greg Hine
I have always, and will always, love travelling through the tunnel on the transalpine. Would love my kids to enjoy it too if they stop charging tourist prices to kiwis and start charging a reasonable A to B transport fare again.
Allan Dahren
Greg Hine Pmsl yeah but we all know that that’s not going to happen any time soon don’t we !!
Greg Hine
Allan Dahren I dunno, if we just cut that cable and let them see how important we are despite our low, non urban, non govt changing population.......
Joy Hill-Cooper
Gosh the amount of times I've been through that tunnel and not once knew what it really looked like inside
Phil Millar
Iv'e driven a 6 man trolley through there several times,pretty wet in parts,with NZR !
John Rosanowski
The Otira tunnel is a testament to the wily politics of Richard John Seddon. (Wrote my master's thesis on it.) When the Midland company building it went broke, he argued that so much had been spent already it would be foolish not to carry on.Then he got govt funds to continue with the easier parts - keeping well away from the huge expense of the Broken River section, and how to cross the alpine divide - until ,even after his death - his original argument saw to the eventual completion.
Peter Armstrong
John Rosanowski Is it true too that they were pressured to keep going by the British Govt as there was a fear the Germans would blockade the WestCoast ports and stop the flow of coal out of the WestCoast?
Clarry Lewis
been in there many times no over head wires for the electrics yet
Donald Hibbs
the roof has plastic sheets screwed to it to stop the water getting on to the rail. the worst of the water is at the top end as shown in this photo and in winter freezes. The tunnel was water blasted end to end last year and a veneering plant has been … Bruce Knight
My father’s brother, Doug Knight, used to work in the Otira tunnel doing maintenance (1950’s). He was stationed at Otira as part of a work gang, I recall him talking about working on the Goat Creek bridge after a flood.
Carolyn Murphy
Grandad Sam Godfrey worked on this tunnel back in the day.
Pete Lusk
Something you can still do, and do it for free, is to stand by the bridge on the Arthurs Pass end of the tunnel at night and watch the coal train coming up. At first you see it as a pinprick of light and there's very little noise. Then the light gets brighter and the sound gets louder. Finally the loco bursts out the tunnel with a mighty roar and the bridge shakes, bangs and groans as everything trundles across.
Elsie McLeod
When was this Tunnel started being built.My grt grandfather was killed at Otira in 1912 by an explosion and I was told it was at the Tunnel??
Jill Kramer
My great grandfather had a store in Springfield and provided goods to the tunnel workers. There’s a photo of him at the official opening of the tunnel.
I always loved taking the rail car through the tunnel.
Bruce Knight
I once heard of a guy who used to routinely walk through the tunnel, and knew where the safety ports were so could always get out of the way of any trains. One day he did his “tunnel walk”, and sure enough a train came through, so he took refuge to let it pass. When he finally staggered out he was clearly distressed- it turned out that the train he passed in there was a circus train, and all the animals were hollering as loud as they could. I can only imagine......
Peter Armstrong
On the theme of walking in the tunnel.
Gillian Williams
My Uncle George Furness worked on building the Otira Tunnel.
Percy Billett
Works in there resleeping with the relay gang .dirty job with all the crap from the railcars.
Brian Finlayson
I soo I used to freak out in this tunnel as a kid, but what an amazing piece of engineering .
Carol Weir
My brother has worked in there.
Michael Minchin
My Great Grandfather Harry Minchin worked on the building of the tunnel, was there when the first connection was made, apparently he grabbed the tobacco pretty quickly that was passed through from the Canterbury side. After the tunnel was completed he worked doing maintenance in the tunnel.
Alice his wife ran a local boarding house in Otira to accommodate the tunnel builders
Michael Minchin
Michael Minchin I remember only a few of the stories my Grandad Jack (Harry's son) told me in my younger days. Wish I had the foresight to take more notice or record them.
Malcolm Gollan
Bruce Baxter He was obviously popular here in the early days. Nice piece of history in an unlikely place.
Miles Reay
When I see that, I’m glad I couldn’t anything out the window the many times I went through the tunnel!
Peter Armstrong - John Kerr Which of the two crews had got it right?
John Kerr - They were both 3 inches out. I think that was the error built into the GPS at the time.
Dave Perry - Peter Armstrong The one on the left got it right
Trevor Wylde - The West Coast side got it right of course!!!
Kerry Kerr - John Kerr didn’t old Ted work on that tunnel John ?
Keren Bond - John Kerr yes it was pretty amazing
Craig Utting - John Kerr 6mm more like
John Kerr - Kerry Kerr Not sure?
John Kerr - Craig Utting Pity they didn't miss completely, we would have a road and rail tunnel now!
Kerry Kerr - John Kerr pretty sure I remember Dad telling us he did
John Kerr - I worked there for a while but was always worried I would get hit by a train!
Craig Utting - John Kerr I have a book called "East & West", which was published in 1923, on the completion of the tunnel. it says that "the discrepancy when the headings met was 1+1/8 inch in level, and ¾ inch in alignment."
Brian Molloy - Craig Utting closer to 6mm than 6 inches I was always told. Astonishing anyway to be that close.
John Kerr -The book should be right, bugger all anyway.
Ōtira - a few years ago a group of us got to travel through the tunnel in Kiwirail trucks. There we saw a painting of a person on the inside wall of the tunnel nearer the Ōtira side exit, it has been framed and is under glass.
Michelle Watt - looks quite flat in the pic but doesn't it go downhill toward the Coast?
Susan Barlow - I went through that so many times and didn't realize what I was going through!
Allan Vincent - it used to be in traveling the tunnel east to west there was a perception of time travel back several decades when if fact it was a 50 year quantum leap ahead in sanity. now-a-days ......
Sam Peters - Alan Sheehan remember driving the TA thru there with us in the cab (before osh)
Alan Sheehan - Sam Peters yep sure do.
Doreen Thomson - Sam Peters went through the tunnel on a Sunday afternoon when it had to be inspected before the railcar was due from Greymouth we traveled on Jigger with lots of stops for the inspection.
Lyn Galvin - We loved it as kids going through there on our way to Christchurch for the school holidays
Sonia Back - Been through the tunnel years and years ago with dad In the engine was cool going up in the cab was about 10 to 15 years of age think maybe even went through when I was younger couldn't see much but was cool.
Ray Vincent - Was my staff and myself who found and framed Sir Harry Lauder on the side of the tunnel. He travelled the world doing concerts at the time and used to take timeout to stay wish his sister at Rotomanu and go fishing. He, being a miner himself before becoming famous visited the tunnel to say hello to the miners, one plastered his face profile on the tunnel wall.
Ray Vincent - A very wet and dirty place to work, spent many tens of hours inside cleaning the ballast, walls and track back some 10 odd years ago. Used to be covered in coal dust and water after every visit. Can be strange place, middle of nowhere and cold under all that mountain rock. H & S were very important, especially being careful because of fumes.
Sonia Back - Remember dad saying it cold and wet in the middle and black as.
Ray Vincent - This photo taken after the traction overhead power was removed. Looking uphill the drains and traction cables on the right, the communications cable on the left as were the safety refuges.
Sonia Back
If my memory is correct didnt Frank Lucas hit the side of the tunnel with a train? I could be wrong
Ari Schwabe
Not a great place to work!
Greg Hine
I have always, and will always, love travelling through the tunnel on the transalpine. Would love my kids to enjoy it too if they stop charging tourist prices to kiwis and start charging a reasonable A to B transport fare again.
Allan Dahren
Greg Hine Pmsl yeah but we all know that that’s not going to happen any time soon don’t we !!
Greg Hine
Allan Dahren I dunno, if we just cut that cable and let them see how important we are despite our low, non urban, non govt changing population.......
Joy Hill-Cooper
Gosh the amount of times I've been through that tunnel and not once knew what it really looked like inside
Phil Millar
Iv'e driven a 6 man trolley through there several times,pretty wet in parts,with NZR !
John Rosanowski
The Otira tunnel is a testament to the wily politics of Richard John Seddon. (Wrote my master's thesis on it.) When the Midland company building it went broke, he argued that so much had been spent already it would be foolish not to carry on.Then he got govt funds to continue with the easier parts - keeping well away from the huge expense of the Broken River section, and how to cross the alpine divide - until ,even after his death - his original argument saw to the eventual completion.
Peter Armstrong
John Rosanowski Is it true too that they were pressured to keep going by the British Govt as there was a fear the Germans would blockade the WestCoast ports and stop the flow of coal out of the WestCoast?
Clarry Lewis
been in there many times no over head wires for the electrics yet
Donald Hibbs
the roof has plastic sheets screwed to it to stop the water getting on to the rail. the worst of the water is at the top end as shown in this photo and in winter freezes. The tunnel was water blasted end to end last year and a veneering plant has been … Bruce Knight
My father’s brother, Doug Knight, used to work in the Otira tunnel doing maintenance (1950’s). He was stationed at Otira as part of a work gang, I recall him talking about working on the Goat Creek bridge after a flood.
Carolyn Murphy
Grandad Sam Godfrey worked on this tunnel back in the day.
Pete Lusk
Something you can still do, and do it for free, is to stand by the bridge on the Arthurs Pass end of the tunnel at night and watch the coal train coming up. At first you see it as a pinprick of light and there's very little noise. Then the light gets brighter and the sound gets louder. Finally the loco bursts out the tunnel with a mighty roar and the bridge shakes, bangs and groans as everything trundles across.
Elsie McLeod
When was this Tunnel started being built.My grt grandfather was killed at Otira in 1912 by an explosion and I was told it was at the Tunnel??
Jill Kramer
My great grandfather had a store in Springfield and provided goods to the tunnel workers. There’s a photo of him at the official opening of the tunnel.
I always loved taking the rail car through the tunnel.
Bruce Knight
I once heard of a guy who used to routinely walk through the tunnel, and knew where the safety ports were so could always get out of the way of any trains. One day he did his “tunnel walk”, and sure enough a train came through, so he took refuge to let it pass. When he finally staggered out he was clearly distressed- it turned out that the train he passed in there was a circus train, and all the animals were hollering as loud as they could. I can only imagine......
Peter Armstrong
On the theme of walking in the tunnel.
Gillian Williams
My Uncle George Furness worked on building the Otira Tunnel.
Percy Billett
Works in there resleeping with the relay gang .dirty job with all the crap from the railcars.
Brian Finlayson
I soo I used to freak out in this tunnel as a kid, but what an amazing piece of engineering .
Carol Weir
My brother has worked in there.
Michael Minchin
My Great Grandfather Harry Minchin worked on the building of the tunnel, was there when the first connection was made, apparently he grabbed the tobacco pretty quickly that was passed through from the Canterbury side. After the tunnel was completed he worked doing maintenance in the tunnel.
Alice his wife ran a local boarding house in Otira to accommodate the tunnel builders
Michael Minchin
Michael Minchin I remember only a few of the stories my Grandad Jack (Harry's son) told me in my younger days. Wish I had the foresight to take more notice or record them.
Malcolm Gollan
Bruce Baxter He was obviously popular here in the early days. Nice piece of history in an unlikely place.
Miles Reay
When I see that, I’m glad I couldn’t anything out the window the many times I went through the tunnel!
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West Coast New Zealand History (28th Nov 2020). Inside the Otira tunnel - ALBUM -. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 4th Apr 2026 22:44, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/28725