Carriage on dangerous section of Otira gorge

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DescriptionThis would be a white-knuckle trip for any passengers on the coach. Falling rocks and boulders to one side, and a deathly precipice to the other. Let's hope the horses don't bolt and the wooden brake block does not fail! Certainly no room for passing,

From the Otago Witness.Map^[1]ContributorBrian O'Neill

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Location (city or town)OtiraEventCarriage on dangerous section of Otira gorge

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Date Created23rd October 2021CommentsBrian O'Neill

Laura Mills Detlaff Its from the Otago Witness. The caption on the bottom has been cut off

Graeme Tucker
I think most passengers walked certain sections either too hard for the horses or too scary for the passengers.

Trish Rennie
To think my father travelled to the Coast as a baby on one of these and amazingly survived the hazardous journey....

Ian Miller
There is a passing spot in the foreground, and anyone seeing the coach where we see it would surely wait. There would not be very many coaches per day.

Allan Archer
Ian Miller if there were not many coaches then why did they put in a passing spot

Niaouli Wolf
Allan Archer I would think so it is a pretty good view from there.

Deb Corich
Eeeeeek! It looks awfully scary!

Christine Hogg
My grandmother travelled from Rimu to Lyttelton in 1917 whilst pregnant, and returned when the baby was 2 weeks old. Probably went by train, but the tunnel wasn't in operation until 1923

Debbie Ansett
My Nana and Pop come over the Pass in 1922 and I remember Nana telling me they had to walk down the Pass. Wow what must they have thought.

Paul Agnes Smith
1st class, stay seated, All others.. hop off and push.....

Gwen Gardner
Scary!!

Brian McIntyre
That shingle slide continued to move until the viaduct deviation was built in 1999

Alister Creamer
Great photo

Keston Ruxton
My gg grandfather ran the stables and base for Cassidy at Otira until the final day in 1923. Two of his brothers also drove and my ggg grandfather ran opposition coaches against Cobb and Co in the 1880’s. This has so taken my imagination over the years and I’ve always been so proud to think of what they all must have done.

Jill Jones
Keston Ruxton would be so good to hear their stories.

Keston Ruxton
Jill Jones I am writing them down at the moment.

Keith Douthett
Note the people walking up the pass. My Dad told me he went on the coach when he was young, and going uphill, the men all had to get off to reduce the load. Some ladies did so too.

Bob Laing
Keith Douthett
The men often had to push the coach

Keith Douthett
True. He told me that too.

Shiree Couch
Scary ride

Graeme Peters
Sorry guys but I talked to an old man in kumara years ago that drove those coaches and the passengers had to walk the pass

Keston Ruxton
Graeme Peters my understanding is that they often had to walk up the hills.

Jillian Gardyne
In the early 60s my father drove us over in his old model A Ford it was still crumbling at the side then very scary ride.

Christina Fairhurst
My grandparents took this journey when they arrived from UK to settle in Rununga on west Coast.

Geoffrey Bell
If this photo was taken in the Otira Gorge, I'm struggling to find where it is.

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Carriage on dangerous section of Otira gorge

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