Memoirs of Ernie Ellis, Tokirima farmer c 1919 – 1940

Advent of the Railway.

By 1929 the Public Works had advanced the railway to Ohura. The next step was surveying a suitable route from Ohura on towards the railhead from Stratford. The choice was taking the route through the Tatu Valley or tunnelling through into the prosperous area served by the Tokirima Valley. A very fortunate circumstance occurred here. I happened to be going into Ohura when I met one of the District’s public men, we discussed the route of the railway, he said I’m afraid you people in Tokirima have missed out, the Tatu route will be taken because of the coal mines in the valley. I said don’t be too sure.

After my return home I rang up most of the settlers and convened a meeting to discuss this matter urgently. The result of meeting was to appoint a committee to gather all the data in regard to area the railway through our valley would serve, and an estimate of the amount of stock and produce that would be transported by rail. This estimate was made, two delegates, Mr Jack Penny and Duncan McLeod, were appointed to wait on the Minister concerned in Wellington. The outcome of this was that the Minister came to Ohura and Tokirima to see the routes for himself, when he’d seen our valley and the surrounding country the railway would serve and reported back to the Government the decision went in favour of the Tokirima route. Formation work was immediately proceeded with, two tunnels were necessary to bring the line into our valley, the second tunnel coming through the corner of my property and then taking a curve to run along the lower part of the valley in front of our house and shearing shed. Whilst all this construction work was going on we were inundated with public works houses and buildings, we really came alive during the period.

After transport, tunnelling presented the greatest problem and as the photo shows the workmen had only primitive means by which to drive their tunnels. Notice the dog sitting on the back of the horse. Photo courtesy of Des Graham

One benefit I received was the contract for fencing off the railway though my place. Also a contract to supply split timber for propping the tunnel and sheathing to hold the cement lining. I was fortunate in being able to get Cliff De Malmanche, Maude’s brother in law, to go in with me on the timber contract. He was able to supply two horses. We cut the timber at the back of my property from the stand of pine trees. To get the timber out to the road I obtained permission to bring the timber through the property of Mr Speedy, via the level track down the banks of a drain through the swamp, which bisected the width of his property and joined my swamp near where we were cutting them. Cliff and I made four substantial timber sledges upon which we loaded the lengths of timber. We wrapped strong snig chains around each load of 25 lengths, thereby bringing out a day’s cutting when we were returning home at the end of each day. The work on the construction continued until our valley was passed into another tunnel through into the Heao Valley and on, piercing more tunnels, until ultimately the railway joined up with the line from Stratford at Tahora, thus completing the Stratford – Okahukura line, to join the Main Trunk Line.

Ballast Train in Tokirima

The Railway and the metalled roads brought an end to our isolation. In 1928 I had purchased a new car as I have previously mentioned, we could now take a periodic break away to a beach, or to see our folk in the Southern part of the Island.

In February 1932 the first consignment of sheep was despatched from the Tokirima Railway Station for Taranaki. I went down to help to load the trucks and included a consignment of my own. The completion of the railway was celebrated in the Haeo Valley, the officiating person being the Prime Minister Rt Hon G. W. Forbes, with his Ministers and local Public men in Attendance.

Typed by Lyn Neeson -

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