Hundreds welcome first freight train to Kaikōura since November 14 earthquake

Friday, 15 September 2017

The first freight train makes its way from Picton to Kaikōura since the 2016 earthquake

The first train to pass through Kaikōura since November's 7.8-magnitude earthquake has completed its journey to Christchurch.

Hundreds of people turned out to welcome the train, carrying a load of domestic freight, when it reached Kaikōura.

It pulled into Christchurch around 2pm.

The train makes its way across a bridge during the first complete trip from Picton to Christchurch since last year's earthquake.

Paul Foskett drove the train from Picton. He also drove a train to Kaikōura on the night of the earthquake, but was not on the locomotive when the earthquake hit.

The first freight train following the earthquake arrived in Kaikōura in September 2017.

'Ten months ago mother nature decided to show us who was boss,' he said.

'Driving this loco into Kaikōura today from Picton, I cannot believe how much work has been done.'

The first KiwiRail freight train arrives in Kaikōura after the 2016 earthquake.

The first freight train since the 2016 earthquake arrived in Kaikoura on Friday morning.

* Rail moves closer to Kaikoura with trains able to get as far north as Oaro

* Rail near Kaikoura likely out for a year, 'unprecedented' damage to highway**

He said he was sure his trip on November 14 last year would be his last on the Main North Line.

'How wrong was I?'

Kaikōura resident Margaret Woodill said she walked from her house on the peninsula to see the train station open in 1945 when she was 15 years old.

'It's still exciting, to see it back.'

Woodill said she was looking forward to the passenger service coming on track.

A sculpture made by Kaikōura artist Ben Foster, using railway iron salvaged from the northern line, was unveiled at Friday morning's ceremony.

A large crowd gathered to welcome the return of freight trains through Kaikōura.

The two pieces of track twisted together, with Kaikōura coast placenames inscribed on the front, was 'optimistically reaching towards the sky', Foster said.

'I couldn't believe my luck when I found this piece with this beautiful twist in it,' he said.

The first freight train passes through Blenheim on Friday morning on its way to Kaikōura.

'I hope that this work will remind us to some extent of what we went through.'

Foster said the restoration of the train line was a 'momentous occasion'.

It has taken 10 months to repair railway lines damaged by the November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake.

'We are not stronger than mother nature . . . but what we see here today is a testament to human willpower.'

Prime Minister Bill English planned to be at the ceremony, but was held up by bad weather in Wellington.

Kaikōura MP Stuart Smith read a statement on English's behalf.

'On behalf of the Government I want to thank each and every one of you for you hard work in often trying conditions.'

He said he was impressed with Kaikōura's 'resilience and determination'.

'If I may quote Churchill, 'This is not the beginning of the end but it is the end of the beginning'.'

Kaikōura Mayor Winston Gray also quoted Churchill in his speech.

''When the going gets tough, keep going.' And that's what's happened in Kaikōura since November.'

He said the town had welcomed the hundreds of workers who came to rebuild the highways and railway north and south of Kaikōura.

'Kaikōura was really built on the road and rail workers.'

Gray said workers had removed a million cubic metres of material, repaired 59 bridges and worked on 20 tunnels.

The train was driven from Kaikoura to Christchurch by engineer Wayne Sullivan, who was also driving a train when the earthquake struck.