The Ferrymead Railway has 1.6 km of track on the site. About half of this is the main line between Moorhouse and Ferrymead stations with the rest in the extensive Moorhouse yard and auxiliary lines. After passing through Moorhouse station the main line continues past the workshop in the direction of the proposed "Valley" station.
The track consists of a variety of construction methods and materials. Most rail on running routes is 70 lb steel. Track sets are usually of 42 foot length, although some welded rail sections were installed a few years ago to reduce maintenance of track joints. Most of the sleepers are standard hardwood type ex Tranz Rail, however concrete sleepers have been installed in a number of sections.
A Branch Line running from the Moorhouse yard entrance links with Tranz Rail's South Island Main Trunk between Woolston and Heathcote. This was laid in the late 1970s to enable locomotives and rolling stock to be railed into the site
1500 volt DC overhead lines were installed on the Branch in the late 1970s. Gradually this has been extended along the main line between the water vat and Truscotts Crossing. Plans are in place to extend the electrification right through to Ferrymead Station in the near future.
Moorhouse Station was built on the Ferrymead site. It has operated under successive proprietors as "refreshment rooms" in the old railway tradition. Plans are to develop it into a display of some of the Canterbury Railway Society's extensive collection of Railway memorabilia.
Moorhouse yard is where a great deal of the activity of the Ferrymead Railway takes place. It is bordered by the Steam Shed, Workshop, Carriage Shed and Electric Locomotive Shed. The Main Line also passes through as does the Branch to the Tranz Rail interconnect.
All maintenance of locomotives and rolling stock takes place in the Ferrymead Railway Workshop. The original part of the building was transported from the site of the Flemings Flour Mill in Riccarton in the early 1970s. The part at left was added to the original building in the mid 1980s.
The Workshop itself houses an impressive collection of equipment that the Canterbury Railway Society has amassed.
Except for major boiler work there isn't much that can't be repaired here.
This Carriage Shed is home to our working carriages as well as carriages awaiting restoration. It was built in the early 1980s by work scheme labour and has six roads for the storage of rolling stock.
Work on the front doors and security was recently carried out with help of a Grant from the New Zealand Lotteries Commission. Much of the track in and out of the Carriage Shed has also recently been upgraded.
The Ferrymead Railway is one of the few railways in the world that operates steam, diesel and electric locomotives. The electric locomotives are stored in the Electric Shed. This two road shed is adjacent to the Carriage Shed and was relocated from the Linwood Locomotive Depot. Extensive remodelling has been carried out with the help of a funding Grant from the New Zealand Lottery Board.
The Crossingkeeper's Hut was moved to the Ferrymead Railway site from the Christchurch suburb of Sockburn where it was an institution and served for many years. At Ferrymead the hut is used for some signalling as well as by staff controlling the pedestrian crossing over the railway yard on busy days..
A small McKenzie and Holland lever frame inside the hut controls a pedestrian crossing bell and shares control of movement in and out of the Branch Line with the Moorhouse North Signalbox.
It is also used as Train Control on busy days. This hut is believed to be the only remaining railway crossing keeper's hut left in New Zealand.
The Hut was restored by the Christchurch Jaycees and won the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand Restoration Award Certificate of Merit in 2002.
The Moorhouse North Signalbox controls train movement in and out of the Moorhouse Yard as well as traffic on the Main Line in and out of Moorhouse Station. This signalbox was formerly at Templeton on the Main South Line and was originally two-stories. It was lowered by several feet when it arrived at Ferrymead and is now virtually identical to the standard New Zealand Railways signalbox.
Ferrymead Station is a typical small, country station. It was built on site at Ferrymead and was made possible by a generous donation from Mrs M E James, thereafter a patron of the Society for several years in recognition of this.
The station was completed in 1977 when the Railway was officially opened. It is located a short distance south of the original (1863) Ferrymead Wharf and Ferrymead House.
The station houses a waiting room for passengers as well as the signalling and tablet equipment used for train running. The Ferrymead Station's colour scheme is representative of a 19th century New Zealand Railway station.
This is a sub station where we break down the power for the overhead wires on the railway, (1500V) and also for the Ferrymead Tramway (600V). This power is then converted to DC via 2 Mercury Arc Rectifiers. A more detailed description is coming on how these operate. In todays times these systems have been replaced with solid state converters, so these almost alien looking objects are becoming quite unique.
