Parliamentarians Travel North

It is one hundred years since a train first traveled from Wellington to Auckland on the NIMT (North Island Main Trunk) line carrying Parliamentarians to meet the Great White Fleet.

The Parliamentary train prior to leaving Wellington.

Most of the track has since been electrified but a steam locomotive pulled the train on the first section out of Wellington on the commemorative journey. This locomotive was the last steam locomotive to be built in New Zealand. A Ja Class it was manufactured in the Hillside workshop in Dunedin in 1956.

Back in 1908 the permanent track had yet to be completed so that temporary line had to be laid for the parliamentary train. Later that year the NIMT was officially completed when the last spike was driven by Sir Joseph Ward.