Riccarton Racecourse Siding

The Riccarton Racecourse Siding or Line was a short (1.4 km) siding or line on the Main South Line; built in 1877 to transport patrons from Christchurch to the Riccarton Racecourse in the suburb of Riccarton; a place used for both racing and for outdoor events in the 19th century.

The line was promoted as a private enterprise by the Canterbury Jockey Club, and the assistance was sought by the government. Lancelot Walker, a former member of parliament, was sent to Wellington to negotiate the matter with John Davies Ormond, the Minister of Public Works. The businessman George Stead, as honorary secretary of the Canterbury Jockey Club from 1873 for over 30 years,^[1] was a promoter of the idea of making the horse racing ground more accessible, and to increase turnover.^[2] The line was surveyed in early October 1877 and opened four weeks later on 3 November 1877.^[3] The contractor who carried out the works was William Stokes, who had in the previous year built the bridge over the Waimakariri Gorge.^[3]

The line had competition from Christchurch trams in the 20th century; although slower the trams ran right into Cathedral Square in the centre of Christchurch. The last race train ran on 10 November 1954, and the line was lifted soon after.^[4]^[5]

Notes

↑ Ogilvie, Gordon. "Stead, George Gatonby". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 25 June 2012.
↑ "Canterbury Jockey Club". The Star (2848). 19 May 1877. p. 3. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
1 2 "By Rail to the Racecourse". The Press. XXVIII (3834). 5 November 1877. p. 3. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
↑ Churchman 1991, pp. 8f.
↑ Yonge 1993, p. 19.

References

Churchman, Geoffrey B (1991). On the Trans-Alpine Trail: A Travel Guide to State Highway 73 and the Midland Railway. Johnsonville, Wellington: IPL Books. ISBN 0-908876-73-4.
Yonge, John (1993). New Zealand Railway and Tramway Atlas (4th ed.). Essex, England. ISBN 0-900609-92-3.

New Zealand railway lines

Main lines

North Island	East Coast Main Trunk North Island Main Trunk (inc. Kapiti Line)

South Island	Main North Line and Main South Line (inc. Lyttelton Line), known together as the South Island Main Trunk

Secondary lines

North Island	Marton–New Plymouth Line Newmarket Line North Auckland Line Palmerston North–Gisborne Line Stratford–Okahukura Line Wairarapa Line (inc. Hutt Valley Line)

South Island	Midland Line Nelson Section Otago Central Railway Stillwater–Westport Line Waimea Plains Railway

Branch lines

Upper North Island	Cambridge Dargaville Donnellys Crossing Glen Afton Kinleith Kumeu–Riverhead Manukau Mount Maunganui Murupara Okaihau Onehunga Onerahi Opua Rotorua Taneatua Thames Waiuku and Mission Bush

Lower North Island	Ahuriri Castlecliff Foxton Gracefield Greytown Johnsonville Melling Mount Egmont Moutohora Ngatapa Opunake Raetihi Taonui Te Aro Waitara Wanganui

Upper South Island	Blackball and Roa Cape Foulwind Conns Creek Eyreton Fairlie Ferrymead Little River Methven Mount Somers Oxford Rapahoe Rewanui Hokitika/Ross Seddonville Southbridge Waiau Waimate Whitecliffs

Lower South Island	Bluff Catlins River Dunback and Makareao Fernhill Hedgehope Kingston Kurow Moeraki Mossburn Ngapara and Tokarahi Outram Port Chalmers Roxburgh Shag Point Tapanui Tokanui Tuatapere Waikaia Waikaka Wairio Walton Park Wyndham

Private lines

Significant proposals

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