Christchurch’s First ‘Puffing Billy’ – 5th January 1882

Referred to as a ‘Puffing Billy’ – as it was powered by steam – Christchurch’s first is pictured here, leaving Cathedral Square and heading to the Addington Railway Station – where the Tower Junction shopping centre is now situated. This route through the city was opened on 5 January 1882, though trams had been running …

The Antigua Boat Sheds Opened -1882

The Antigua Boats Sheds are such a great Christchurch icon and they are even more special for two other reasons: they are the only surviving 19th century river boat sheds built for commercial boat hire in New Zealand and secondly, the sheds are still doing just that, 135 years later (2017)! The sheds were built …