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Kōrero: Railways

Addington railway workshops

Addington railway workshops

Louise Henderson’s 1930 painting shows the Addington railway workshops (in Christchurch) in full swing. They began production in the 1880s, and from 1889 to the late 1920s were the main site of locomotive building in New Zealand. The workshops closed in 1990.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Christchurch Art Gallery - Te Puna o Waiwhetu

by Louise Henderson

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Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Neill Atkinson, Railways – Workshops, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/artwork/21420/addington-railway-workshops (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Neill Atkinson, i tāngia i te 6 April 2010.

Comments

kate wallis
24 January 2011
My mother told me a tale,a couple of times,about her father,Walter Clark,who was a Workshop employee,and Addingtonian.I guess this would have been in the mid-1930's. There was some fearful acrimony between the workers and the management.One particular day,the Bosses were to tour the site.Walter took the sentiments of the workers into his own hands-when the parade of dignatories arrived at Walter's working area,with,reported,excellent timing,he shouted-"Look out for your boots !!"and delivered a huge pail of soapy water across the floor,which drenched the assembled. I've always been a union member,and perhaps it was some hasty working there that prevented him from getting the sack.Can't you just the well-fed brushing the filthy foam from their suit-coats !!!