Canterbury Railway Society

Canterbury Railway Society The Canterbury Railway Society Inc has proudly run
The Ferrymead Railway for over 55 years!

It's National Volunteer Week and this years theme is Your Year to Volunteer!Why not join the team keeping history moving...
16/06/2026

It's National Volunteer Week and this years theme is Your Year to Volunteer!

Why not join the team keeping history moving?

Our team members like Nigel take care of equipment over 150 years old, restoring, maintaining and operating items like our Steam Locomotives to help pass on skills and knowledge about our engineering heritage.

Check out our website for how to become part of the team behind The Ferrymead Railway! https://www.canterburyrailwaysociety.org.nz/join-support-us/apply-for-membership/



📸 Photo by F. Corradi.

Its time for the Sunday Site Update!This week the team have been busy around the site,🌱 Mowing the main heading up to Fe...
14/06/2026

Its time for the Sunday Site Update!

This week the team have been busy around the site,

🌱 Mowing the main heading up to Ferrymead Station.

🎨 Unfortunately we had to paint out more graffiti which was found on our rollingstock. Whilst the volunteer labour is free, the materials to remove graffiti is not. So more materials will need to be purchased using up maintenance & restoration funds.

🔨 Ken P has been busy with the team getting the F Van's timber to the correct thickness and profile, and now installed!

🚂 D 140 was refilled and lit up for a special running.

💐 On Saturday we said farewell to Ken Henderson with a memorial train in support of his celebration of life, Ken was a long time member and supporter of our Railway and a key member of our friends The Tramway Historical Society. He will be sorely missed around the park and beyond by all that came to know him.

🔍 Ending the weekend, D 140 was once again drained, in preparation for its upcoming boiler survey.

📸 Photos by Jessy B, James G, Mike H, Michael L & Lauchlan B

Its time for the Sunday Site Update!🧼 This week, the team have been busy removing graffiti off a carriage this week on b...
07/06/2026

Its time for the Sunday Site Update!

🧼 This week, the team have been busy removing graffiti off a carriage this week on behalf of the owner.

🔨 The Second Ferrymead Seat has had some new timber arrive and finished its undercoating.

🎨 The Yc is starting to shine in its new coat of paint.

🪛 The F Van timber preparation and install is progressing.

🚂 And finally, Peveril is underway with a new Spark Arrestor being drawn up to ease in maintenance and the performance of its Smokebox Spark Arrestor.

Thats all for this week, make sure to like our page and give it a follow to keep up to date with all thats happening around the railway!

📸 Photos by M Hobbs, L Brady & J Blunsdon.

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!🛤️ The team have been busy cleaning up the dirt pile that had amounted at the Valle...
31/05/2026

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!

🛤️ The team have been busy cleaning up the dirt pile that had amounted at the Valley Station along with stripping down track sets and tidying the rail.

🔨 Timber work continues on the F Van with some corner pillars prepared for new timber whilst others have their new timber fitted.

🎨The second seat for Ferrymead station is fully undercoated and ready for paint.

🏆And finally we picked up an award at the 2026 Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand - FRONZ Awards the highly coveted ‘Paul Dillicar Memorial Award for Innovation’ along with our friends at Steam Incorporated and Pounamu Tourism Group for our innovative & collaborative effort in returning additional passenger rail services to the South Island!

📸 Photos by Jessy B, James G & Nigel H.

Make sure to like and follow for more action around our Ferrymead Railway!

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!🛤️ The ballast train is back in action after the loader had some hydraulic hoses re...
24/05/2026

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!

🛤️ The ballast train is back in action after the loader had some hydraulic hoses replaced.

🔧 The Yc is having some further works completed on it, this time a coupler base plate needed some Tender Loving Welding.

🔨 The F Van has had its bottom plate timber completed ready for painting and eventual fitting. Whilst the team were at it they have worked on one of the corner pillars.

🪧 Some new signs have arrived from The Signmaker which are going to be placed around the future Valley Station site and our sidings.

💡 Some new 130v Indicator Lamps arrived for our English Electric Multiple Unit after sourcing them online. Have a read of the caption for what they are for!

📖 And finally one of our team popped into the local library in search of some reading and came across our Book!
If you are looking for something to do in the evenings with it getting darker and colder, why not visit your local library and enquire about reading 60 Years of the Ferrymead Railway.
It's available in more places than you think, full of well researched facts about our railway and copiously filled with images!

If you are still after a copy to keep, we have very few copies left, so reach out if you are interested or order from one of the book vendors online before they are all gone.

That’s all for this week, make sure to like and follow for more updates on behind the scenes and when we are running.

📸 by Peter J & Michael L.

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!This week we have happenings from around the yard and the workshop,From diesels try...
17/05/2026

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!

This week we have happenings from around the yard and the workshop,

From diesels trying to visit the steam locos, to ballast work and repairs, have a look at what’s been happening!

Photos by Peter J, Mike H & Nigel H.

Make sure to like and follow to keep up to date!

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!This week we have a limited set of photos but none the less interesting!🎨 The secon...
10/05/2026

It’s time for the Sunday Site Update!

This week we have a limited set of photos but none the less interesting!

🎨 The second seat for Ferrymead is underway with its repairs and repaint by Ken & the Team.

🔧 Some new Railcar Drawgear Alignment wedges have been made and test fitted.

🛤️ Pete’s been out ballasting the track.

🐦 Finally, a visitor picked an unusual and not very tracksafe spot to have a rest, the S**g was eventually disturbed by noise in the yard and made its way to a more appropriate location away from the yard.

That’s all for this week, make sure to like and follow for more updates on behind the scenes and when we are running.

📸 by Mike H.

It's time for the Sunday Site Update!🎨 This week one of the Ferrymead Seats has made it back to Ferrymead whilst its cou...
03/05/2026

It's time for the Sunday Site Update!

🎨 This week one of the Ferrymead Seats has made it back to Ferrymead whilst its counterpart has headed to the workshop for its overhaul and paint.

🌌 The Ferrymead Night Market was held which drew a good crowd in, we hope everyone enjoyed the fireplace and dining area we set up in the waiting room, along with a ride on the Electric Multiple Unit as soon as the sun disappeared the temperature dropped rapidly outside!

🪚 Finally we have some photos from around the railway during some work days and the Glulam timber for the F Van has headed off for machining.

That's all for now, make sure to follow our page to keep up to date with our works and our running days!

📸 Photos by P Jenkinson, L Brady & M Leefe.

It’s a beautiful day for a Railcar ride on the Ferrymead Railway, last train is 3:15pm today - Sunday 3rd May. Ticket in...
02/05/2026

It’s a beautiful day for a Railcar ride on the Ferrymead Railway, last train is 3:15pm today - Sunday 3rd May. Ticket info and more in the event below, see you onboard!

02/05/2026

Thanks to everyone that came for a ride in the Mystery Train which turned out to be the English Electric Multiple Unit!
We hope you enjoyed your evening 😊

Don’t forget we are running the Vulcan Railcar from 10:45am - 3:15pm on Sunday 3rd May!

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Christchurch
8022

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