Cory, on Rails 🚂
LightNews LightNews
banner
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Cory, on Rails 🚂
@aitkesandpains.bsky.social
680 followers 230 following 220 posts
Mainly talkin' about railways 🚞 Originally from Reefton, now living in Māwhera Greymouth
Posts Replies Media Videos
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
An end of an era; The Royal Hotel on Māwhera Quay was demolished today after sitting empty for over a decade.

The formerly grand old building was built in the 1930s, but the Royal Hotel itself opened in 1866 🏨
The abandoned Royal Hotel, taken the night before it's demolition, 6/12/25, from the floodwall on Māwhera Quay The building in the middle of demolition, 7/12/25, with excavators tearing down the walls
December 6, 2025 at 11:59 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The rain stayed away long enough for the Greymouth Christmas parade today, what a great event and a massive turnout! 🎁
Parade floats and people dressed up as gingerbread men going down Māwhera quay A band playing on a Awatuna freighters truck as part of Pizza Huts float Classic cars driving down Māwhera quay A float with singers aboard going up Mackay Street
December 5, 2025 at 11:09 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Happy Westland Anniversary! 🎉

The day to celebrate a Province that existed for all of 3 years, was abolished 149 years ago, and doesn't cover the Buller District part of the West Coast...

We really should have a unified West Coast Day 🤔
The Largest town in the former Westland Province Māwhera Greymouth, though Hokitika was the Provincial capital. Technically the land north of Mawheranui Grey River was Nelson Province, including Cobden, but as part of Grey District that have it off
November 30, 2025 at 10:19 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Walked to the top of the hill above Māwhera Greymouth, tracks a bit rough but the views are spectacular 🏞️
Looking east from the lookout on the top of the hill, below is Māwheranui Grey River, then farms, Rununga is somewhere off to the left where the highway and railway go, and in the back is the forest and plateaus of Mount Davy Looking West from halfway up the hill towards the Greymouth town centre. Cobden is on the right of the Māwheranui Grey River which curves through the town and goes out to the Tasman sea in the background
November 16, 2025 at 3:56 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
It's fantastic to see Central City Ōtautahi Christchurch so lively and vibrant on this beautiful sunny day!
Tram going down the Spanish style buildings of New Regent Street with umbrella lined tables filled with patrons
October 24, 2025 at 11:53 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Kiwirail are bringing back the ChCh- - Dunedin Southerner Train for the Labour weekend 🚞

I hope the Southerner does well and is made a permanent fixture, I got to take it in May and it was an amazing trip!
The full Southerner train ready to depart for Dunedin at the Christchurch railway station platform, May 21st 2025 The beautiful historic Dunedin Railway Station lit up at night, 23rd May 2025
October 24, 2025 at 8:49 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Hopefully it's all clear! This is what the under slip north of Murchison looked like before today's weather, as per Waka Kotahi:
October 23, 2025 at 1:51 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
All roads to the West Coast are currently closed ⛈️

A washout north of Murchison on the Buller Gorge Road SH6,
The Lewis Pass Road SH7 has been scoured out near Boyle,
A truck crash and downed powerlines has closed the Arthurs Pass Road SH73,
A Slip on the Haast Pass SH6.

Bit rough out there!
October 22, 2025 at 11:09 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Whew, lotta water in the Māwheranui Grey River today! ☔
The water just below the old wharf on the grey river with downtown Greymouth in the background and the hills in the distance
October 21, 2025 at 5:10 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Rest in peace Jim Bolger, an absolutely fascinating man with a complicated legacy.

From leading the government that sold NZ Rail in 1993, to being the first director of the renationalised Kiwirail in 2008. In his own words "My life is full of ironies"
Caricature of former National Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, standing beside a miniature train called 'KiwiRail'. Jim Bolger, who is the first Chairman of KiwiRail wears a cap with 'KiwiRail printed on it. KiwiRail became an entity 1 July, 2008 after it was bought back by the Labour government to once again become a state-owned asset. Jim Bolger. 1 July, 2008. Webb, Murray 1947- : Collection. Ref: DCDL-0006975. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22713234
October 15, 2025 at 10:03 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Very sad to see Chris Russell be elected Mayor of Buller over incumbent Jamie Cleine and Inangahua Councillor Linda Webb in a hotly contested race.

Thanks to Jamie for his hard work over the years, and for coming to Reefton to check up on me when I was having a hard time on the Community Board.
October 11, 2025 at 5:52 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The Grey River Māwheranui is running real high today ☔
The old wooden coal wharf on the grey river, looking towards the river mouth. the water level is about 1 metre from hitting the top The grey river hitting the river bridge to Cobden at the top of the town
October 10, 2025 at 5:51 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The Tranzalpine was voted the 20th best train trip in the world by Condé Nast Traveler in 2025 🛤️

Now that Intercity has started a competing Chch-Greymouth bus service, I hope that Kiwirail might drop their steep ticket prices to stay competitive, and more people will get to enjoy this amazing trip!
The Tranzalpine train departing Greymouth Railway Station on the 14th of July 2025, taken by me off the Grey River Bridge. On the right you can see the river, on the centre is the floodwall, on the centre right the train crosses Mawhera Quay and the town of Greymouth is visible on the background
October 9, 2025 at 8:24 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The Māwhera Pā on Tainui Street is well worth a visit if you are visiting Māwhera Greymouth (discount prices for West Coast locals too)

A great use of light and projection to visualise the history of Poutini Ngāi Tahu 🏞️
The Māwhera pā building on Tainui Street, next to where the Railway Station platform extension comes out A giant statue of Tūhuru Kōkare, the Ngāi Tahu Chief that defeated Ngati Wairangi and established Poutini Ngāi Taku control of The West Coast and its precious Pounamu. Made by Weta Workshop Use of a projector to create various Moko designs on a carving of a man's face
October 5, 2025 at 12:40 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
September 15, 2025 at 8:23 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Bloody locomotive broke down at Rolleston so had to wait half an hour for a new one. This is what happens when your rolling stock is 50 years old 😬
August 15, 2025 at 9:26 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Beautiful brisk morning to take the train back to the West Coast 🚞
The tranzalpine train at the Christchurch railway station platform waiting to pick up passengers
August 15, 2025 at 7:54 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The Illuminate festival is on in Ōtautahi Christchurch this month so I had to go have a look - it was soo good!!!
Looking over the river at the carnival section of the festival, Ferris wheel in the centre right The giant spaceman, an Illuminate festival staple, surrounded by planets A talking face projected on one of the old oak trees Bee lights with a nest in the trees
August 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Decided to take the Tranzalpine train over to Ōtautahi Christchurch for a quick trip. There's no better way to travel then by train! 🚞
The DXC locomotive hauling the tranzalpine train coming into the station at Mawhera, passengers waiting on the platform Passengers boarding the Tranzalpine carriages
August 14, 2025 at 2:11 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Cleaning up after the devastating Greymouth flood on Mawhera Quay, 15th Sept 1988 vs the view today.

The railway originally ran down Mawhera Quay to the coal wharf & yards. In 1989-90 the floodwall was built to prevent future flooding. The railyard was moved to the old Elmer Lane locomotive depot 🚞
Photo by Chris Burleson showing the cleanup job on Māwhera Quay Greymouth, 15th September 1988. The railway and Royal Hotels on the right next to still remaining surface flooding. Running alongside Māwhera Quay is the railway, double tracked, which ran down to the coal wharf and Railyards. To the left is the Grey River, still running high The view today from the Grey River floodwall, next to the memorial to coal miners that have died on the job. The Railway Hotel is on the right, still open, while the Royal hotel is behind sitting Empty. Running alongside Māwhera Quay is the floodwall, built in 1989-90
August 10, 2025 at 8:47 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
🚂BRING🛤️IT🛤️BACK🚃
August 6, 2025 at 5:21 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
It's so good! (I may be biased) The gins namesake, Bridget Goodwin, the Little Biddy of the Buller, was a very interesting character in her own right en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridget...
August 1, 2025 at 9:50 PM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
Here is a topo map with the powerhouse and water race highlighted:
July 31, 2025 at 10:06 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The first section of the 1888 Reefton Hydroelectric Powerhouse restoration is up and running!

Water runs from the Inangahua River 2km down an old water race, through a tunnel & wooden flume, to the new powerhouse building, beside the remains of the original building, & back out to the Inangahua 🏞️
The rebuilt red powerhouse building, center, with the remains of the last powerhouse which closed in the 1940s on its right. Plans are to rebuild the old building as a museum. A newly installed turbine, built in Sweden in the early 1900s can be seen bottom right of the new building. The exit water race back to the Inangahua can be seen on the bottom right The original powerhouse, circa 1900. A pretty basic setup, it was expanded upon in 1935, and closed when the power grid was nationalised and set on AC The rebuilt wooden flume, built in the same style as it was in 1888, moves the water from the earthen water race the last ~100 meters to the powerhouse The earthen water race, which starts on the opposite side of the Inangahua River from Blacks Point, takes water 2km to the powerhouse. To the left is the hills cliffside, and to the right is the Inangahua River itself
July 31, 2025 at 7:27 AM
aitkesandpains.bsky.social
The fog in Reefton cleared just in time for the car show at the Reefton Camping Ground today. Towns absolutely packed! 🏞️
Vintage vehicles and hotrods lined up at the Reefton Camping Ground with a line of fir trees behind and hills in the background People checking out a vintage car. I'd say what car but I don't know my cars unfortunately Back of some vintage vehicles with the old school trunks on the back
June 21, 2025 at 12:48 AM