Transportation - Getting around the Thames pre 1867
Transportation - Getting around the Thames from 1867
Transportation - Plans for getting the Railway to the Thames
Transportation - Industrial transportation on the goldfield
Transportation - More Railway plans and First Sod Memorabilia
Transportation - Moving buildings on the Goldfield
Getting around The Thames in the 20th Century
Thamesites were by the 1900s spoilt for choice regarding transport options. Here is a pictorial timeline of the changes in travel around the town of Thames.
· C1902-1904: First Cars seen at Thames Mr A H Brookes had the honour of bringing the first car Thames in February 1902.
There are accounts of early 1900s trips around the Thames area. In 1904, Mr J Adams travelled from Coromandel to Thames in 3¾ hours. A distance of 43 miles, travelling at an average of 13 miles an hour! Then in 1905, there was delight when Mr and Mrs Myers came to town in their car, after a trip to Rotorua. Their handsome car reportedly had met with much attention all along the way!
All transport options c1910s Grahamstown end of Pollen Street.
Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 35-R1460.
· C1903: First Motorcycle seen at Thames
In May 1900, a motor cycle was seen in Auckland. It was described as having a speed of four to thirty miles an hour.
There was ONE motorcycle in Thames in September 1903, the paper wondered why this improved method of transport had not caught on, in Thames.
· 1910s: Bus services and service cars begin
Service Car waits to collect passengers from the Wakatere at the Burke Street Wharf.
· 1920 February 17: First Airmail Service trialled
The big day for Thames arrived on 17th February 1920, when the first airmail delivery of mail took place, by flying boat. The big event was reported in the Fielding Star 18 February 1920. “An aeroplane arrived at the Thames from Auckland carrying the first airmail received there. Later members of the Harbour Board and the pilot inspected the wharf with the view to erecting a permanent landing stage.”
· 1924: ‘New’ Kauaeranga Road Bridge opened, old bridge destroyed in flood
· 1928 May 11: Hauraki (Kopu) Bridge officially opened
· 1930: ‘New’ Kauaeranga Rail Bridge built
· 1930s Ambulances
· 1940-60s: Fishing boats lined the wharf
· 1969: A & G Price had manufactured over 239 locos
· 1989: ‘New’ Kauaeranga Bridge & Demo old bridge
· 1990 March: Last Steam Train excursion comes to Thames
· 2017 December: Thames Connector Bus Service introduced (left) and 2018 double decker buses come to Thames (right)
George Bolt receiving mail from a Post Office Official for the first airmail flight from Auckland to Thames. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 7-A6252.
· 1922: First Airmail Newspaper Service. An honour that Thames shared equally with Whangarei, when the first seaplane newspaper service in New Zealand took place on Friday 8th December 1922.
The First Seaplane Newspaper Service in The Dominion: Last Friday's Issue of The New Zealand Herald, containing results of the General Election, being transported by air to Whangarei and Thames at 4 am. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19221214-38-2.
· 1924: Concrete road strip down Pollen Street. The concrete not only signalled better driving but was seen as a boom for the town and signalled that better times were ahead.
1937 view of Pollen Street, showing the 'concrete strip'.
Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19371124-49-3.
· 1924: ‘New’ Kauaeranga Road Bridge opened, old bridge destroyed in flood
The destroyed 'first' Kauaeranga Bridge. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19240529-40-3
· 1928 May 11: Hauraki (Kopu) Bridge officially opened
The new Hauraki Bridge and the old ferry system. New Zealand Herald 28 May 1928
· 1930: ‘New’ Kauaeranga Rail Bridge built
1930 New Kauaeranga Rail Bridge 1947 View of Aerodrome
· 1936: Aerodrome established at Parawai / Totara
· 1930s: Advances in bikes.
· 1930s: Companies had delivery vehicles for home deliveries eg butchers and bakeries
Colwill's Butchery Delivery Van (left) and Gleeson's Bread Van (right).
· 1930s Ambulances
· 1939-1945: Travel restrictions / petrol rationing
Thames ration book - Mrs Richard's copy
· 1940-60s: Fishing boats lined the wharf
New Zealand Herald 21 December 1938.
· 1951: Last passenger train, except for ‘specials’
· 1964: Campbell Industries car assembly opened
· 1964: Campbell Industries car assembly opened
· 1965: The day there was an elephant race down Pollen Street
The road connection went onto have a major impact on transportation and the settlement of the eastern coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. Details on the road:
Length - 17.17 miles (28.5 km), Original formation width - 27 feet (8 metres), Steepest grade - 1 in 10. Bridges - 7 with a total length of 950 feet. The longest 163 feet and the shortest 109 feet. Distances from Thames to Hikuai: Prior to the Highway - 53 miles, using the Highway - 22 miles. As the crow flies - 13 miles. Completed cost - £1,080.000.
1960s,the making of the Kopu-Hikuai Road
· 1969: A & G Price had manufactured over 239 locos
· 1989: ‘New’ Kauaeranga Bridge & Demo old bridge
Old and new Kauaeranga Bridges.
· 1990 March: Last Steam Train excursion comes to Thames
· 1991: End of Freight Train service
· 1993: Toyota Car Factory produce 200,000th car
· 1996: Thames railway lines lifted
· 1998 October: Toyota stopped car assembly (last NZ)
· 2011 December 11: New Kopu / Hauraki Bridge opened
· 1996: Thames railway lines lifted
· 1998 October: Toyota stopped car assembly (last NZ)
· 2011 December 11: New Kopu / Hauraki Bridge opened
Opening of the bridge. (photo from internet ?source)
· 2017 December: Thames Connector Bus Service introduced (left) and 2018 double decker buses come to Thames (right)
What's next? Maybe we will get our trains back!
