Where is Lyttelton?
Lyttelton railway station
Lyttelton remains a busy rail freight yard that continues to serve the Lyttelton Port of Christchurch. Major sources of traffic for the port include export dairy products, coal, timber, vehicles, and other general container freight. New Zealand Railways Corporation staff were based at Lyttelton station through the 1980s for the management of container traffic, but have since been relocated; all Lyttelton-based railways-related staff now work out of the station building. Railway operations staff have maintained a continuous presence in the station building where they make use of some of the rooms for staff facilities. The station building has hosted or is currently hosting other short-term private lessees including New Zealand Express Transport and the Lyttelton Information Centre.
Beginning with the 1997–1998 summer season, Tranz Scenic have provided day trips for passengers from cruise ships docked at Lyttelton out to Arthur's Pass. Initially, these passengers were collected by coach from Lyttelton and transferred to Christchurch from whence they departed on the TranzAlpine service. From 2000, Tranz Scenic have run special trains which collect the passengers from Lyttelton railway station and take them direct to Arthur's Pass using spare carriages from the TranzAlpine/TranzCoastal fleet. This operation has required the use of some office space in the station building, as well as the station precinct to transfer passengers between trains and buses. Some tour groups travel by train to Arthur's Pass and return to Lyttelton, while other groups only make half the journey by train and complete the trip by coach. As the track adjacent to the station's platform has been removed, passenger trains stop outside the station building on the track nearest the platform, where passengers board or alight from the train. Buses are used to transfer passengers between the trains and the wharf at which their ship is docked for security reasons. Though the number of these special trains varies from season to season, business has been generally improving, with 43 services booked for the summer of 2008–2009.
Lyttelton railway station
The official opening ceremony was held on 14 October 1963 and presided over by the mayor of Lyttelton, Mr. J. B. Collett. Various other dignitaries and invited guests were present, including the Minister of Railways, John McAlpine (who officially opened the station), the local member for parliament, Norman Kirk, and the Railways general manager, Mr. A. T. Gandell. An invitation to attend was also extended to members of the public. During his speech, the mayor expressed his confidence that, despite the impending completion of the Lyttelton road tunnel, and the desire expressed by the Christchurch Transport Board to operate bus services to Lyttelton, both road and rail could coexist to meet Lyttelton's transport requirements. Two buses were provided to convey official guests to the Borough Council Chambers for morning tea.