The Fairlie Flyer

Remember the Fairlie Flyer?  I don’t suppose most of you will remember those days when the passenger and goods train ran from Timaru to Fairlie, in Mainland New Zealand.

It was around 1884 work begun on a railway that would eventually wind its way through many village settlements.  Places like Levels, Waitawa, Pleasant Point, Sutherlands, Cave, Ma Waro, Albury, Cricklewood, Winscome, and finally Fairlie. It was many years later the line reached its goal, at the gateway of the vast Mackenzie Plains.  By 1968 however, a Government Minister of Railways decided the line was no longer profitable and closed it down.

In 1950/51 I recall riding the train to High School in Timaru, from Albury each day, along with a number other high school students, who probably have fond memories of riding that train, nicknamed the Fairlie Flyer.  We boarded that train every morning and night as we attended school.  Compared to today it was fun I suppose, yet it eventually got a bit boring unless we got into a little mischief.  I guess there were about a dozen or more kids embarking on their first lesson of the day.  Tell yarns and try to make out with the few girls who made the trip each day, or smoke.  Camel cigarettes were the flavour of the day then, they tasted like camel dropping as well, yet we thought we were cool.  We could buy a packet of ten for sixpence at the little shop on the Timaru station platform.   Sadly, all those days are gone and we old codgers are left with our memories.  Realistically, that’s about all we can handle these days, anyway.

When the line closed there was a great old get-together, attended by all those connected with the line over the years.  There was even a song written about the line which some of the older readers may recall.  ‘Ballard of the Fairlie Flyer’.  I seem to recall a band by the name of the ‘Picasso Trio’ performing that on National Radio.

I’d sing it for you y’no, but it's best you tie up your dog first.  I have been told I have a sweet voice, but others know better, so we’ll leave it shall we, and just tell it as a piece of poetry.  Okay?

Listen and I’ll tell you

A railway tale that’s true,

Of how the ‘Fairlie Flyer

Ran down to Timaru,

I’ll tell you of the shearers

Fairlie Railway Station

And the tons of wool that came,

Along the line each season

From the great Mackenzie Plain.

There are stories in the country

The locals love to tell,

Of guards like Martin Fahey

Who served the district well,

For Martin loved the Flyer

And folks remember too,

How he even did their shopping

Down the line in Timaru.

I’ll tell you how the children            Went off to school each day,

And climbed aboard the ‘Flyer’

And stops along the way,

And oh the many memories

Those boys and girls recall,

To them the Fairlie Flyer

Was the greatest train of all.

Down the line to Albury

Where shunting’s done no more,

And at Mrs. Gibson’s tavern

There’s a welcome on the door,

They tell of far-off summers

That will never come again,

When the goods shed at Albury

Was filled with golden grain.

At Cave, the station’s silent

But the goods shed still resound,

When the local boys are training

As the tug-o-war comes round,

When the last train passes

They’ll give a hearty cheer,

While over at the local

Ted pours another beer.

From Sherwood Downs to Clayton

Burke’s Pass and Kimbell too,

The boys that drive the transport

Are the links with Timaru,

And now the line is closing

The country folk agree,

That stories of the Fairlie train

Will go down in history.

Hope you enjoy a bit of wander down memory lane.