Story: Railways

First electric unit service

First electric unit service

This invitation commemorates the opening of the first electric multiple-unit service in New Zealand, on the Wellington–Johnsonville line in 1938. Railways Minister Dan Sullivan and Wellington mayor Thomas Hislop presided over the ceremony, on 2 July. Similar units were still being used in the early 2000s.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-A-RAIL-1938-01-front

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Neill Atkinson, 'Railways - Diesel and electric trains', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/ephemera/21395/first-electric-unit-service (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Neill Atkinson, published 11 Mar 2010, reviewed & revised 11 Mar 2016