Mercer album 2

Album of photographs taken by unidentified photographers, taken in central North Island, and Otago and Southland regions, circa 1900s and 1910s.

Some of the images are related to railways, including North Island scenes of the first passenger trip on 14th February 1909, during which the train stopped on the Raurimu Spiral because of a lack of engine power to haul it; the railway station at Longburn; a locomotive owned by the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company; various engines including one image showing a J Class locomotive and an A Class locomotive with the caption "Note the difference in 20 years".

South Island trains are shown in the Catlins District, including the construction of the Catlins River Railway, the Houipapa Quarry on the Catlins River Extension, loading wagons in the Balclutha ballast pit, the viaduct across the Catlins River at Houipapa, the Clutha Railway Bridge, and the Houipapa terminus on the Catlins River Railway.

The North Island scenic views include the areas around Lake Rotorua, the Government Sanatorium at Rotorua, Sophia's Whare, a group of Maori boys diving for pennies, Whakarewarewa, Okere and Ohakune.

Scenic views in the South Island are mostly around Dunedin (including Telford's country house in the Balclutha District), Clutha River, Balclutha, and the Catlins, including flax swamps and flax mills in the Catlins District.

Many of the images are taken with an emphasis on atmosphere, includingGathering storm", "Beside the winding river", "Outward bound", "A heavy pull" and "A calm day".

Inscriptions: Album page - "Thus we remember many a sunny hour with bike and camera"-Inside back cover

Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Physical Description: Album with very dark blue cover, black leather corners and spine; 22 x 29 cm