Rangiora is a growing semi-rural North Canterbury town about 15km north of Christchurch. It’s where I grew up, and where I’m raising my own family.
In Rangiora, at the High Street, Oxford Street, and West Belt roundabout, there is a small triangular reserve with a sign saying “Bells” on the corner. Discussions are often had in the community asking what, exactly, the story is behind this sign.
The more long-standing members of the community will probably still remember the old Oxford-Rangiora railway that was closed in 1959. This line connected Oxford, a small town about 30km west of Rangiora, to the main trunk line at Rangiora Station.
This railway ran from the Oxford West Station on Mill Road (now the site of Ashley Industrial Services Ltd sawmill), then east along the north side of Oxford Road (previously Oxford-Rangiora Road). On entering Rangiora, the line then curved northeast through Bells reserve (along the current footpath that runs through the reserve), along what is now the driveway for 108 West Belt, then ran along the south of Blackett Street until it reached the main Rangiora Station. Blackett Street was built in sections between about 1900 and 1956 alongside the railway.
Steam train traveling west along Blackett Street. Photo from Rangiora An Early Pictorial Record, an edited volume by the Rangiora Photographic Society Inc.
The footpath going through Bells reserve. The railway tracks would have been about where the path is.
The Oxford-Rangiora railway was completed in June 1875. The line was opened mostly for freight trains – moving totora logs from Oxford to the main trunk line at Rangiora for transport into Christchurch, although passenger trains were also run. The line opened with a party in Oxford attended by Sir John Cracroft Wilson (who founded Cashmere in Christchurch), with music, drinking, speeches, and toasts. However, there were also many grumblings that the line had taken far too long to complete (Globe 22/06/1875).
At the time the plains around Oxford were covered in a dense native forest known as Harewood Forest. This forest was prized for its abundance of totora – the slow growing native hardwood being a highly sort after building material in the 19th century for timber framing. Oxford town was established in 1859 as a logging town to take advantage of these native timbers. The location of the new town was described in the Lyttelton Times as being “selected with considerable judgment, being situate upon the junction of the main roads, and having a frontage to the river Eyre and immediately adjoining to the Harewood Forest” (Lyttelton Times 18/5/1859: 5).
Originally the timbers were carted along Oxford Road to Rangiora by horse and dray, but the very poor quality of the road quickly became apparent.
How does this explain the Bells sign?
Coming into Rangiora from Oxford, Bells was the name of the small train station that sat on this reserve. A 1923 survey plan, and aerial photographs from the 1940s, show this station as being a small square building with what appears to be a small platform in front.
Crop of Deposited Plan 6615, Canterbury Land District. Published 1923. Bells Station is visible
Aerial photograph of Bells Station taken between 1940-1945. www.canterburymaps.govt.nz
And the Bells name? The land that was taken for this station was owned by Mr. J. Bell, esq, who owned a 30.3ha block of land fronting Oxford Street and West Belt until 1923 when it was subdivided for housing lots.
Closing down of the Oxford-Rangiora railway
Ultimately, the use of the Oxford-Rangiora line began to decline in the 20th century after the tōtora trees were all harvested and the demand for freight dropped off. By the 1950s the line was barely being used at all. The line was closed in 1959, and the tracks were removed in the early 1960s.
In its heyday the line had been a boon for Oxford, driving the towns economic and population growth. Arguably the railway is a major reason why Oxford is such a large and energetic rural town today. The lumber trade was also critical for the growth of 19th century Christchurch, Rangiora, and Amberly, and cemented Rangiora’s place as the major market town in the district – driving the growth of the town.
Environmentally the line also had a major impact. Today, Oxford is surrounded by farmland with pockets of beach forest and scrub towards the foothills of the Southern Alps. All remnants of what must a been a very impressive totora forest have been completely removed.
And what other evidence is left of this railway in Rangiora? Blackett Street still has its wide verge on the south side which was the original railway reserve. Over the years most of this has been legally incorporated into the road reserve, but there is a small strip outside of the Elephant Park that is still legally designated as railway. Then there is the driveway to 108 West Belt which is part of the old railway reserve. And the buildings of Luisetti Seeds on the east end of Blackett Street are shaped to follow the original layout of the Oxford-Rangiora line as it curved to join the main trunk line.
The wide verge the still exists on the south side of Blackett Street, Rangiora. The rails would have run along about where the trees are. This section of the the verge, outside the Elephant Park, is still legally designated as railway.
East most end of the Oxford-Rangiora railway where it curved to meet the main trunk line, taken c.1900. Buildings that are now part of Luisetti Seeds. Image from Rangiora An Early Pictorial Record, an edited volume by the Rangiora Photographic Society Inc.
Aerial photograph taken between 1940-1945 showing the Oxford line curving to meet the main trunk line. The buildings of Luisetti Seeds still have that pointed arrow shape following the line. Image: www.canterburymaps.govt.nz
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I live in White St. and really enjoyed reading this. I’ve moved here from Taranaki and it’s good to start learning the local history. Thank you for your work.
Thanks Richard! Let me know if there are any buildings around the town you would like to know about.
Nice bit of local history. I was raised in Stephens Street, and recall when it was no exit, as Blackett St hadn’t been extended between White St and West Belt.
my house is build as a lean to up against an railway shed on the corner of High Street and West Belt . The old track runs behind my fence and the Rangiora lodge Motel and comes out on West Belt at Bells. I was told it was a maintenance shed.
This is fascinating! I have lived here for 11 years and had no idea there had been a railway line running from Oxford to Rangiora. Really enjoyed reading your story. So well written too. I had wondered what the Bells sign stood for. Who knew! Thankyou so much for doing what you re doing.
Thanks :-). I really enjoyed writing this one.
My family, Elliott, resided at 35 West Belt, and was just over the fence from the Bells station. I was born in 1941 and have no memory of a Bells station building, but the small platform was there during my childhood. The twice weekly goods trains used to come from Oxford in the afternoons, and I was frightened may a time by the steam locomotive whistle! Deep respect for trains began in those years! I remember all the info about Blackett Street and the line curving around the Luisetti seed store buildings to join the main trunk line. I miss the steam trains and the former rail lines, but it is now a different world. I had 3 brothers who became locomotive drivers in the steam era.
I have fond memories of the train parked outside our house on Race Days at Rangiora, and also the train waiting at Springbank for patrons attending the Cust Grand Prix motorbike races. Every time I drive up Oxford Road, I feel a sadness that the line is gone, and wonder what happened to Mr Williams, the ganger who lived at The Springbank atation.
A very good story. Thank you for sharing!
[…] as the main market town for North Canterbury. The railways saw a steady stream of logs coming from Oxford, ready to be moved on to Christchurch or Amberly. And farmers from throughout the area brought […]
Great write-up. I grew up near the eastern end of Blackett St. My family have stories of the steam trains passing our gate.
You refer to the Oxford Rangiora Line. Maybe missed for simplicity was the Oxford to Sheffield part of the line which ran from 1884 to 1930.
The engineering behind the Waimakariri Gorge rail road bridge, still in use today, was significant.
Another memory is the occasion when the Rangiora Convent School and Rangiora Borough School had a combined picnic trip to Oxford.
Especially I recall passing our house and saw my parents waving from the verandah as passed by. I have no memory of the picnic itself.