The Coal Yard & other stories

Page 13
Earle’s father Jim kept pigeons and hens, and had many Prize-winners. One of his racing pigeons named Queenie took the record for flying from Hicks Bay, East Cape in the North Island 600 miles to Dunedin. I believe the record is unbroken to this very day. Earle won some bantam roosters in a raffle or contest. This one is a fighting rooster he was told. Some of his mates did not believe this and asked Earle to put it in with his Father Jim’s roosters to see what would happen. Earle popped it in with a champion Leghorn rooster and oh what a mess. Father was not amused at the outcome and the bantams went into the pot for Sunday dinner.

Jim’s brother Cliff married Elsie Ellis and her father William (coal merchant) helped them start a fruit and veggie shop in Kaikorai Valley Road. Cliff had a covered cart in which he made deliveries around the district. Their horse was kept in a paddock in Mount Street. A billiard hall was another thing that Cliff was involved with. In those days horse and cart was used for all sorts of things and a Mr. Angelo started a carrying business in Kaikorai (after he finished at Wardells) and charged 1/- to deliver a parcel. Welham and Bilsons took over his business later on.

THE CABLE CARS


The Kaikorai tram with tram sheds behind.
 Up the road a little further was a zig zag track that took pedestrians up the north side to Helensburgh Road and Riding the cable cars always had atmosphere that can not be re lived on modern transport systems. If the weather was cold we tried to ride in the enclosed areas at the back or front of the cars. In fine weather however to sit on the outwards facing seats on either side was much more fun. By the time the cable car had started up a steep part of the track, there was always room for another passenger at the uphill end of the seat. During rush hour the crowds would pile on. Holding onto the straps that hung from over head bars was like a ride in the fun park.
The Kaikorai tram started running on October 9th 1900 and brought passengers 1.8 kilometres up what is now Stuart Street from the terminus at the Robbie Burn’s statue in the Octagon.
The powerhouse was in Kaikorai where the pensioner’s cottages are now by the Nairn Street corner. In the first 23 weeks from opening, 250,000 passengers were carried. At the time of the second world war, American war ships were based or visited Dunedin.
The sailor’s would ride up to Kaikorai on the Kaikorai tram and return to the city via the Roslyn tram. Mistaking the “coal yard” building as a hotel the sailors called in for a beer. No beer was on hand but many friendships were made and postcards came to the Ellis’s from all over America.

Go to Next Page
   Cable Car at Frasers Road
The Roslyn cable car sheds in Frasers Road with Grandad Fred Still's house on the right.

Go to Page 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 (last page).