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The Royal train at Ōtira, 1954
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TitleThe Royal train at Ōtira, 1954
DescriptionAt the Otira 100 celebrations on 4 August 2023, Kevin Frewin shared this photograph, taken by his photographer father, Richard (Dick) Frewin of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on a train at Ōtira station on Monday 18 January 1954 during the Royal Tour of 1953-54.
Kevin also shared his childhood memories of growing up in Ōtira as a child. His father Dick worked as a shunter at the Ōtira railway station in the 1950’s. Dick was also a photographer and projectionist, showing films in the hall. This photograph of the Royal Train was taken by Dick at the railway station, and Kevin was a schoolboy there that day, waving flags with his schoolmates from Ōtira School, which he attended from 1950-1956. He lived in a railway house across from the station. Trains carrying men from the West Coast through to Burnham for National Service training passed through the station, which had flat boards positioned to hold free cups of tea, pies and fruit cake for the men to easily partake of as they passed through. However, Kevin remembers many preferred a quick dash to the nearby Ōtira Hotel for a drink. This meant he and his schoolmates could enjoy the pies and fruitcake after the train had departed.
On the way through one day, a man on the troop train offered Kevin a bar of chocolate for the family cat. Kevin agreed to the deal, but his father was not impressed, giving him a hiding after he had to drive to Springfield Station to pick up the cat!
Date18 January 1954SourceKevin FrewinPhotographerRichard (Dick) Frewin
DescriptionAt the Otira 100 celebrations on 4 August 2023, Kevin Frewin shared this photograph, taken by his photographer father, Richard (Dick) Frewin of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on a train at Ōtira station on Monday 18 January 1954 during the Royal Tour of 1953-54.Kevin also shared his childhood memories of growing up in Ōtira as a child. His father Dick worked as a shunter at the Ōtira railway station in the 1950’s. Dick was also a photographer and projectionist, showing films in the hall. This photograph of the Royal Train was taken by Dick at the railway station, and Kevin was a schoolboy there that day, waving flags with his schoolmates from Ōtira School, which he attended from 1950-1956. He lived in a railway house across from the station. Trains carrying men from the West Coast through to Burnham for National Service training passed through the station, which had flat boards positioned to hold free cups of tea, pies and fruit cake for the men to easily partake of as they passed through. However, Kevin remembers many preferred a quick dash to the nearby Ōtira Hotel for a drink. This meant he and his schoolmates could enjoy the pies and fruitcake after the train had departed.
On the way through one day, a man on the troop train offered Kevin a bar of chocolate for the family cat. Kevin agreed to the deal, but his father was not impressed, giving him a hiding after he had to drive to Springfield Station to pick up the cat!
Date18 January 1954SourceKevin FrewinPhotographerRichard (Dick) FrewinConnections
More InformationItinerary of 1953-54 Royal Tour of Aotearoa New Zealand
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Researched BySarah Davy and Kevin FrewinWritten BySarah Davy
Written BySarah DavyClick on the image to add
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The Royal train at Ōtira, 1954 (18 January 1954). Selwyn Stories, accessed 02/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/6032
