North Island Main Trunk Centenary – Stamps of New Zealand 2008.
The North Island Main Trunk line is the main railway line in North Island of New Zealand connecting Wellington to Auckland. The Line is 682 kilometres long. The Auckland section of NIMT was opened in 1873 and work began on Wellington section in 1885 and it was opened in 1908.
NewZealand issued a set of five stamps on 03 Sep 2008 to mark the centenary of North Island Main Trunk Line (NIMT). The First Day Cover shows the end of Steam locomotives as a Ka948 departed National Park on 29 Jan 1965.
50c – The “Last Spike ” ceremony near Manganui-o-te-Ao viaduct on 06 Nov 1908. The “Last Spike” museum is located here now.
$1 – 50th Anniversary Display at Taumarunui Railway Station in Nov 1958. A Ka947 locomotive pulling into the station.
$1.50 – Ka powered Goods train crossing the Makatote Viaduct in Jan 1963.
$2.00 -Ka powered Goods train climbing the Raurimu Spiral in Jul 1964.
$2.50 – EF powered “Overlander” crossing Hapuawhenua viaduct in Sep 2003. The “Overlander” was the long distance train between Auckland and Wellington on NIMT till it was replaced by “Northern Explorer” on 25 Jul 2012. The Northern explorer covers this distance in 11 hours now.
Stamp Digest 