Attractions

Event Day | Trams | Trains |

Ferrymead Heritage Park features a Heritage Township complete with Picture Theatre, School House, Church, Tearooms, Jail and Railway Station as well as a fascinating array of museum and heritage collections.

Opening hours and admission prices.

Event day

Trams and trains are Ferrymead’s big attraction and Sunday 3 August is one of the Park’s famous “Steam Sundays”, held on the first Sunday of the months of April to November.

This means that in addition to the usual attractions, the Canterbury Railway Society will be running a steam train all day.  On 3 August it will be Steam Loco W192 2-6-2 tank engine built in Christchurch in 1887. She has a place in New Zealand railway history as the first locomotive built by the Government Railway Workshops at Addington and is one of only two of that class that were built.  W192 worked mainly in the South Island, hauling coal trains on the West Coast.

At the far end of the train and tram line, visitors can walk across to the Radio Preservation Society and visit the world-class “Dini” collection, donated by Bill Dini, of 19th and 20th century musical recording instruments such as early European musical boxes from the 1800s, paper roll organettes and gramaphones; objects both beautifully crafted and quaint, each with a story attached and evoking memories of special people and times past.

The Society also has a marvellous Museum of Sound and Radio displaying valve radios from 1925 to 1955 and visitors can learn how radio technology has changed over the years. 

An electric tram will also be running, with the 1881 Kitson steam tram making an appearance in the middle of the day.  Visitors can ride the trams and train as often as they like. 

Visitors can go to the train workshops and the tram barn, see the restored engines and carriages, restoration projects in progress and unrestored machines. 

Children from Heritage Youth will be taking lessons in the school house and playing games.  Visitors can join in, trying out the trolley, scooter, spinning tops and other toys.

Talk with the experts in the Hall of Flame and learn all about the vintage fire engines.

Stroll our heritage village, which provides a snapshot of Christchurch life in the early 1900s – homes, school house, church, general store, jail, cinema, bakery, railway station and other heritage buildings. Explore the fascinating collections in our specialty museums, including aeronautics and the Hall of Wheels. 

Browse the timeless treasures and treats in our gift shop, taste bakery delights, enjoy a cuppa in the railway station tearooms or bring a picnic and sit in the rose garden.  .

Trams

Trams runs every weekend, during school holidays, on public holidays and on event days.

Trains

Steam trains run on Summer Sundays (December, January and February), the first Sundays of April to November, and on event days

For a fun-filled family day out and a fascinating insight into NZ's heritage visit Ferrymead Heritage Park today!