My first car was a train. Following a trip into Methven in the engine cab of a coal fired train, in about 1944, I was rewarded with a train of my own, or rather with a train engine. Not quite the same as the one that plied the Rakaia - Methven run (long since closed), mine was made out of a wooden nail box, with the round bits (wheels and smoke stack) cut from an old mangle roller. It was about 2 feet long and plied lines through long grass behind the Ikawai School house.
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| Artists representation. Imagine the smoke steam and noise! |
The family moved to Ikawai in c. 1944 where Father was posted on a temporary wartime placement as school teacher. Ikawai was successful posting, with Betty and Ian slotting in seamlessly to a very supportive rural community.
I thought that one organising principle could be around the various vehicles in the family, and the times they were in. This is the first in the 'cars' series. The next will look at the trip down to Ikawai from Christchurch.
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