Canterbury Provincial Railways

The contractors who had built the line, Holmes and Company of Melbourne, operated the trains until 31 July 1868, when the Canterbury Provincial Railways took direct control.

[4] Following the central government's Great Public Works Policy of 1870 and the passing of the Railways Act 1870, all new lines were to be constructed to a national gauge of 3 ft 6 in or 1,067 mm.

[5] As a result, Canterbury Provincial Railways also operated a number of narrow-gauge branches, and the line from Rakaia to Lyttelton became dual-gauge.

[5] The Canterbury Provincial Railways operated ten steam locomotives of varying types, not divided into separate classes.

[7] When the conversion of the Canterbury lines to narrow gauge was completed, its frame and the other nine locomotives were sold to the South Australian Railways.

[5] Despite the ship carrying the locomotives and rolling stock, the Hydrabad, being shipwrecked near Foxton on the North Island's west coast on its journey to Australia, the locomotives and rolling stock ultimately were safely delivered to South Australia and with considerable modification seven of them remained in service until the 1920s.