Construction of this 14.42 kilometres (8.96 mi) of railway proceeded without any notable difficulties, opening for service on 24 December 1875 - though trains had been able to run to Pleasant Point as early as two months previously.

Less than half a year later, the final portion of the line was opened for general traffic to the locale of Eversley, just beyond Fairlie, on 28 January 1884, giving the branch a full length of 58.2 kilometres (36.2 mi).

This train was double-headed by K 88 Washington and a member of the F class, and it consisted of a guard's van and 14 carriages, some of which were brought down from Christchurch the previous morning to cater for the anticipated large crowd.

[8] 27 kilometres (17 mi) of formation were made to varying standards of completion, but ultimately no rails were laid and the line's farthest terminus remained Eversley.

[11][12] After the 1908 fire, the post and telegraph office formerly based at Fairlie station was housed in a temporary building; this too was burnt down in a suspected act of arson on the morning of 20 September 1908.

When opened to Pleasant Point, two trains ran each way a day,[9] and while the line had its terminus in Albury, significant traffic was generated by wool and grain being carried by dray to the station from regions further inland.

The rest of the line entered into a slow demise, with passenger services cut to thrice weekly in 1953; the mixed train operated Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with solely freight carried on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The refrain makes reference to the final excursion over the line, also dubbed the 'Fairlie Flyer' and hauled by AB's 718 and 798: So fireman stoke that engine, steam down that railway track.