Petone Anzac Charter
Anzac day 2016, on behalf of KiwiRail a special train using Ab608 “Passchendaele” to help commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Petone Anzac Memorial flagpole services.
The Petone Memorial Flagpole was erected in 1916 in time for the Anzac commemoration on 25th April 1916.
The flagpole was a joint initiative between between Petone railway workers and Hornsby (NSW) railway workers to help honour the Anzac spirit forged during the First World War between Australian and New Zealand Railway workers. It was constructed using an Australian hardwood and New Zealand Kauri.
The 25th April 2016 service was the first public Anzac Day commemoration held in New Zealand. It was attended by the prime minister William Massey and the cabinet.
Steam Inc worked closely with Kiwi Rail to help organise the centennial commemoration.
Appropriately WWI memorial locomotive Ab608 Passchendaele , built in 1915 was used to haul the train. Carriages used on the train were all of the same era. Three of the carriages were built in the Petone railway workshops in 1909. The workshops were located over the current rail line from the flagpole. Accompanied by a Scotish Piper Ab608 steamed into the Petone platform alongside the flagpole at the conclusion of the Anzac service.