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Kiwi of the Week

Arthur Lydiard

Arthur Lydiard was a marathon runner and athletics coach, whose most notable trainees included Olympic and Commonwealth Games champions.

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Today in History

7 August

1908 First train runs length of main trunk line

The 'Parliament Special' travelled over a makeshift track in the central section of the still-unfinished main trunk line. It carried MPs north to greet the American navy's 'Great White Fleet'. more...

Internal links

Rise and fall - the North Island main trunk line The North Island main trunk line

External links

Engineering heritage: The Main Trunk line (IPANZ)
North Island Main Trunk Line 'Last Spike' Memorial (Historic Places Trust)
Raurimu Spiral (Historic Places Trust)
Makohine Railway Viaduct (Historic Places Trust)
Ohakune to Horopito Coach Road (Historic Places Trust)
Birth of a national railway system (1966 encyclopaedia)

1997 Beatrice Faumuina wins athletics world championship gold

Beatrice Faumuina became the first New Zealander to win an event at a World Athletics Championships when she threw the discus 66.82 m at Athens in 1997. more...