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Those at the 'rail face'

The engineers, surveyors and contractors of the Waihoihoi tramway and the Auckland – Drury railway deserve recognition. The civil engineers and surveyors to the Railway Board were Samuel Harding and James Stewart. Brief notes of their careers follow.

Samuel Harding, C.E. (1822-1907): surveyor with James Stewart of the Auckland to Drury Railway, 1862; surveyor of the Kaipara Railway, 1863-4; engineer in charge with James Stewart of construction of the Auckland to Drury Railway, 1864-7; appointed goldfields surveyor, 1868; appointed Resident Engineer at Kaipara, 1 February 1872; later went into private practice; a foundation member of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.^[26]

James Stewart, M.Inst.C.E. (1833-1914): first City Engineer, Auckland City Board of Works, 1862-3; designer and supervisor of construction of the gunboats Rangiriri and Koheroa used during the Waikato War; surveyor with Samuel Harding of the first Auckland Provincial Railway, the Auckland to Drury Railway, 1862; Government Inspector of Steamers and engineer for design and installation of the Bean Rock, Ponui Passage (Sandspit), Kawau Rock and Manukau Heads lighthouses, 1867-74; Resident Engineer, Public Works Department, Auckland – Drury Railway, branch line to Onehunga, 1871-2; extension to Mercer, 1872-4.

Appointed District Engineer for the Public Works Department, Auckland Province, for all provincial railway works, 1874; took on overall responsibility for the construction of the Waikato Railway, Kaipara Railway, and Thames Valley Railway, 1874–81; retrenched by the Public Works Department and went back into private practice, 1881.

Stewart & Hunter partnership contracted to Piako County Council; Engineer-in-charge of survey, design and beginning construction of the Waiorongomai tramway, 1882-3; Stewart & Hunter appointed to Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company; Engineer – in charge survey and construction Rotorua Railway 1881-94 (this railway was officially taken over by Public Works Department in 1886 and the second section was completed under their jurisdiction, with Stewart continuing in his role of engineer in charge); contracted to Public Works Department for a feasibility reconnaissance survey of the Gisborne to Rotorua railway route, 1897.

As local consultant engineer to the Auckland Electric Tramways Company, 1899–1911, undertook development of Auckland’s electric tram tracks and depots; elected A.M.Inst.C.E. in 1868 and M.Inst.C.E. in 1877; became an authorised surveyor, 9th August 1881 and licensed under Land Transfer Act, July 1884; member Auckland Institute from 1868 until his death in 1914 except for a short break (President 1890 and 1901), elected representative Board of Governors New Zealand Institute 1903, trustee New Zealand Institute, 1906.^[27]

Contractors on the Auckland to Drury railway were as follows: Section No. 1, from Wynyard Pier to Newmarket (including the proposed tunnel) – formation, main contractor: Peter Grace; architect: Mr Charles Sanderson, C.E.; No. 2 Section, from Newmarket to Panmure Road crossing, main contractor: Mr G.H. Cheeseman; No. 3 Section, from Panmure Road crossing, to one mile beyond the Onehunga junction formation, main contractor: John Gwynneth; No. 4 Section, Onehunga branch line formation - main contractors, Messrs. Gallaugher and Co.; fencing and ditching the entire line, Mr Kirby.^[28]

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