Wanganui was noted for pulling out the stops when providing comfort to passengers on long journeys through the region, a noted author says.
On shelves in Wanganui today, 150 Years of Rail in New Zealand, a joint project with Motat, follows the "amazing pace" at which the rail network became the "arteries" of New Zealand, through a collection of historical photos.
English-bred author Matt Turner said that, as well as being an important rail and sea port in its own right, Wanganui was a "key stop" on the line from Wellington to New Plymouth.
In the late 19th century, before the main trunk line through the North Island was completed, Wanganui was the port where people caught the steamer connection to Auckland.
"Another interesting point about Wanganui is that the city adopted electric trams as early as 1908, although Motat also has a lovely little Baldwin steam tram, built in 1891 for use in Sydney, which came to Wanganui in 1910."