New Zealand's worst ever rail disaster occurred at 10:21pm, Christmas Eve, 1953. We explore the unfortunate series of events that led to Ka 949 plunging into the Whangaehu River, and hear from those there that night about the nightmare they witnessed.

Guests:
John Mahy
Bob Silk
Bruce Thompson
Jim McAloon 



Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams
Researcher: Neesha Bremner
Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson
Production assistants: Kathy Cunningham and Hohepa Te Moana
Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon

Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu. 

New Zealand's worst ever rail disaster occurred at 10:21pm, Christmas Eve, 1953. We explore the unfortunate series of events that led to Ka 949 plunging into the Whangaehu River, and hear from those there that night about the nightmare they witnessed.
Guests: John Mahy Bob Silk Bruce Thompson Jim McAloon  
Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams Researcher: Neesha Bremner Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson Production assistants: Kathy Cunningham and Hohepa Te Moana Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

Christmas Eve, 1953. A historic year for New Zealand ended tragically, when 151 people died in the country's worst ever rail disaster. 70 years on, with only a handful of survivors still alive, did New Zealand learn the lessons of this horrific accident - or have we forgotten this tragedy? 

Hosted by Hamish Williams. Produced by the Motuihe Group for the New Zealand Herald. Made with funding from NZ on Air. 

Christmas Eve, 1953. A historic year for New Zealand ended tragically, when 151 people died in the country's worst ever rail disaster. 70 years on, with only a handful of survivors still alive, did New Zealand learn the lessons of this horrific accident - or have we forgotten this tragedy? 
Hosted by Hamish Williams. Produced by the Motuihe Group for the New Zealand Herald. Made with funding from NZ on Air.

Tangiwai: A Forgotten History

Christmas Eve

In this bonus episode of Tangiwai: A Forgotten History, we head back to the scene of the accident as the 70th anniversary is marked in an official ceremony.

And, in the weeks after the series was released, dozens of people have contacted us with their own stories from December 24th, 1953, and we share those stories here.

Our thanks to all those involved in organising the memorial and the train service there. 

Guests:
John Mahy
Callum Mahy
Raymond Oshanassy
John Archer
Ruth Green
Joan Humphries
Keith Howells 

Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams
Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson
Researcher: Neesha Bremner
Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon

Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

In this bonus episode of Tangiwai: A Forgotten History, we head back to the scene of the accident as the 70th anniversary is marked in an official ceremony.
And, in the weeks after the series was released, dozens of people have contacted us with their own stories from December 24th, 1953, and we share those stories here. Our thanks to all those involved in organising the memorial and the train service there. 
Guests: John Mahy Callum Mahy Raymond Oshanassy John Archer Ruth Green Joan Humphries Keith Howells 
Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson Researcher: Neesha Bremner Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon
Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

Memorials and Memories

70 years since Tangiwai, in a year where natural disasters once again exposed our poor investments in infrastructure, we ask experts if the country truly remembered the lessons of the Tangiwai disaster.

Guests:
Nick Leggett
Dr Samaneh Madanian
Gail Pacheco
Liam Wotherspoon
Max Rashbrooke 

Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams
Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson
Researcher: Neesha Bremner
Production assistants: Kathy Cunningham and Hohepa Te Moana
Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon

Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

70 years since Tangiwai, in a year where natural disasters once again exposed our poor investments in infrastructure, we ask experts if the country truly remembered the lessons of the Tangiwai disaster.
Guests: Nick Leggett Dr Samaneh Madanian Gail Pacheco Liam Wotherspoon Max Rashbrooke 
Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson Researcher: Neesha Bremner Production assistants: Kathy Cunningham and Hohepa Te Moana Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon
Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

Never Again

With the information we've learned from authorities and locals, Hamish looks at what would happen if the Tangiwai disaster was to happen today, and how quickly - or not - people would respond.

Guests:
Chris Carter
Andrew Chambers
Colonel Trevor Walker
Brad Scott
Matt Carey
Senior Constable Conrad Smith
Kyle MacDonald

Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams
Researcher: Neesha Bremner
Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson
Production assistants: Kathy Cunningham and Hohepa Te Moana
Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon

Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

With the information we've learned from authorities and locals, Hamish looks at what would happen if the Tangiwai disaster was to happen today, and how quickly - or not - people would respond.
Guests: Chris Carter Andrew Chambers Colonel Trevor Walker Brad Scott Matt Carey Senior Constable Conrad Smith Kyle MacDonald
Presenter and producer: Hamish Williams Researcher: Neesha Bremner Sound engineer: Shaun D Wilson Production assistants: Kathy Cunningham and Hohepa Te Moana Executive Producers: Ethan Sills and Andrew Laxon
Select music by Anthonie Tonnon. Made with funding by NZ On Air / Irirangi Te Motu.

Christmas Eve

In 1 playlist(s)

Tangiwai: A Forgotten History

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips