Recognition for railway stalwart

It takes a lot to render Harry Andrew speechless but recently that was exactly the case.

Oamaru’s own affable railway man, Mr Andrew was the recipient of the Seven Sharp ASB ‘‘Good as Gold’’ award that screened on TVNZ this week.

The programme celebrates and honours extraordinary Kiwis who are making an impact in their communities.

Oamaru Steam & Railway members and friends, who had kept the nomination carefully under wraps, were present along with a big contingent of Steampunk aficionados in full regalia when Mr Andrew was surprised by the TV crew and interviewed as he walked down the Harbourside Station platform having just stepped down from driving the steam locomotive B10 on a Sunday run.

Mr Andrew said he was speechless when he saw the crew there and realised what was happening.

‘‘I didn’t expect it, I was a bit lost for words and thought what do I do, what do I say,’’ he said with a laugh.

He had, however, had some practise, having been filmed recently for the BBC’s travel-byrail series Great Railway Journeys — watched by millions worldwide — and presented by former British cabinet minister Michael Portillo, who travels scenic routes around the world by rail.

In his typically modest manner Mr Andrew said of the award that ‘‘other people deserve it more than me’’, but was very grateful for the accolade.

‘‘I’m really happy about it, though the club have helped me to do it all, it’s a whole team effort.

‘‘I can have some silly ideas, but if it wasn’t for the club and the members, I wouldn’t get it done. The Phoenix is being built for Oamaru,’’ Mr Andrew said.

Mr Andrew received $10,000 as part of the award and said it would go towards his current work on the Phoenix railcar which will be launched next month.

He said he was ‘‘quite chuffed’’ when he was told by TVNZ that ‘‘a lot of people’’ had put in applications for the Good as Gold award on his behalf.

Oamaru Steam & Railway president Ken McCallum said the recognition was ‘‘absolutely well-deserved and probably long overdue’’.

‘‘The innovation he has shown over the years, bringing stuff back literally from the death, has been nothing short of amazing,’’ he said.

Waitaki mayor Mel Tavendale said Mr Andrew was an ‘‘absolute stalwart’’ of Oamaru’s railway heritage. ‘‘For decades he has poured his time, expertise, and passion into preserving an important part of our town’s history,’’ Mrs Tavendale said.

‘‘His commitment to Oamaru Steam and Rail has safeguarded a piece of our identity for future generations.

‘‘Harry is a staunch campaigner with an unwavering dedication to the railway and to our community.

‘‘He’s not someone who seeks the spotlight, but he is very much a part of the fabric of our town,’’ Mrs Tavendale said.

‘‘It is fantastic to see his hard work, perseverance, and remarkable contribution being recognised with this award.’’

The ASB Good as Gold segment on TVNZ’s Seven Sharp is presented by reporter Michael Holland, who had read in the Oamaru Mail how Mr Andrew met his wife, Janet, when she visited the railway as a tourist.

Mrs Andrew, who is the OS&R book keeper and often stationmaster, was also interviewed separately for the show.

She said she was ‘‘really proud’’ of her husband and the recognition he was getting.

‘‘It’s really, really great, he so deserves it.’’

Mr Andrew has been the OS& R general manager since 1999.

He is an engineer by trade and holds a ‘‘high-grade steam ticket’’.

Mr Andrew’s dedication and determination to succeed with projects that would probably stump others, has been recognised by both members and organisations within the railways industry and within the community.

In 2004, OS&R was awarded the top honour for the restoration of A1514 at the annual FRONZ awards and again in 2006, when Mr Andrew received, on behalf of OS&R, the Carriage Restoration Award for the restoration of the A796.

In June 2025, he was awarded the Paul Dillicar Memorial Trophy Award for Innovation at the Rail Organisation of New Zealand (FRONZ) awards evening held in Christchurch.

The citation for that award noted that it was ‘‘in recognition of Mr Andrew’s innovative thinking and leadership behind his locomotive projects.

‘‘Furthermore, he had shown a great deal of innovation over an eight-year period (2000-2008) to get a B10 back into service, but also for his approach to a new project (Dm16 Phoenix).’’

The KiwiRail Infrastructure Award was also presented to Mr Andrew for building the lights and barrier arms on Humber Street, Oamaru.

Jacquie Webbie, author of Oamaru Steam and Rail and the Rail History of North Otago, the past, the present, the future, a soon-to-be published limitededition reference book that tells the definitive story of North Otago Railways, said Mr Andrew was an ‘‘unsung hero’’.

Mr Andrew also received the Rangatira Award from Corrections Services to acknowledge the work he has done with men and women who come to OS&R from the courts.

To date, he has put in 39 years with OS&R and in an average week, can host between one to 10 people per work day.

Mr Andrew told the Oamaru Mail he also really enjoyed teaching and mentoring ‘‘the young ones’’, candidates aged 14 to 18, in the successful education and mentoring programme at OS&R.

‘‘It has given me great satisfaction seeing many of the programme graduates go on to full-time employment,’’ he said.

TVNZ’s Good As Gold series episode is available on YouTube.