About 300 people attended the service, including dignitaries, KiwiRail staff, veterans, descendants of the former employees and members of the public.
KiwiRail "Future State" leader Alan Hill addressed the gathering, sharing the history of the memorial, which started out as a World War 1 roll of honour board originally installed in the Hillside Workshops social hall.
In 1949, the Hillside Workshops War Memorial Committee erected two gold-engraved granite plaques on the wall next to the main entrance in Hillside Rd, paid for by workshops staff.
The memorial stones were eventually removed for refurbishment and reinstatement at a later date.
With the development of the new site in Hillside Rd, KiwiRail worked with Calder Stewart and WSP to consolidate the design of the memorial, incorporating the plaques and creating a space for future Anzac Day commemorations.
Mr Hill thanked all those who had contributed to the design and building of the memorial, describing it as "splendid".
The gathering was also addressed by retired Lieutenant-colonel Roger McElwain, who spoke of his family’s long connection with the Hillside Workshops and his own memories of spending time there as a child.
All Saints Church vicar Canon Michael Wallace led the Act of Remembrance prayers, before Mr Hill and veteran Charlie Boyes unveiled the memorial.
Mr Boyes’ great-uncle Andrew Colquhoun Boyes, a workshops staff member, served at Gallipoli with the 2nd Battalion of the Otago Infantry Regiment, being promoted to lieutenant.
Lt Boyes was killed in action on May 16, 1916, at Armentieres on the Western Front, aged 24.
MC for the service was veteran Graeme Harvey, piper Oe Hayward played a lament as wreaths were laid and bugler Joseph Kelly played Last Post.
