A Mornington cable car trailer that last ran on the High St cable car line in January 1957 has received a major award from the Federation of Railway Organisations of New Zealand, being named as the best restoration of a tramway vehicle for 2014.
The award, for Mornington cable car trailer 111, was unexpected, lead restorer Don McAra, of Christchurch, said.
The volunteers who worked on the cable car trailer, along with the Tramway Historical Society, were delighted, he said.
A formal ''launch'' of the cable car trailer would be held on the Ferrymead tramway on a date to be announced, Mr McAra said.
The restoration of the cable car trailer, originally built in 1925 by the Dunedin City Corporation tramways department, took thousands of hours of volunteer labour guided by the professional staff at the Tramway Historical Society.
Society volunteers were now starting the restoration of Mornington cable car 103, Mr McAra said.
