Giant cheques might be a feature of modern corporate shindigs but it was this folding mahogany box that publicly sealed the deal for New Plymouth’s tram tracks in 1914.
The management of the North Eastern Steel Company, of Middlesbrough, were obviously excited about the prospect of laying New Plymouth’s tram rail network and produced this set of steel track cross sections in a custom made mahogany box to celebrate.

The cross sections were presented to the New Plymouth borough engineer and the future looked bright for the electric powered transport system.
More than 18,000 passengers used the trams during their first week of operation in 1916, but their novelty value soon wore off and they faced stiff competition from passenger buses. The last tram service ran on 23 July 1954.