Newman mail coaches connected Nelson and Hampden

Before motor vehicles took over, the Newman brothers carried mail and passengers through rugged country between Foxhill and Hampden on a journey that could be as dangerous as it was scenic. In January 1878, tenders were invited to convey the Royal Mail and up to eight passengers between Foxhill and Lyell via Hampden (Murchison). Mr Knapp successfully won the tender but died before the service began. As a result, it was not until July 1879 that the first run was made from Foxhill station by Henry Newman and Thomas Newman over the newly-completed Hope Saddle Road. The service operated fortnightly, leaving Foxhill every second Tuesday and arriving in Hampden the following day. It then returned towards Nelson every second Thursday, arriving on Friday. The trip was long and at times treacherous. In 1881, Henry was driving through the Motupiko Valley when the four horses took fright and bolted. The brake was applied but broke, throwing him to the ground. Still holding the reins, Henry managed to pull the horses up, although not before two attempted to jump a fence. With Henry injured, Thomas settled the horses, repaired the coach and continued the journey to Hampden. By 1882, the mail service was operating every Wednesday, carrying mail, parcels and passengers. A few years later it was running twice weekly. For passengers, the trip was vastly different from modern travel. At 7am the coach left Belgrove and began climbing Spooners Range. At the summit, passengers could look out across the waters of Blind Bay and the Waimea Plains. The descent into Norris's Gully was described as less inspiring. After crossing near the junction of the Motueka and Motupiko rivers, the coach stopped at Hopgood's accommodation house for lunch and a change of horses. The journey then continued over Hope Saddle, along a road that in its early years consisted of countless twists and turns. Following the Buller River through forest and mountain country, the coach eventually reached Hampden. A near tragedy occurred in January 1885 when George Newman was driving the coach and discovered a major fire burning alongside the route near Motupiko. George initially believed he could stay ahead of the flames, but after travelling several miles he reached a section of road where turning the coach around was almost impossible. Realising the fire was much larger than expected, and with flames closing in behind him, his only option was to drive straight through it. Urging the horses to full speed, George raced for his life. Smoke was so thick he could barely see the horses from the driver's seat. Nearly overcome by smoke, and with his hair and beard singed, he eventually reached an area where the fire changed direction. When he stopped to inspect the coach, he found the horses had been singed and the paint had peeled from the vehicle. Coaches continued to improve over time and, in early 1897, Newman Brothers ordered two new coaches. One was built by Nelson firm Messrs Balme and Co and could carry 11 passengers. It also featured a significant comfort upgrade, with corded seats stuffed with horsehair replacing the hard, slippery leather seats common at the time. In the mid-1890s, Newmans took on a partner and operated as Canning and Newman. The partnership ended when Canning retired, and the service reverted to the Newman Bros name. With the growing popularity of motor vehicles, Thomas made his final horse-drawn coach trip in late October. The following week the service was operated by a light lorry and the era of the horse coach came to an end.