An official of the Railway Department inspected each load of sleepers at the Ashhurst Railway Station and 4 shillings and sixpence was paid for each sleeper that was accepted. The photograph was taken a few chains south-west of Opawe Road. The sleepers were cut from Crown Land (part of the Totara Reserve), in bush which had been partly damaged by fire two years prior. The men in this photo are (from left): Sam Lane, George Wagstaff, Ernest Wagstaff (sitting), unknown.