Waitara Railway Preservation Society

Last updated

Waitara Railway Preservation Society
WaitaraRailwayPreservationSocietyLogo.jpg
Locale Waitara, Taranaki Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Terminus Waitara
Commercial operations
Name Waitara Branch
Built by New Zealand Government Railways
Original gauge1067 mm
Preserved operations
Owned byWaitara Railway Preservation Society
Operated byWaitara Railway Preservation Society
StationsTwo
Length7.45km
Preserved gauge1067 mm
Commercial history
Opened1875
Closed to passengers1948
Closed1999
Preservation history
1999Purchased from Tranz Rail
2003Reopened for passengers
2004Tahora Station moved to Brixton
2015Waiongana River bridge reopened
2020Line extended to Lepperton Yards
Website
http://www.waitararailway.org.nz

The Waitara Railway Preservation Society is a society established in 1999 to operate a heritage railway over the former Waitara Industrial Line railway that operated between Lepperton and Waitara in the New Plymouth District of New Zealand's North Island. The line had been closed that year after 124 years of operation, after the closure of the local AFFCO freezing works in the town.

Contents

The preserved line

The preserved line begins at the northern end of the Lepperton Railway Yards (just past the main line turnout) and continues parallel to the Marton - New Plymouth Railway for a few hundred meters before turning right at Sentry Hill towards the Waiongana Stream. After crossing the stream the line runs to the former Waitara Road station and former Waitara Taranaki Co-Operative Dairy Company buildings at Brixton. The line continues from here towards Waitara, passing underneath State Highway 3 at Big Jim's Overpass. Finally, the line drops into the Waitara Valley and into the township of Waitara proper, finishing just before the Waitara River.

In Waitara, most of the infrastructure is gone with only the main line and one loop remaining in the yard. The former Tahora station has been relocated to Waitara Road, [1] where the society's rolling stock is stored. The site of the Lepperton railway station & yard is still owned and operated by KiwiRail, where the station building was removed in 1994. [2]

The branch line has 8 level crossings along its length, all of which are protected by compulsory stop signs. Issues with these were raised in the community in 2004 as legally traffic has to stop even though trains seldom ran more than once a month. [3] The Land Transport Safety Authority (now NZTA) would not allow Give Way signs and reinstating bells and lights had been reported as costing over $250,000 per crossing (almost the purchase price of the entire line in 1999) making installation unlikely for foreseeable future. Rail operations have become more frequent since then but motorists failing to stop for the societies trains is still an issue. [4]

Operation

Trains are run twice daily on the first and third Sundays of the month, departing from Waitara. The trip takes 45 minutes return, including a stop at The Former Tahora Station on the return journey for refreshments. The railway also offers charter services by arrangement. [5]

Since around 2007, trains had only journeyed as far as the Waiongana River bridge due to the deterioration of the sleepers on the structure. In April 2014 the bridge was re-sleepered and maintenance completed on the main bridge structure (including removing the former Waitara town water pipes from the side). [6] This has allowed trains to return to the entire branch line (and a proposed loop at the former Sentry Hill station site).

In 2019 the society entered into a lease to the Lepperton railway sidings (but not the main line and loop) which will allow locomotives to switch ends of the train. As part of this agreement, the society is building a new linking track to bypass the Kiwirails network which is under Centralised Traffic Control. [7]

Rolling stock

Locomotives

The Waitara Railway Preservation Society owns a number of diesel shunting locomotives, either operational or awaiting restoration. These include: [8]

Class & NumberTMS NumberTypeYearBuilt byMakers NumberStatusNotes
-- 0-4-0 D diesel shunter1954 Drewry 2507UnknownBuilt for Northland Fertiliser Co, Whangarei. Donated in 1999.
PC 11- 0-6-0 D diesel shunter1958 Bagnall 3144In serviceBuilt for Portland Cement.
Donated to the Taranaki Flyer Society Incorporated [9] in 2010 but returned in 2013 [10] when that group folded.
Dsa 240 DSA414 0-6-0 D diesel shunter1956 Bagnall 3079StoredArrived 2008 from Ravensdown Fertilizer, New Plymouth.
Dsc 423 DSC2257 Bo-Bo diesel shunter1963 NZR Addington Workshops 403 of 1963StoredFormerly use at Ravensdown Fertilizer, New Plymouth.
Dsc 453 DSC2584 Bo-Bo diesel shunter1966 NZR Addington Workshops 433 of 1966StoredPurchased in 2003.
-TR1026 / Price222 0-6-0 D diesel shunter1968 A & G Price Ltd 222 of 1968In ServiceBuilt for Pacific Steel in Otahuhu.
Purchased by Tranz Rail in 1997 and classified as Price 222, before being reclassified TR 1026.
Privately owned.
Tr 108 TR407 0-4-0 D diesel shunter1957 A & G Price Ltd 177 of 1957In service

Former resident locomotives

Locomotives formerly based at Waitara include:

The WRPS's collection of rolling stock consists of both passenger carriages and freight wagons, and is either owned outright by the society or is leased from the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand. This includes:

Passenger Vehicles

Class & NumberTMS NumberTypeYearBuilt byStatusNotes
A 1952A56536 56ft Passenger Car 1939 NZR Addington Workshops In Use
AL 1837AL50182 50ft Car Van 1936 NZR Otahuhu Workshops Under Restoration
Ad 709AD140360-foot CarriageStoredPrivately Owned. Former Postal Van Fp 709 / Business Car
Ad ???AD143260-foot CarriageStoredPrivately Owned. Former Postal Van / Business Car

Guards Vans

Class & NumberTMS NumberTypeYearBuilt byNotes
F 582F118050' Guards Van1931 NZR Addington Workshops
F 726F189237'6" Guards Van1964 NZR Otahuhu Workshops Modified for passenger use.
F 745F209437'6" Guards Van1967 NZR Otahuhu Workshops

Goods Wagons

Class & NumberTMS NumberTypeSub-typeYearBuilt byNotes
NA 1566NA749Flat Deck1977 NZR Addington Workshops Rebuilt as NAK 6118 in 1987. Mobile ticket office built on deck of wagon.
NA 1671NA2396Flat Deck1977 NZR Addington Workshops Rebuilt as NAK 6486 in 1987.
NA 1907NA4993Flat Deck1977 NZR Addington Workshops Rebuilt as NAK 6078 in 1986. Used as open carriage for passengers.
NA 1777NA3562Flat Deck1977 NZR Addington Workshops Rebuilt as NAK 6541 in 1987.
NA 1872NA4618Flat Deck1977 NZR Addington Workshops Rebuilt as NAK 6056 in 1987. Pessenger body built on deck.
NAKNAK6595Flat Deck
LA 17200LA3264High-sideLA-61931 NZR Otahuhu Workshops
UB 955UB833Flat DeckUB-51938 NZR Otahuhu Workshops Used as open passenger vehicle EA3298.
UC 810UC248Tank wagonUC-31938 NZR Petone Workshops
UG 79EA1012Horse BoxUG-41931 NZR Otahuhu Workshops Frame only. Used as passenger vehicle.
US 3082US55Flat DeckUS-11968 NZR Hillside Workshops
YB 65-Ballast WagonYB-21890
YB 600YB1466Ballast WagonYB-41941 NZR Otahuhu Workshops
YC 710YC124Ballast WagonYC-11959 NZR East Town Workshops
-YH477Ballast WagonYH-11979 NZR East Town Workshops
Z 282Z201Box WagonZ-141941 NZR Otahuhu Workshops
ZP 656ZP10063Box Wagon1968 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
-ZP14531Box Wagon Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Buildings & Facilitates

Station Buildings

None of the original station buildings remained when the line was purchased. Since the railway was purchased, new stations have been created. This has included relocating two historic station buildings, both former New Zealand Railways stations.

Magnolia Glade

Magnolia Glade is located just past Waitara Road station and is the site of over 200 new trees planted along the line, including a significant number of Magnolias. Trains are operated as part of the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival each year while the trees are in bloom.

Related Research Articles

Peak Rail is a preserved railway in Derbyshire, England, which operates a steam and heritage diesel service for tourists and visitors to both the Peak District and the Derbyshire Dales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mornington Tourist Railway</span> Heritage Railway in Victoria, Australia

The Mornington Tourist Railway is a heritage railway near Mornington, a town on the Mornington Peninsula, near Melbourne, Victoria. The line is managed by the Mornington Railway Preservation Society and operates on part of the former Victorian Railways branch line which ran from Baxter to Mornington.

Locomotives of New Zealand is a complete list of all locomotive classes that operate or have operated in New Zealand's railway network. It does not include locomotives used on bush tramways.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Railway Enthusiasts Society</span>

The Railway Enthusiasts Society Incorporated is a New Zealand railway enthusiast society formed on 17 July 1958. RES formed the Glenbrook Vintage Railway (GVR) in 1968, with GVR now forming a separate charitable trust.

The Taranaki Flyer was the name given to a passenger train that was operated by the New Zealand Railways Department between Whanganui and New Plymouth from 1926 to 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tawa Flat deviation</span> Section of railway line in Wellington, New Zealand

The 8.38 miles (13.49 km) Tawa Flat deviation is a double-track section of the Kapiti Line just north of Wellington, New Zealand with two tunnels; the southernmost section of the North Island Main Trunk railway (NIMT) between Wellington and Auckland. It was built to bypass a limited capacity single track section of the original Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR) line which ascended from Wellington to Johnsonville and then descended to Tawa Flat. The original name of Tawa Flat was changed to Tawa in 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stratford–Okahukura Line</span> Railway line in New Zealand

The Stratford–Okahukura Line (SOL) is a secondary railway line in the North Island of New Zealand, between the Marton - New Plymouth Line (MNPL) and the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) Railway, with 15 intermediate stations. It is 144 km (89 mi) long through difficult country, with 24 tunnels, 91 bridges and a number of sections of 1 in 50 grade. Near Okahukura there is an unusual combined road-rail bridge over the Ongarue River, with the one-lane road carriageway below the single rail track. The line is not currently in service for rail traffic and is under a 30-year lease for a tourist venture. In July 2019 KiwiRail's CEO stated that reopening the line was a priority. Minister of Transport Michael Wood announced the government's 10-year plan for rail investment on 6 May 2021, which specifically stated that plans could include re-opening the Stratford to Okahukura line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kapiti Line</span> Wellington commuter rail line

Metlink's Kapiti Line is the electrified southern portion of the North Island Main Trunk railway between New Zealand's capital city, Wellington, and Waikanae on the Kāpiti Coast, operated by Transdev Wellington on behalf of Greater Wellington Regional Council. Trains run frequently every day, with stops at 16 stations. Until 20 February 2011 it was known as the Paraparaumu Line.

Lepperton is a small village in North Taranaki, New Zealand. It is approximately 6 km (3.7 mi) inland from Waitara township, 5 km (3.1 mi) west of the Waitara River, and 1 km (0.62 mi) east of State Highway 3A, which connects Inglewood to Waitara.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waitara River</span>

The source of the Waitara River lies in the very steep hill country to the east of Mount Taranaki/Egmont, near Tahora. After proceeding in a southwesterly direction toward Central Taranaki, the river abruptly turns to flow in a northwesterly direction to the Tasman Sea: meeting it at the coastal town of Waitara.

The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust is a non-profit, charitable trust in New Zealand that was established in 2003 with the objective of reinstating an operating heritage railway over the Remutaka Ranges using the original route of the Wairarapa Line between Maymorn and Featherston, including the world-famous Rimutaka Incline.

The Marton–New Plymouth line (MNPL) is a secondary railway in the North Island of New Zealand that links the Taranaki and Manawatū-Whanganui regions. It branches from the North Island Main Trunk railway (NIMT) at Marton and runs near the South Taranaki Bight of the west coast before turning inland, meeting the Stratford–Okahukura Line (SOL) at Stratford and running to New Plymouth. Construction of the line was completed in 1885, and along with the SOL it provided an alternate route to the NIMT with the SOL's completion in 1933 until the latter was mothballed in 2010. In its early days, the North Island's first regional express, the New Plymouth Express ran on the line, but it has been freight-only since the cancellation of passenger services on the line in 1977.

The Waitara Branch is a 7.245 km long branch line railway in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Island. It was built as part of the region's first railway, linking New Plymouth with the closest suitable port, then the river port of Waitara. In 1884 the Breakwater port was opened in New Plymouth, but the line was saved when a (meat) freezing works was opened at Waitara in 1885.

The Mount Egmont Branch was a short but steep branch railway line in Taranaki, New Zealand, built to supply rail ballast for the Taranaki and Whanganui districts from a quarry on Mount Taranaki. Although officially known as a branch, the line was more akin to an industrial siding, with only ballast being carried.

The Kapuni Branch, formerly known as the Opunake Branch, is a branch railway in North Island, New Zealand. It opened in 1926, and ran 36.4 km across the southern slopes of Mount Taranaki to link the rural town of Ōpunake with the Marton–New Plymouth Line 2 km north of the small rural settlement of Te Roti, equidistant between Eltham and Hāwera. With the decline of rural freight, part of the line was closed in 1976, but the 10.9 km section to Kapuni was retained and upgraded to service traffic to the Kapuni natural gas field.

Inglewood railway station is a single-platform railway station on the Marton - New Plymouth Line serving the town of Inglewood in New Zealand's Taranaki district. Located on Moa Street, the station is the oldest remaining railway station in New Zealand still on its original site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lepperton railway station</span> Railway station in New Zealand

Lepperton railway station is a rural railway station on the Marton–New Plymouth line serving the village of Lepperton in New Zealand's Taranaki district. It is also the junction with the 7.25-kilometre (4.50 mi) Waitara Branch railway line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sentry Hill railway station</span> Railway station in New Zealand

Sentry Hill railway station was a rural railway station on the modern day Waitara Branch railway. It also served as the junction between the New Plymouth - Waitara railway and the main line south until the junction was relocated to Lepperton in 1908.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waitara Road railway station</span> Railway station in New Zealand

Waitara Road railway station is a rural railway station on the modern day Waitara Branch railway serving the small locality of Brixton in New Zealand's Taranaki district. It previously served the Waitara Taranaki Co-operative Dairy Company and plant nurseries Duncan and Davies Ltd.

References

  1. ↑ WRPS website - Brixton Station
  2. ↑ North Taranaki Midweek, 6 July 1994. Page 3.
  3. ↑ Rail crossing right of way stirs up a storm, The Daily News, 6 March 2004. Retrieved from www.stuff.co.nz
  4. ↑ As noted in WRPS Tablet Newsletters, http://waitararailway.weebly.com/monthly-reports-along-with-the-tablet-news-letter.html
  5. ↑ WRPS website - charters
  6. ↑ "Chairman's Report" (PDF). The Tablet. April 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Facebook Update". WRPS Facebook. Waitara Railway Preservation Society. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  8. ↑ New Zealand Rolling Stock Register
  9. ↑ NZRSR & Taranaki Flyer Society Incorporated
  10. ↑ "Monthly Report November 2013-11-01" (PDF). My trains @ Waitara Railway Preservation Society. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  11. ↑ New Zealand Railway Steam Locomotive Classes - FA Class 0-6-2T Register
  12. ↑ WRPS website - FA 250

39°01′08″S174°13′20″E / 39.0190°S 174.2222°E / -39.0190; 174.2222

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.