‘Building a Sanctuary for Steam’
Heritage Railway Project
The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust aims to reinstate and operate a world-class heritage railway between Wellington and the Wairarapa. The Railway will be a unique tourist attraction for Wellington and New Zealand, and a major contributor to the regional economy.
Commendation at Regional Community Awards
The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust received a commendation at the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards ceremony for the Upper Hutt District. The commendation recognises community service for voluntary organisations in the Heritage and Environment category and was presented by Mayor Wayne Guppy at a function held in the Upper Hutt City Council Mayoral Chambers on Tuesday 18th September.
Wellington Airport and The Community Trust of Wellington jointly support the Community Awards — the latter also having recently granted $50,000 towards the construction of a rail vehicle shed at Maymorn.
The Trust is honoured to receive a commendation at this stage of the project to re-establish the Rimutaka Incline Railway.
Thirteen YC-class ballast wagons purchased
The first eight YC class ballast wagons destined for the Rimutaka Incline Railway arrived in Wellington from Palmerston North on Monday 27 August. Three wagons departed for Maymorn on Wednesday 5 September, transported by Hammond Crane and Cartage of Upper Hutt. A further five have since been purchased and the Trust is grateful to the many individuals and organisations that have sponsored a wagon or transport thereof, including New Zealand Community Trust, Pelorus Trust and Winstone Aggregates. Photo: Ben Calcott.
Newsletter 20
News from the Trust dated October 2007.
We report on the purchase of YC-class ballast wagons and transport to the Trust’s Maymorn site.
We also have news on our commendation at Regional Community Awards; Building Consent which has been granted for the Rail vehicle shed; and we have an Interim rail service licence granted by Land Transport New Zealand.
Interim rail service licence granted
On Friday 21 September 2007 Land Transport New Zealand granted the Trust an interim rail service licence as an access provider and rail operator in order to carry out rail activities at Maymorn.
Granting of a Rail Service Licence marks a turning point for the Rimutaka Incline Railway, and the Trust looks forward to operating its first rail service out of Maymorn, the next step towards creating a heritage railway through to Kaitoke and Summit.
$150,000 grant for rail vehicle shed
Lottery Grants Board approved a $150,000 grant on 1 June 2007 for a rail vehicle shed to be constructed at Maymorn. The grant covers both foundations and structural steel for the shed, and the Trust is extremely grateful to receive this level of support.
This is in addition to two grants previously approved by Rimutaka Trust and The Community Trust of Wellington for $25,000 and $50,000 respectively — and means that the full 80-metre length of shed will now be possible.
Meantime, plans are nearing completion, having been reviewed by structural engineers, and required modifications taken in. The rail vehicle shed is pending a Resource Consent application, lodged with Upper Hutt City Council on 17 May 2007. All going well, construction will commence in Autumn 2008.
A loco depot like this one is one step closer for the Rimutaka Incline Railway, having secured three grants totalling $225,000 of funding. What appears to be Ab 699, left, and A 584, right, and pause between duties at the former Woodville loco depot in a time-honoured scene from the mid-to-late 1950s. Photo: Lindsay Stockbridge.
Historic sleeping carriage secured by Trust
Sleeping carriage Aa1060 leaving the Akatarawa Valley on Friday 4 May. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
The Trust has recently acquired former North Island Main Trunk sleeping carriage Aa1060 built at Petone Railway Workshops in 1909. Members of the Trust spent a considerable amount of time preparing the carriage for transport through April and May. It was transported from Akatarawa Valley to the Trust’s Maymorn railway station depot on Friday 4 May.
Sponsor a length of track
The Trust invites you to sponsor a length of track — an opportunity to have a permanent record of your support for the Rimutaka Incline Railway.
(gold option)
Sponsorship form
A recent visitor to Maymorn...
J1211 passed through Maymorn on 18 March 2007, hauling Mainline Steam’s “Tararua Tourer” excursion around the block from Wellington, with two diesel locomotives heading the train for passage through the Rimutaka Tunnel. To the left recent progress with the pedestrian crossing can be seen, including a short trackset placed on the future loop alignment (which still has to be lifted to height and ballasted). Photo: Hugh McCracken.
(Portion of brochure, which is based on a photo by Derek Cross, NZRLS Collection.)
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Page updated 14 January 2008 Hugh McCracken.
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