Newsletters and contributions from Rimutaka Incline Railway Members
Newsletter 25
News from the Trust dated May 2010.
Our latest newsletter, in which we report on substantial progress made with the rail vehicle shed over past months, with all roof cladding installed, both ends and a good amount of wall cladding. Inspection pits are also under construction inside the shed, and a commissioning ceremony is planned on Saturday 25 September 2010.
Our mainline track now extends out towards the Tranz Metro station, and within a few short months we hope to double its length or more.
4 May 2010.
Newsletter 24
News from the Trust dated December 2009.
We report on further construction work on our rail vehicle shed, roof cladding and a good amount of wall cladding complete. The Maymorn station yard has undergone a remarkable transformation with earthworks completed recently for main and loop formations
24 December 2009.
Newsletter 23
News from the Trust dated May 2009.
We report on substantial progress made with the rail vehicle shed over past months, with all portals in place, girts and purlins installed, and 90% of the roof cladding complete. We also have secured a further carriage for the Trust—an 1884-vintage Gumdigger Carriage, for which we are making transport arrangements.
Newsletter 22
News from the Trust dated December 2008.
We report on construction work on our rail vehicle shed at Maymorn, arrival of Wb locomotives to the Maymorn site, and purchase of three timber water vats from Ohakune.
Newsletter 21
News from the Trust dated June 2008.
We report on our recent success in gaining a Resource Consent for rail heritage structures, earthworks and rail activities at Maymorn, which paves the way for construction to commence on the rail vehicle shed.
Newsletter 20
News from the Trust dated October 2007
In this issue we report on the purchase of 11 YC-class ballast wagons, which have recently been decommissioned by ONTRACK. A big thanks go out to organisations and individuals who have supported the programme, including New Zealand Community Trust, Pelorus Trust and Winstone Aggregates. We still have sponsorship opportunities — two further wagons are “up for grabs”.
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.
Newsletter 19
News from the Trust dated June 2007.
In this issue we report on the $150,000 grant we have received from Lottery Grants Board for the rail vehicle shed, and have an illustrated article on carriage Aa1060 — the historic sleeping carriage recently secured by Trust.
We also have an update on Ontrack's new ballast wagons — and the decommissioning of 4-wheel ballast wagons. We have sponsorship in hand for 11 of 12 YC-class wagons that we have requested — thanks to all who have supported the Trust in this way. We report on progress at Maymorn, and events that the Trust has attended.
Newsletter 18
News from the Trust dated February 2007.
- We report on progress made with Resource Consent application for the rail vehicle shed, and other rail related activities at the Maymorn site; and
- Progress over the summer months is also reported, including a final concrete pour at the pedestrian crossing, and construction of track ready for delivery of ballast wagons from April onwards.
Newsletter 17
News from the Trust for October 2006, including:
- Grants totalling $75,000 approved for Rail Vehicle Shed.
- Track sponsorship plans
- New Zealand Community Trust grant for fence
- Arrival of Q hopper wagons
- Progress at the Maymorn site
- Visit to Carterton Community and Railway Museum.
Newsletter 16
The June 2006 newsletter reports on the donation and transport of guard’s van modules to the Maymorn site, the grant received from Hutt-Mana Charitable Trust for security fencing, and progress with the pedestrian crossing near the Tranz Metro station.
Plans for a rail vehicle shed modelled on a 1911-vintage two-road engine shed design are also covered.
Member contributions
Members are encouraged to contrbute items for these pages, including:
- photographs, pre- or post-1955
- reminiscences or memorabilia
- timetables, maps, plans
Fell locomotive hauls train out of the Summit Tunnel into Summit yard [Detail of larger image below]. Photo: Finlay Maciver, Andy Maciver collection.
World War I arrival at Summit
Andy Maciver of Paraparaumu has contributed an image taken by his uncle Finlay Maciver late in 1914. He was on a route march from Featherston camp to Trentham before they were all shipped off to Egypt ready to go to Gallipoli. Andy reports that Finlay contracted an illness in Egypt 'so was invalided back to Blighty and never say the Dardanelles...'
Fell locomotive hauls train out of the Summit Tunnel into Summit yard. Photo: Finlay Maciver, Andy Maciver collection.
Note the low position of acetylene-powered headlight as fitted to the 'H' class Fell locomotives during this period. One would assume that the headlight was placed in the lower position to cast a light clear of steam and smoke, similar to the position of fog lights on automobiles.
Rochfort Pass can be seen to the upper middle of the full image on this page, the landscape barren from forest clearance and fire. Slopes to the left of the tunnel mouth were continually unstable during the life of the Incline. Slips closed the line on a few ocassions, sometimes for days at a time. This area still gives trouble today, being continually wet.
