Newsletter #20, October 2007
By the end of October the Trust had purchased eleven YC-class ballast wagons, including three sponsored by the New Zealand Community Trust. Most are placed on, and are able to be operated on the Trust’s railway sidings under an interim Rail Service Licence issued by Land Transport New Zealand. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
In this issue:
Eleven YC-class ballast wagons purchased.
Commendation at Regional Community Awards.
Building Consent granted — Rail vehicle shed.
Interim rail service licence granted.
The Chairperson’s inclinations.
Sponsor a length of track.
Want to see some track at Maymorn? Here’s your opportunity to help us get started.
Maymorn progress.
Eleven YC-class ballast wagons purchased
The Trust has purchased eleven YC-class ballast wagons from ONTRACK for future use on the Rimutaka Incline Railway. Around 200 wagons of YC, YF and YH classes will be withdrawn from service during 2007, to be replaced by a fleet of 40 modern YJ-class bogie hopper wagons. The Trust’s plans to construct and maintain an 18km heritage railway from Maymorn to Summit will require a ballast wagon train. This is a rare and not-to-be repeated opportunity to acquire suitable ballast wagons. The Trust is grateful for the opportunity given by ONTRACK to purchase the vehicles.
The first eight wagons were transferred from Palmerston North to Wellington on 27 August 2007, marshalled in the middle of a scheduled Toll freight train. The wagons were transferred by road to Maymorn over the following week by Hammond Crane and Cartage of Upper Hutt. The next three were road transported direct from Palmerston North to Maymorn, to eliminate the need to have the wagons re-certified.
The rake of eight YC wagons were photographed in the middle of No. 225 freight at Plimmerton on 27 August 2007. In less than 25km their likely last mainline journey would be over. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Videos
Videos of the rake of ballast wagons in the middle of freight No.225 freight and being moved about the Wellington yards can be viewed on our website at www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/rail-vehicles.
Rimutaka Railway
Rimutaka Incline — the world’s last Fell engine railway.
VHS: $29.95; DVD: $34.95; + $3.20 p&p
Order online at www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/shop.
The first eight YC class ballast wagons destined for the Rimutaka Incline Railway at Wellington rail yards on Thursday 30 August 2007. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Hammond Crane and Cartage transported up to three wagons from Wellington to Maymorn in a shift. YC308 is hoisted aboard a truck at Wellington railway yards on 5 September. Photo: Ben Calcott.
Three of the eight wagons departed for Maymorn on Wednesday 5 September, transported by Hammond Crane and Cartage of Upper Hutt. Photo: Ben Calcott.
Later that afternoon YC1175, left, is about to be placed onto Rimutaka Incline Railway sidings at Maymorn. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Two hundred YC-class ballast wagons were constructed in New Zealand Railways workshops between 1959 and 1961, the first batch of 40 being built at East Town Workshops, Wanganui. They were a considerable advance over their predecessors, the YB class, with double the cubic capacity at 10.3m3, and conforming to the then new, long wheelbase of 13 feet (3962mm). A side-discharge variant, the YF class, were built at Addington Workshops, Christchurch in 1964-5. A fleet of 85 four-wheel YH class wagons were built between 1978 and 1980, again at East Town Workshops, having a generous 16m3 capacity. YC, YF and YH classes continued to be used into the 21st century, and have in turn been superceded by the new high-speed YJ class bogie ballast hooper wagons, forty of which have been produced by Hillside Workshops over the past couple of years.
Looking back to Good Friday 6 April 2007, a healthy contingent of YC class wagons were still in service at Palmerston North, including in this view future Trust wagons 1175, 1083 and 2335. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
The following table details the eleven YC wagons purchased by the Trust to date. An up-to-date list of rail vehicles owned or associated with the Trust can be accessed at www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/rail-vehicles/.
| Original No | TMS No | Year outshopped | Where built | Arrival date at Maymorn | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yc726 | YC308 | 1959 | NZR | 5 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc760 | YC654 | 1960 | NZR | pending | complete |
| Yc782 | YC1083 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 5 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc789 | YC1175 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 5 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc795 | YC1238 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 6 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc817 | YC1486 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 6 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc825 | YC1578 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 30 August 2007 | complete |
| Yc845 | YC1768 | 1961 | NZR | 30 August 2007 | complete |
| Yc878 | YC2145 | 1961 | NZR | 28 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc891 | YC2289 | 1961 | NZR | 28 September 2007 | complete |
| Yc896 | YC2335 | 1961 | NZR | 30 August 2007 | complete |
By way of a post-script, on Friday 28 September Colin Craddock and Hugh McCracken travelled to Palmerston North to empty the eleventh wagon purchased from ONTRACK. Approximately 8 tonnes of ballast was unloaded by hand from YC654, to expedite road transport of the wagon direct from Palmerston North to Maymorn. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Ballast Wagon Sponsorship Plan
Sponsor a wagon and your slogan can be positioned on one side of a ballast wagon for a period of five years, similar to that depicted above. Sponsored wagons will be visible to passengers travelling on the Wellington — Masterton railway (wherever practicable) and form a key role in future railway construction activities, which should attract a good amount of publicity. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Only eight YC class wagons remain in storage at Palmerston North, including: YC 268, 406, 959, 1250, 1365, 1411, 2139 and 2329. The Trust hopes to be able to purchase a further two YC wagons in October, which would bring the total number up to 13, effectively forming a ballast train of 12 wagons, with one spare to allow for an ongoing overhaul and maintenance programme.
Sponsorship of a wagon would be a most welcome gesture and we would happily entertain naming rights, logos or other signs put on wagons to acknowledge your support. Please contact the Trust if you can help sponsor a wagon: enquiries@rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz or telephone 021 701 551 — we would be glad to hear from you.
Commendation at Regional Community Awards
Mayor Wayne Guppy presents award to Trust Chairperson Hugh McCracken during the Upper Hutt ceremony of the 2007 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards. Photo: Kim Cheeseman.
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.
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. An extensive amount of work has been carried out behind the scenes by Ben Calcott, Hugh McCracken and Steve Porter. On Thursday 20 September the Trust submitted a Safety Case in accordance with Section 30 of the Railways Act 2005, along with an application form for a rail service licence.
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.
The Chairperson’s inclinations
A fleet of ballast wagons!
The current ballast-wagon sponsorship programme has been an unprecedented success, attracting interest and funding from a wide range of funders. The Trust is indebted to the many individuals and organisations that have contributed to the programme, including New Zealand Community Trust, Pelorus Trust and Winstone Aggregates. In a relatively short period of time we have raised over $24,000, enough to secure 12 YC wagons, and a 13th is looking likely.
The opportunity to secure a fleet of ballast wagons could not be ignored, one that’s not likely to be repeated. The reconstruction of an 18km long railway from Maymorn to Kaitoke and Summit will require a significant amount of ballast to be laid. There will be significant productivity gains to be had in being able to deliver ballast by the trainload — or to have two 6 or 7 wagon rakes shuttling between a loading point and the receiving area.
The story is not over having purchased and transported the wagons to Maymorn — a maintenance programme needs to be put in place to prepare them for their future role. Some of the work needing attention include painting to protect wagon steelwork, brake blocks and hangers, discharge mechanisms need adjustment, and wasted areas of steel need building up or replacement.
Our efforts to build track at the site have paid off, with the majority of the wagons placed directly onto track. Two have been placed on blocks as a temporary measure. The track laid leads into the planned rail vehicle shed and will play an important role for the railway in the immediate future.
Alex Maciver with frames of WMR No.9 near Arthurs Pass, 2003. Photo: Adam Orchard.
New Trustee — Alex Maciver
Alex Maciver was appointed as a Trustee on 18 July 2007. He shares our vision for the Rimutaka Incline Railway, and has already made a valuable contribution in terms of survey work, the “connection route” and with carriage and site work parties.
Alex has a Master of Engineering degree from Canterbury University, and is putting this to good use at ONTRACK, where he is a Project Engineer for the Central Region. Similar to many of us, he has been associated with heritage railways for many years — including Steam Incorporated, and latterly the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Trust steam loco No. 9 restoration project.
We welcome Alex to the Board!
Licenced to operate
Gaining an interim Rail Service Licence has been a key development for the Rimutaka Incline Railway. An extensive amount of work has been carried out behind the scenes by Steve Porter, Ben Calcott and Hugh McCracken over the past few years, and continues as codes, rules and procedures are drafted and embedded. Attention will now turn to the implementation of the Safety System, including training of rail personnel, inspection, certification and maintenance of rail vehicles, railway infrastructure, railway premises, communications and train control equipment.
The Trust is indebted to the assistance given by other railway organisations during the preparation of its Safety Case and asscociated documentation, which has been an enormous help. It is interesting to learn of moves towards standards-based or at the least, template-based systems for various classes of railway operation, perhaps in some part lead by the development of National Railway System codes for heritage railway operations on the national network. A convergence to common standards would most likely give rise to efficiencies in the development, operation of, administration and auditing of railway operations, and the Trust would support developments along those lines.
regards, Hugh McCracken
Building Consent granted — Rail vehicle shed.
Building consent has been granted for the rail vehicle shed planned for construction at Maymorn. Drawings were finalised in August after a few iterations, mainly associated with the internal inspection pit design. Construction is still pending overall planning permission for the project.
Portion of one of the drawings for the Rail Vehicle shed, being a cross-section of the shed, showing inspection pits that will be provided for inspection and maintenance activities.
Sponsor a length of track!
Help us to make tracks! 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. Plain track will be laid with either concrete or timber sleepers, depending on quality and availability considerations. An initial supply of suitable concrete sleepers has been sourced for initial track requirements at Maymorn.
As a sponsor you will receive a certificate recognising your contribution to the Rimutaka Incline Railway. Details that identify your sleeper will be included, along with the plan type.
You will also be able to find the exact location of the sponsored length of track, and view a photo of the track in its surroundings by using the new virtual track locator feature on our web site.
There are 3 levels of sponsorship: Bronze, Silver and Gold. To participate in this fundraising opportunity, check out the Trust’s web page: Sponsor a length of track! Or, if you are receiving a print copy of this newsletter a brochure will have been enclosed.
Current track requirements are for future mainline, loop and siding tracks at Maymorn, 6km northeast of Upper Hutt. A number of buildings and structures require railway track to function, including the planned station building, platform, rail vehicle shed, water tanks and turntable.
Your contribution through sponsoring a length of track will make a difference!
Maymorn Progress
A recent view of the Maymorn yard on 25 August, with road three under construction on the left. A frog and checkrail set have been installed in correct location on this road for a future turnout into the rail vehicle shed. A KP wagon underframe sits on road 2, purchased for future use as a flat-deck wagon.
The boundary fence to the right is nearly complete, and evidence of clearance of gorse and other pest plants can be seen to the far left. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
KP wagon bodies
Alex and Ben check out KP wagon bodies along the Paekakariki Hill Road on 22 July, prior to transport to Maymorn. The wagon bodies are currently being used as a site office and storage pending construction of the rail vehicle shed. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Building site fences
Two additional fences are under construction at each end of the site, primarily to fence off the planned rail vehicle shed building site. This will meet Occupational Safety and Health requirements, as stipulated in the conditions of the Building Consent. These fences will provide additional security at the site until permanent fences can be installed.
Steve and Colin tidy away plant after installing posts in the middle distance along a cut-off fence near the pedestrian crossing at Maymorn on 25 August. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Upcoming events and work parties
Cancelled — Cocktail evening and charity auction: Friday 2 November
This event is cancelled at this stage, but may be considered in 2008.
Member’s night: Welsh Highland Railway. Monday 12 November 7:30pm.
Photos, videos of Welsh Highland Railway rebuilding, happening right now in Wales! Many parallels and similarities to the Rimutaka Incline Railway — we’re holding this up as an example that it can be done!
At Upper Hutt Cosmopolitan Club, 11 Logan Street, Upper Hutt. Please RSVP by 5 November email to: enquiries@rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz or phone: 021 701 551.
RailEx 17, 18 November
The Trust will have an exhibition stand at the upcoming RailEx exhibition, to be held at TSB Bank Arena, Queens Wharf over Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 November. Help is needed — please contact the Trust if you can help out at the stand, even for a short while.
Maymorn site: every Saturday, 9am – 5pm.
We have a big work programme leading into construction of the rail vehicle shed, including additional security fences, and track for our ballast wagons. We need your help — whether you can attend on the odd occasion, or on a more regular basis. Contact one of the Trustees for more information.
Foundation stone — rail vehicle shed Saturday 9 February 2008
Keep Saturday 9 February 2008 aside for a rail vehicle shed foundation stone ceremony at Maymorn.
Contacts
Full contact details may be had on the Trust’s website at www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/contacts.html,
- phone 021 701 551,
- email: enquiries@rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz
- or by mail: Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust, P O Box 39-299, Wellington 5045.
Looking back…
View of a ballast train depositing gravel along railway tracks near Greymouth, West Coast Region, New Zealand. Photographed by Albert Percy Godber about 1936. Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of this image. Reference number: APG-1544-1/2-F
What appears to be a Wf steam loco is at the head of eight Yb class ballast wagons and a 4-wheel plough van. The plough has been lowered onto the railtop and is spreading ballast that has been discharged from the hoppers. A ridge of unploughed ballast can be seen underneath the last two wagons. The Trust’s fleet of YC-class ballast wagons will be used in a similar fashion in the not too distant future.
Electronic copy
An electronic copy of this newsletter will be available on the Trust’s website at www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/member-pages/newsletter-20.html from 31 October 2007. Further copies can be printed, or images viewed in colour (where applicable).
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust.
24 October 2007.