Newsletter #21, June 2008
Resource Consent granted for Maymorn heritage railway precinct
On 24 April 2008 the Upper Hutt City Council granted the Trust’s Resource Consent application to establish a heritage railway precinct at Maymorn railway station. Illustrated here is an impression of the future rail vehicle shed superimposed on a recent image of the site. Image: Hugh McCracken.
Looking back…
Just three years ago, with a Mainline Steam Trust excursion passing through Maymorn in the heat of summer (see end of newsletter)
In this issue:
Resource Consent granted for Maymorn heritage railway precinct.
Two more YC-class ballast wagons.
Commendation at Regional Community Awards.
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.
Resource Consent granted for Maymorn heritage railway precinct
On 24 April 2008 the Upper Hutt City Council granted consent to the establishment of a heritage railway precinct at Maymorn railway station. The decision permits the development of a heritage, tourism and educational facility at Maymorn, the first steps towards the proposed reinstatement of the former railway route over the Rimutaka Ranges.
The consent permits the construction of:
- Station building with associated verandah and platform, within which will be located a shop, cafe/restaurant, waiting room and toilets
- Rail vehicle shed, workshop shed and engine shed, including inspection pits, machine shop and storage sidings for the restoration, repair and maintenance of rail vehicles
- Toilet block
- Signal boxes
- Signals
- Water vats
- Turntable
- Lighting
- Fences
- Rail safety signs and educational interpretational signs
Preparatory works at the site will also include earthworks to provide additional formation width for future rail sidings, rail vehicle shed extensions and on-site car parking.
A loco depot like this one is one step closer for the Rimutaka Incline Railway, having secured three grants totalling $225,000. What appear 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.
The Chairperson’s inclinations
Resource Consent for Maymorn
A major milestone has been reached with the granting of a Resource Consent for the rail heritage precinct at Maymorn.
More than two years effort has been put into the development by the Trust. We have produced comprehensive plans, including landscaping, car parking, lighting and services. Along the way we have consulted extensively with affected parties revised and fine-tuned the proposal as a consequence of consultation.
Some key requirements determined the layout of the Maymorn site —
- the desire to maintain sufficient platform length for up to 12-carriage length trains,
- a mainline connection with ONTRACK in the vicinity of 38.3 38.4km,
- future use of the Maymorn Road underpass,
- and providing a generous length of covered storage for rail vehicles.
Constraints included existing road access, limitations imposed by track design standards, the efficient and effective use of existing landforms and practical limitations on earthworks.
Invaluable experience has been gained in the Resource Management Act through these processes as they relate to the establishment of a railway in the 21st century. The Rimutaka Incline Railway is now firmly established in the Mangaroa Valley — Summit here we come!
Rail Vehicle Shed
The instigator for the Resource Consent application was a Lottery Grants Board requirement for a Project Information Memorandum to be submitted with a substantial grant application for capital works. Securing consent, we thought, would be a relatively straightforward matter, and we would be into construction work with minimal delay.
As events have unfolded, we have experienced extensive delays before construction work could start. The intervening period has seen commodity prices hit record prices, particularly those of steel, petroleum and cement. Add to that a fresh set of wind loading tables — which resulted in an increase in structural steel beam section from 250UB30 to 360UB45. For the uninitiated, this has meant a 50% increase in weight of portal beams.
Our response has been to undertake ourselves as many design, preparation and construction tasks as practicable. We have manufactured over 400 cleats, cutting and drilling beams, foot and apex plates for the 17 portals required — with only the welding to be done by certified welder. We have also constructed purpose-built formwork for the foundations, with reinforcing and concrete placement to be done by volunteers.
The shed design has purposely incorporated fabrication options in key structural areas, e.g. purlin and girt cleats, bracing rods, apex plates and inspection pit bracing channels. This avoids the use of certified welding where practicable.
Most steel components of the shed have already been manufactured, leaving the cutting, drilling and preparation of portal beams for welding. All being equal, we should see the erection of the first portion of the shed during the winter months, with foundation work already underway.
This is an exciting time for the Trust, securing a Resource Consent, and the long-awaited construction of the rail vehicle shed at Maymorn.
regards, Hugh McCracken
Two more YC-class ballast wagons
Ballast and coal hopper wagons at Maymorn on 28 October 2007. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Two YC class ballast wagons placed onto temporary track at Maymorn, 1 December 2007. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Two more ballast wagons have been acquired from ONTRACK, which brings the total number to thirteen. This effectively means that the Trust now has the capability to deliver ballast in sizable quantities to future track construction sites. This has only been possible with the grateful assistance of sponsors, both individual and corporate.
The following table details the full thirteen YC wagons purchased / leased 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yc726 | YC308 | 1959 | NZR | 5 September 2007 |
| Yc760 | YC654 | 1960 | NZR | 16 October 2007 |
| Yc782 | YC1083 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 5 September 2007 |
| Yc789 | YC1175 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 5 September 2007 |
| Yc795 | YC1238 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 6 September 2007 |
| Yc817 | YC1486 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 6 September 2007 |
| Yc825 | YC1578 | 1959-1961 | NZR | 30 August 2007 |
| Yc845 | YC1768 | 1961 | NZR | 30 August 2007 |
| Yc877 | YC2139 | 1961 | NZR | 19 November 2007 |
| Yc878 | YC2145 | 1961 | NZR | 28 September 2007 |
| Yc891 | YC2289 | 1961 | NZR | 28 September 2007 |
| Yc895 | YC2329 | 1961 | NZR | 31 October 2007 |
| Yc896 | YC2335 | 1961 | NZR | 30 August 2007 |
Alex Maciver and Adam Orchard affixing a New Zealand Community Trust sponsorship sign onto YC1768 in January 2008. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Railex 2007
As part of the Trust’s continuing educational objectives, a display was held at RailEx 2007 in Wellington. This included a short section of Fell centre-rail track, interpretation, diagrams, and historical photographs — as well as information on the planned railway developments on the historic railway route. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Mangaroa Rural Day
The Trust also had a display at the Mangaroa fair on 15 March 2008, which was well attended. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
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
Rail vehicle shed photo essay
Surveying datum heights for rail vehicle shed on 8 December 2007. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Portal pad boxing under load test, 11 November 2007. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Cut steel beams laid out to demonstrate extent of portal frame — Maymorn 5 April 2008. Photo: Glenn Fitzgerald
Ballast wagon sponsor’s BBQ — Maymorn 5 April 2008. Photo: Glenn Fitzgerald
Maymorn entrance driveway
In preparation for site development works, the Trust sealed the entranceway from Parkes Line Road during January and February.
Excavating driveway on 26 January 2008. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Concrete formwork ready for concrete placement, 2 February 2008. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Trust members placing concrete into driveway on 2 February 2008. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Steve finishing off concrete with a “broomed” surface. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Upcoming events and work parties
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.
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.
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-21.html from 31 May 2008. Further copies can be printed, or images viewed in colour (where applicable).
Looking back…
A glance back to the recent past — the Maymorn site before possession had been secured by the Trust. Gorse was king, and a narrow access track paralleled the Wairarapa Line through the former station yard. The station building will be built to the far left of shot adjacent to the locomotives and the rail vehicle shed 200 metres further into the site, to the right of the tall poplar trees. The photographer is standing on our future loop alignment.
A Mainline Steam excursion at Maymorn, January 2005, with DC4231 and DC4346 towing AB663 and excursion train through the Rimutaka Tunnel to the Wairarapa. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
Late news: construction starts on rail vehicle shed
Construction has started on the rail vehicle shed, with the first pour of concrete on 7 June. The site was excavated by Downer EDI Works Infrastructure, and excellent foundations were found.
The construction will feature in our next newsletter, but meantime check out the Rimutaka rail pix — Maymorn rail vehicle shed Flickr set for progress as it occurs.
Photo: Peter, Colin and Ben directing concrete into portal pad formwork on a particularly wet Saturday 7 June 2008. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust.
11 June 2008.