Newsletter #6, April 2004
In this issue:
Upcoming events | The Chair's Slant on the Incline... | Maymorn station | Incline load schedule of 1928| Possible timetables | Connection to heritage route at Maymorn | Contacts
Upcoming events
- Wednesday 14 April 7:30pm - Members Meeting
- Meet with Trustees to hear progress with the Rimutaka Incline Railway, view the feasibility study, architectural model of Maymorn station, plans and photographs.
Meet at Level 1 Meeting Room, Upper Hutt City Council, access from carpark to rear of building along from H20Extreme. - Monday 19 April 6:30pm - Rotary Upper Hutt
- Chair and other Trustees will present an overview and vision for the Rimutaka Incline Railway to Rotary Upper Hutt April meeting
- Sunday 2 May 9am - Formation Walk
- Before winter sets in we plan to walk a substantial portion of the heritage route, from Kaitoke to Summit and return.
Meet at Kaitoke car park, Incline Road, off State Highway 2 at Kaitoke 9am. Bring lunch, water, raincoat, stout shoes and warm clothes. - Tuesday 11 May 11am - Probus presentation
- Chair and other Trustees will present an overview and vision for the Rimutaka Incline Railway to the May meeting of Probus Group, Heretaunga.
The Chair's Slant on the Incline
A project of projects...
Another small task tackled this week involved a land survey in the vicinity of the Maymorn yard. Another three hours out of the business day, in the sunshine, thankfully, relating railway features to property boundaries.
We need this information in order to further develop our proposal for a construction and eventual operational base. This requires working knowledge of:
- Rimutaka Incline Railway operational requirements
- Tranz Rail and Tranz Metro requirements
- Rail Safety requirements
- Upper Hutt City Council District Plan - zoning rules, permitted activities
- Surveying
- Civil engineering
- Track geometry
- Railway operational requirements
- Building and other construction
- Public access requirements
- Health and Safety
There are many pieces to this puzzle, each of which will either shape or constrain the final product.
Not to be overlooked is the process of securing tenure to railway land at Maymorn. The Trust has commenced negotiation with New Zealand Railways Corporation for a heritage lease of the site. As most will know, matters relating to the national railway network and land currently leased to Tranz Rail are in a state of flux, but it is our ambition to secure the site and have some presence on it by the end of the year.
The Maymorn railway precinct is but one of many projects that have to be completed before we realise the goal of a tourist heritage railway between Upper Hutt and the southern Wairarapa. Herein lies the challenge - to simultaneously tackle a number of major projects.
Regards
Hugh McCracken
Maymorn station proposal
Heritage station precinct
The proposed Maymorn station will be the first heritage station encountered on a passenger's journey northbound from Upper Hutt, and has been designed to perform as an interchange and junction between the mainline and heritage railways.
Safety
Safety is a primary requirement of all operating railways, and the proposed layout of the Maymorn station yard has been drafted with this in mind. There is clear demarkation of public and operational areas, and it is possible for an intending passenger to board their train without having to cross a single railway track. Proposed public access to the station is via Parkes Line Road, which includes carparking and a tour-bus turnaround area.
Capacity
It is initially proposed to provide facilities for trains up to six carriages long, which will have sufficient capacity for 200 passengers. Station buildings, platforms, crossing loops and storage sheds will be designed to suit this traffic. Provision will be made for future expansion to serve trains up to twelve carriages in length, which would have the capacity for 400 passengers. Provision for future capacity is critically important - in order to avoid the time-consuming and expensive task of dismantling and relocating initial structures and infrastructure.
Station building
An authentic heritage station building is desired for Maymorn, to cater for passengers joining trains, but also as an information and initial operational centre. Options that will be explored include either a relocated heritage building, or to build a replica. More on this in future issues of this newsletter.
Track
A crossing loop and access to the storage shed are initially proposed, located to accomodate future expansion. A ladder road diverts from the RIR mainline immediately south of the platform, leading to the storage shed and storage sidings. The crossing loop is able to be used to run around rolling stock or train stopped at the platform, or to shunt the ladder road. Additional storage roads may be added at a later date.
Carriage and engine shed
Storage sufficient to house locomotives and carriage stock will be essential, to provide protection from the elements, security and maintenance and restoration facilities. With careful planning much of the interior of these buildings could be open for public viewing, (excepting machine shop).
Turntable
A 70' (21.3m) turntable is proposed, capable of turning the largest of former NZR steam and diesel-electric locomotives. Initially it is planned to operate the railway with locomotives that can operate safely in either forward or reverse directions, to postpone the expense and trouble of installing turntables at both Summit and Maymorn. The turntable at Maymorn could well be the first to be installed, so that locomotives hauling trains from Wellington to Maymorn can be turned in readiness for return journey.
Incline load schedule of 1938
A short trip back in time to 13 July 1938, when the load schedule for trains ascending the Rimutaka Incline showed the following arrangements:
| Load including weight of "Fell" vans | "Fell" engines | "Fell" vans and incline guards |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger and mixed trains | ||
| Not exceeding 60 tons | 1 | 1 |
| 61 to 120 tons | 2 | 2 |
| 121 to 180 tons | 3 | 2 |
| 181 to 240 tons | 4 | 3 |
| 241 to 260 tons | 5 | 4 |
| Goods trains | ||
| Not exceeding 65 tons | 1 | 1 |
| 66 to 130 tons | 2 | 2 |
| 131 to 195 tons | 3 | 2 |
| 196 to 260 tons | 4 | 3 |
The maximum load of passenger trains ASCENDING the Incline must not exceed 260 tons, mixed trains 240 tons, and goods trains 260 tons, and each engine must be placed in front of its respective load, excepting :-
- when four engines are run on a passenger train the fourth engine may be placed behind the train van or vans, but in front of the Incline vans
- Similarly, when only two engines are required on a passenger train the second engine may be placed behind the train van or vans, but in front of the Incline vans
The "Fell" vans must always be grouped as the last vehicles on a train, except when a fifth engine is used on a passenger train, it may be used as a pusher behind the "Fell" vans.
When convenient passenger trains ascending the Incline may be run as mixed trains from Cross Creek to Summit.
Please arrange accordingly
(Sgd.) G. T. Wilson
per F.G.C.
TRANSPORTATION SUPERINTENDENT
Source: New Zealand Railways file R3 W2381 16/2700/1 pt2, Archives New Zealand.
Possible timetables
Whilst it could be said that exploring possible timetables might be a little premature, it is important to determine the route capacity, and associated infrastructural requirements. Internally, additional crossing loops or siding length may need to be provided, and looking externally, times outside of existing pathways need to be used.
Single train services
| Station | arr / dep | Train No. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | #4 | ||
| Upper Hutt | dep. | 09:05 | 13:00 |
| Maymorn | dep. | 09:15 | 13:15 |
| Kaitoke | arr. | 09:30 | 13:30 |
| .. | dep. | 09:45 | 13:45 |
| Summit | arr. | 10:15 | 14:15 |
| Station | arr / dep | Train No. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #5 | #9 | ||
| Summit | dep. | 11:00 | 15:00 |
| Kaitoke | arr. | 11:30 | 15:30 |
| .. | dep. | 11:45 | 15:45 |
| Maymorn | dep. | 12:00 | 16:00 |
| Upper Hutt | arr. | 12:15 | 16:15 |
Wellington to Martinborough timetable, incorporating the RIR
The larger picture involves a series of services that depart from Wellington, using existing Wairarapa and Upper Hutt line commuter services, swapping to RIR services from Upper Hutt to Summit, followed by a road service to Cross Creek, Featherston and Martinborough.
| Station | arr / dep | Train No. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | #4 | ||
| Wellington | dep. | A 08:25 | B 12:05 |
| Upper Hutt | arr. | 09:00 | 12:55 |
| Upper Hutt | dep. | 09:05 | 13:00 |
| Maymorn | dep. | 09:15 | 13:15 |
| Kaitoke | arr. | 09:30 | 13:30 |
| .. | dep. | 09:45 | 13:45 |
| Summit | arr. | 10:15 | 14:15 |
| .. | dep. | 10:45 | 14:45 |
| Cross Creek | dep. | 11:45 | 15:45 |
| Featherston | dep. | 12:00 | 16:00 |
| Martinborough | arr. | 12:30 | 16:30 |
| Station | arr / dep | Train No. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #5 | #9 | ||
| Martinborough | dep. | 08:30 | 12:30 |
| Featherston | dep. | 09:00 | 13:00 |
| Cross Creek | dep. | 09:15 | 13:15 |
| Summit | arr. | 10:15 | 14:15 |
| .. | dep. | 11:00 | 15:00 |
| Kaitoke | arr. | 11:30 | 15:30 |
| .. | dep. | 11:45 | 15:45 |
| Maymorn | dep. | 12:00 | 16:00 |
| Upper Hutt | arr. | 12:15 | 16:15 |
| Upper Hutt | dep. | C 12:30 | D 16:42 |
| Wellington | arr. | 13:20 | 17:15 |
Notes:
A. Service #2 connects with:
- Tranz Metro Wairarapa Connection service departing Wellington at 08:25am weekdays, arriving Upper Hutt 09:00am; and
- Tranz Metro Hutt Valley service departing Wellington at 08:05am weekdays and weekends, arriving Upper Hutt 08:55am.
B. Service #6 connects with:
- Tranz Metro Hutt Valley service departing Wellington at 12:05pm weekdays and weekends, arriving Upper Hutt 12:55pm.
C. Service #5 connects with:
- Tranz Metro Hutt Valley service departing Upper Hutt at 12:30pm weekdays and weekends, arriving Wellington 13:20pm.
D. Service #9 connects with:
- Tranz Metro Wairarapa Connection service departing Upper Hutt at 16:42pm weekdays, arriving Wellington 17:15pm; and
- Tranz Metro Hutt Valley service departing Upper Hutt at 16:30pm weekdays and weekends, arriving Wellington 17:20pm.
Connection to heritage route at Maymorn
A number of routes have been explored for possible connection of the government mainline at Maymorn to the heritage route above the Rimutaka Tunnel. In plan view the two routes pass within a hundred metres of each other, the vertical separation is in the order of 40 metres. At the ruling route gradient of 1 in 40, a new line with a length of 1.6km is required. Five different approaches (plus variants) have been drawn up, each having relative advantages and disadvantages in the following considerations:
- use of different lengths of heritage route
- length and severity of curvature, including spirals
- use of bridges and tunnels
- proximity to houses
- zoning of land crossed
- nature and extent of earthworks
Option i
One of the favoured options, option (i) is depicted below. On leaving the heritage station at Maymorn it crosses Maymorn Road via the second, currently unused portion of double-track concrete overhead bridge, starting straight into a 1 in 40 gradient. Curving to the south, the route then completes a 180° turn to cross over the Track Co mainline at or near the southern portal of the Rimutaka Tunnel. It climbs along the western flank of a neighbouring hill to gain height before piercing the ridge and continuing the climb to former heritage route at point I.
100 metre radius curvature is a feature of this option, although the exact alignment has yet to be determined. Height gained from point O to point i is 44.8 metres in a distance of 1.792 kilometres.
Whilst earthworks are quite substantial, this option presents potentially reduced impact on residents in comparison to other options. More on these in future newsletters, including some more elaborate designs!
Maymorn connection Option i - Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust.
Contacts
Full contact details may be had on the Trust's website at www.rimutaka-incline-railway.org.nz/contacts.html