Submission to Greater Wellington Regional Council

On Wednesday, 22 September 2004 the Trust made a submission to the Draft Forest Lands Plan: Future Water Catchments, including a 115-page Business Plan for 2004 - 2008 and the BERL Feasibility Assessment that was completed in November 2003. Following is an executive summary of the submission and business plan.

Executive Summary - Submission and Business Plan

The formation of the Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust is an embodiment of the desire of the railway heritage community and practitioners to be actively involved in the management of cultural heritage in the Pakuratahi Forest as it relates to railway heritage. The proposed use of the land will contribute to the sustainability of the Wellington region through the development of a tourist attraction of international significance, realising enhanced economic and community benefit. The Rimutaka Incline Railway will be a unique and authentic tourist attraction for Wellington and New Zealand, and a major contributor to the Tourism Economy.

The proposal will coalesce tangible and intangible aspects of railway heritage associated with the heritage railway route through the provision of heritage train services, enhanced interpretation en route, and through visitor and discovery centres. It will contribute to the following quality of life outcomes: cultural heritage, meeting needs locally, leisure, and distinctive sense of place.

The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust

The Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust was incorporated on 16 July 2003. The Trust has been open for community participation by way of individual and body corporate memberships since 17 December 2003.

The vision of the Rimutaka Incline Railway is:

"to reinstate and operate the Fell-worked Rimutaka Incline Railway as a world-class heritage-tourist railway between Wellington and the Wairarapa."

The Rimutaka Incline Railway has identified the following long-term objectives:

1. To plan, fund, reinstate and operate a tourist heritage railway on former railway route between Upper Hutt and Featherston, and any other directly or indirectly connected railway;
2. Acquire by agreement, lease or purchase such lands as are required to allow the reinstatement of the former railway route between Upper Hutt and Featherston and any other such lands as will further the objectives of the Trust;
3. Acquire by agreement, lease or purchase such items of railway rolling stock, tools and material to facilitate the construction and operation of the tourist heritage railway;
4. Raise funds for and facilitate the conservation and protection of the former railway route and heritage structures and features thereon;
5. To plan, fund and construct appropriate buildings, structures, infrastructure and facilities that facilitate the construction and operation of the tourist heritage railway;
6. To arrange interpretative displays for the public, to promote knowledge and education of heritage railways, and in particular the Rimutaka Incline Railway, the historic factors that lead to its creation and raise awareness of the personalities involved;
7. To create a service provider for the operation of the tourist heritage railway with a level of service that realises the potential of an internationally significant tourist attraction;
8. Facilitate research, discussion, education and interchange of information on topics related to the Rimutaka Incline Railway and environs.

Market

The Trust will target both international and domestic tourist markets in order to achieve its business objectives, including the following market segments:

• Free, independent travellers;
• Visiting friends and family;
• Corporate;
• Education;
• Tour operators.

In addition, the Trust will seek incorporation of the heritage railway services into packages of attractions in the Wellington region.

The railway has the potential to attract 40,000 visitors in its first year of operation, provided that a professional marketing and launch strategy is implemented.

It will be essential for the Trust to expand the sphere of operation to include and incorporate a selection of the following key visitor activities:

• Information and discovery centre
• Bush walks, native flora and fauna
• Diversified heritage elements
• Family-focussed events
• Wine-related activities and events
• School study trips
• Extreme outdoor adventures.

Stages of development

Stage 1, Upper Hutt to Summit

Stage 1 from Upper Hutt to Summit would be the Core Operation, featuring conventional heritage railway locomotives hauling heritage trains on railway reinstated on the heritage railway formation between Maymorn, Kaitoke and Summit, using the national rail network between Upper Hutt and Maymorn. Discussions have been initiated with New Zealand Railways Corporation for a heritage lease of part of the Maymorn yard for the purpose of a construction base and heritage railway precinct.

Summit is an essential destination, so as to take tourists / visitors to the uphill terminus of the former Fell-worked Rimutaka Incline - this is key to the successful implementation of Stage 1 of the railway.

Recreational opportunities would continue to be provided for in the form of a new walkway provided largely parallel to, and at generally higher elevation to the heritage railway formation. The Trust has initiated and proposes to continue to investigate, consult, and source funding for the provision of the proposed new walkway, in order that the railway formation might be made available for the Trust to occupy for the purpose of constructing and operating the proposed heritage railway. Access to the Pakuratahi Forest that currently uses the heritage railway formation will require alternative provision, investigation and consultation has been initiated with affected parties.

New portions of route are required at Maymorn and Kaitoke: the former in order to provide a connection between the national rail network, the Maymorn precinct and the heritage railway formation; the latter in order to provide an alternative route to that which is now in relatively intensive residential occupation.

Stage 1 will require connection to existing attractions in the Southern Wairarapa, and to have additional attractions and facilities in order to sustain and grow visitation rates. The development of Summit as a visitor destination is a prime consideration, including the provision of an information and discovery centre, and reinstatement of the local environment as a sub-alpine wilderness area. 4WD and coach connection with Summit, the Stage 1 destination, with Martinborough are proposed. This would have the potential for a four-hour journey between Wellington and Martinborough, including the heritage railway experience between Upper Hutt, Maymorn, Kaitoke and Summit.

Year 1 Budget for Stage 1: Upper Hutt to Summit

Capital Cost	$7,185,427
Operation Revenue	$1,953,600
Operational Costs	$932,980
Operational Profit	$1,020,620
Depreciation	$266,605
Return on Capital (8%)	$574,834
Net Position for Year	$179,181

Stage 2 - Linkages with Wellington

Tourist visitation is concentrated in downtown Wellington, as evidenced by visitation rates to Te Papa and other key attractions and activities. Linkages with Wellington will be an essential growth strategy for the railway, which may include extending operation on the national rail network from Upper Hutt to Wellington.

Stage 3 - Fell-worked Rimutaka Incline between Summit and Cross Creek

The "jewel in the crown", reinstating the former Fell-worked Rimutaka Incline gives the railway the potential to be of international significance. The Fell patent centre-rail system was employed by purpose-built Fell locomotives to haul trains up gradients steeper than that which conventional locomotives could handle. The Incline was worked for 77 years (from 1878 - 1955), outlasting other instances of adhesion working by decades.

Key to the reinstatement will be the construction of at least two new Fell locomotives and Fell brake vans in order to faithfully recreate multiple Fell-worked trains. A wider scope of consultation and planning will be involved in this stage, some of which has been initiated.

Stage 4 - extension of operations from Cross Creek to Featherston

Stage 4 captures the full extent of the vision for the railway, connecting with the national rail network at or near Featherston, and with State Highway 2. It would allow traffic to access the Rimutaka Incline from either direction, and allow for a reduction in overall duration while enhancing visitor experience.

Policies and proposals

The following policies and proposals will be developed in support of the business plan, many of which have already been initiated:

• Connection of heritage formation to mainline at Maymorn
• Route through or around Kaitoke
• Heritage route investigation
• Walkway route feasibility and investigation
• Access for existing and future uses and users of the Pakuratahi Forest
• Road access from Cross Creek to Western Lake Road, south of Featherston
• Construction sites
• Structure Plan
• Heritage Conservation Management Plan
• Track and Structure Plans
• Communications Plan
• Route Design
• Track and Structures Specifications
• Marketing Plan
• Rail Vehicle Plan
• Safety System, to meet the requirements for a Rail Service Licence
• Emergency Response Plan
• Fire Hazard Management Plan
• Pollution Control Plan

Rail-Ex 2004, Wellington

The Trust was invited to attend the 2004 Rail-Ex, held at the Events Centre, Wellington over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of October. Rail-Ex has been growing steadily both in terms of number of displays and number of visitors and this year's expo was no exception. Whilst it still has the objective of being "The Wellington Area's biggest and best Model Railway Exhibition", the number of trade stands and exhibitors of other railway interest made up a sizeable proportion of the 68 stands.

Fell track - a point of difference

The Trust determined that as Rail-Ex was predominantly a model railway exhibition, a point of difference would be required in order to publicise its mission and objectives. A full-size demonstration section of Fell railway was thought to be appropriate. Although a scale model of the Maymorn precinct had been constructed, it was primarily for the purpose of exploring layout of track and structures in relation to the Wairarapa railway and land boundaries - and was far from exhibition standards!

Within a short 1.8m length there would be room for three riser bracket and brace pairs, elevating a similar length of bullhead rail above the running rails. Reference to the original design and relics from the historic Roa Incline were made in the preparation of drawings for the fittings. On first inspection the fittings appear to be quite light and spindly, but were constructed from 3/8" (10mm) plate.

New rail was selected for the running rails, being the latest 50kg/m NZR specification, indicative of the Trust's intention to build a safe, reliable and durable railway. The original rail was 70lb/y (34.7kg/m) to the old British standard, having a height of 117.5mm, compared to 153.0mm of the new rail. Canted, ribbed bedplates were used rather than directly seating the rail on the sleepers, further adding to the height of the running top above the sleeper. Consequently the height of the timber baulk was increased from 117.5mm to 156mm. A lamination of three 300mm x 50mm timber slabs fitted the bill. Standard screwspikes were used to fasten the rails to Treated Pinus Radiata (TPR) sleepers and the centre-rail fittings to the timber baulk. Extra-long screws secured the timber baulk to position atop of the centre of the sleepers. To resist downward drift of rail due to traction and braking forces rail anchors were fitted either side of every sleeper.

The demonstration track was constructed at the Chairperson's residence beforehand, to ensure that all components fitted correctly. It was subsequently partially dismantled into subassemblies that were able be lifted by two people or less.

Reassembly was an interesting expercise, trundling in pieces of full-sized railway amongst a stream of model railway layouts, emerging from vans, trucks, trailers and cars. The finishing touch for any railway - ballast - was wheelbarrowed to position, and carefully dressed off for good effect. Of course, the track was inclined at a gradient of 1 in 15...

The expo itself

Trustees attended the display, discussing the Trust's proposal to reinstate a heritage railway over the Rimutaka Incline as a tourist attraction with the public. The public were very interested in the display, many recollecting journeys over the 'hill', either by Fell-hauled trains, the 'tin-hare' railcars, or latter-day cycle or walking visits. Quite a few thought that the centre-rail system involved rack and pillion similar to the Abt system (as recently reconstructed in Tasmania, forming the West Coast Wilderness Railway), and were surprised to learn that the running surfaces of the centre-rail were smooth! Clearly there is a lot of scope for educating the public on the detail of Fell's Patent.

A number of interesting and important contacts were made during the course of the expo, including discussions with a former railwayman who fired Fell and conventional locomotives on the last day of the incline (29 October 1955), neighbours to the railway formation in the Wairarapa, members of kindred railway organisations, an officer of the LTSA, and an executive member of FRONZ (the Federation of Rail Organisations of New Zealand) to name but a few.