DM556 and its two associated trailer cars will arrive at Maymorn by rail at approximately 11:00am Sunday 21 April 2013. Trust members and the public are welcome to visit the site to view the unit's arrival from approximately 1100 hours - entry is free.
Trust members have been working hard assisting the Wellington Heritage Multiple Unit Preservation Trust with their goal of saving an English Electric multiple unit set for future operation on the Wellington urban network. Wellington's commuters were served by English Electric built multiple units for 74 years. Preservation and operation of one of the units in the Wellington area will allow that heritage to remain accessible for future generations. Preservation of such a significant part of Wellington's railway history is a great heritage outcome.
The English Electric units had their final run on the Johnsonville line on 19 March 2012, which was the last run for the DM556 set, commonly referred to as 'Cyclops'. Three remaining blue liveried ex-Johnsonville sets were used on the Hutt Valley line for a few more months through to June 2012, with a last run on 25 June 2012 from Wellington to Melling and back.
We have signed an agreement with the multiple unit trust for storage and maintenance of the Cyclops set at Maymorn. We are pleased to able to assist the Wellington Heritage Multiple Unit Trust and Greater Wellington Regional Council in providing a space to preserve one of these trains in the Wellington region and look forward to future operation of the unit on the Wellington urban network.
Key track and infrastructure work at Maymorn has been brought forward so that the unit can arrive by rail. This includes work on the double slip, building a new road two turnout, the turntable road, and the road four siding alongside the rail vehicle shed.
We have also negotiated and project managed the hook and tow of the units from Hutt Workshops to Maymorn under our rail licence, working closely with KiwiRail and the New Zealand Transport Agency. A slew of line has been arranged, where the Wairarapa mainline will be cut just short of the 38.5km peg, and rails slewed to couple onto the turntable road siding. This will occur between the scheduled Wairarapa passenger trains, the northbound Sunday freight diverted via the NIMT.
DM556 and its two associated trailer cars will arrive at Maymorn by rail at approximately 11:00am 21 April 2013. Trust members and the public welcome to visit the site to view the unit's arrival at approximately 1100 hours.