News
Keirunga links to Parliamentary Special
Occasional visitors to Keirunga with their own locos, Richard Taylor and Ian Welch, were instrumental in getting the 100 year old historic railway carriage 1013 back on the tracks for the re-enactment of the Parliamentary Special, the first passenger train to travel the length of the North Island Main Truck Line, from Wellington to Auckland in early August 2008.
The century-old wooden carriage was part of the first passenger train, but the carriage had fell into ruin and sat rotting in a field in Pahiatua for many years. One side had rotted away and the interior had been torn out, but after being trucked to Wairarapa wheelwright Greg Lang, who spent 2 1/2 years restoring the carriage, it graced the main trunk line again. JA1271 will pull five historic wooden carriages.
Ian Welch says the carriage is the only original car remaining. His workshops at Plimmerton restored the chassis, and Richard Taylor helped by having nameplates for the carriage designed and made. The carriage has been named "Aotearoa".
The Parliamentary Special, a heritage steam engine with five carriages attracted enormous interest as it travelled in the tracks of its 1908 predecessor. In 1908, it carried 44 politicians north to meet the United States Navy's Great White Fleet, moored in Waitemata Harbour – three months before the last spike was driven on the Main Trunk Line.
The photo below was snapped from an office building in Porirua by your webmaster Dale Hartle as the Parliamentary Special whistled and chugged its way through Porirua.
Read the full stories on Stuff's website: After 100 years, carriage good to go, and Train buffs delight in romance of rail (+pics), the Otago Daily Times article: Special parliamentary train to mark centenary, and news on Parliament's website: The 1908 Parliament train. Also have a look at OnTrack's website, with a full history of the Parliament Special.
For more about the 2008 Centenary, visit the All Aboard website.
Easter Weekend 2008
Easter Weekend at Keirunga was fine and warm, and four wonderful Autumn days saw many hundreds of visitors to the track to enjoy the steam, diesel and electric locos from all around the North Island, including Rotorua, Wellington and Manukau. The Lions of Havelock North and Mr Whippy were in attendance to feed the visitors, and the playground delighted our younger visitors, along with picnics and rides. Special visitors on Easter Sunday included delegates from the Model Railway Convention being held in Napier over the weekend.
Here are some photos of the weekend's activities:
DG760 coming down Hillcrest past the station
Steaming up for a day's run
Fran (driving) and Chris Arts with their KA971 loco heading around towards the underpass
Paul Newton driving his loco Uintah coming down Hillcrest with a full load of passengers
The Phantom enjoys a run down Hillcrest
KA971 turning around on the turntable
Santa Fe with Ross Nichols at the controls
Scotty driving the Keirunga club loco
International Visitors at Keirunga
On Saturday 12 January 2008, Keirunga Park Railway hosted a group of international visitors from South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria, as well as the United Kingdom, Canada, United States and Malta. The image below shows the touring party gathered before dinner.
They were part of a group in New Zealand for the 2008 Live Steamers Convention held in Manukau, Auckland, and visiting public and private miniature railway tracks in the North Island after the convention.
Robert Hutt from Castledare in Perth, Australia, said Keirunga was "unbelievable, there's nothing in Australia close to this". He was impressed with how much had been achieved since the track had been established and the warmth of the welcome of Keirunga members to the visiting group.
Fred Springer from Southwestern Live Steamers in Texas, USA, was attending his 6th New Zealand convention, having first come here in 1994. He thought he was in "train heaven" and that Keirunga was "an outstanding railway to visit". Fred has a private railway of 7-1/2" and 4¾" around his property in a small town located an hour north of Austin, Texas.
Glen Christoffersen from Golden Gate Live Steamers in the USA has been to every New Zealand Convention since 1992 (that's 9!) He said Keirunga was his "favourite track in New Zealand" and just so you all know, Glen has visited 14 tracks here so far. Glen owns a steam traction engine and started building a "Crab" based on an early Baltimore and Ohio engine in 1978, and it's still not finished yet!
John Wakefield, Vice President of the AALS from Adelaide, was "astounded at the construction of the Keirunga track, the way it was built and the hard work that had gone into building one of the most scenic railways" he had ever visited. He said he had had "a fantastic day and the hospitality was out of this world!" John has built four locomotives so far: a 5" Cariboo 2-8-0, a South African Rail Road 16E 4-6-2, a SARR 7¼" 2-10-4, and is currently building a 2' gauge 2-6-4 Hunslet.
Hugh Elsol, Secretary of the AALS from QSMEE in Warner, Brisbane, said he had had a "most relaxing and enjoyable day of live steaming - everyone was extremely friendly and ensured the touring party had a lovely time." Hugh has built two steam locomotives, a GE tram in 5" gauge for his wife Janet, and a 3½" gauge LNRR Jumbo named "Hardwicke".
The image below shows the touring party with the members of Havelock North Live Steamers Club.
Download and print full size versions of the Convention Ramble photos: (1) International Visitors, (3.1MB) (2) International Visitors with Keirunga members, (3.5MB)
Keirunga Members attend International Live Steam Convention
This biennial convention was for miniature locomotives, steam, electric and diesel powered and miniature road vehicles.
The Manukau Live Steamers Club has two tracks: the spiral hill track caters for 3.5" - 5" and 7¼" gauge locos. It is 850 metres long climbing the 1.6% grade through a 30 metre tunnel and over a 40 metre viaduct.
The 1200 metre long Prairie track caters for both 5" and 7¼" gauges. It runs around the perimeter of the park and crosses a 60 metre viaduct with long straights and easy 1% grades.
Both tracks depart and return to the covered station area known as Massey Junction. The photo below shows the steaming bay with the public at the station in the background.
The Convention opened with delegates arriving with their locos, unloading and getting on to the track to try it out. The track was open to the public all weekend.
View of steaming bay and station
Lineup of locos heading out with passengers
Public area and crossover tracks
DG760 coming down the hill with a load of passengers
Alan Roberts gave an aircraft engine display on Friday afternoon, firing up his model engines, including a small jet engine, which everyone thought was amazing.
Ben Corney with his loco
The Les Moore Challenge on Saturday evening had contestants demonstrating how to heat and transfer 2 litres using a pump in the shortest possible time.
Sunday evening's Convention Dinner included a speech by Richard Taylor, and prizegiving. Mike Hartle's DG760 was awarded the Chevpac Machinery Award for the Best 7¼" Diesel Locomotive. John Romanes won the prize for the Best Electric Loco, a Ge2/4 Electric Shunter.
John Romanes 2-4-2 Rhätische Bahn loco.
Keirunga members enjoying dinner and drinks at the Convention Banquet (from left: Kevin West, Pat Herbison, Jack Keenan, John Keenan, Ben Corney, Mike Hartle).
Upgrading facilities at Keirunga
Keirunga Park Railway has had a number of facility upgrades recently. New entry gates were donated by Jason and Caleb Scott and painted by Graham Zarhan.
The Club has commissioned the building of a canopy over the station area to provide shade and weather protection for the public, drivers and KPR station staff.
The canopy was designed by members of the KPR club, built and erected by Napier Engineering, and these photos show the canopy awaiting its covering.
New retaining walls and gardens around the track were built during 2007, and new park benches on Hillside were installed in memory of deceased members.
Paintbrush Garden
The Keirunga Gardens new play area is now complete. The first tree trunk was carved in October 2006, the second was finished in January 2007 and the final addition to the Keirunga Gardens new sculpture in May 2007.
The trilogy of brushes and their accompanying paint palette have been dubbed "paintbrush garden" by young children who visit Keirunga Park for a ride on the trains.
Read the full story on Scoop.
Rare Lineup of locos
It was a rare lineup when four locos built by Paul Newton all appeared at Keirunga Park at Easter 2007 for this photo. Paul (pictured second from left) has built 14 locos so far, and these four locos delighted visitors and club members alike.
Pictured from left: Grant Alexander's SR&RL #24 from Cambridge, Paul Newton with his Uintah #50 from Rotorua, Don Moffat with his NZR C863 from Manukau, and Lyle Dawe from Levin with his Aspen Southern RR #500.
Website News
The Keirunga Website has nearly 200 visitors per month - people love looking at our news and events, member profiles, and checking out our operation before visiting.
Keirunga DVD
Ask our stationmaster to buy your own personal copy of our Keirunga Park Railway DVD.
The 20 minute movie shows the operation of the various steam, diesel and electric locomotives at Keirunga, along with shots of the ride and the station area.
At just $15.00 per copy, it's a great memento of your visit to Keirunga.