Railway formation ready at Maymorn for first track to be laid during the ‘Official turning of the first sod’ ceremony on Saturday 29 October at 11am. Photo: Hugh McCracken.
The Trust is holding an “Official Turning of the First Sod” ceremony at Maymorn on Saturday 29th October at 11am, on the 50th Anniversary of the closure of the Rimutaka Incline route, and subsequent opening of the Rimutaka Tunnel and deviation.
The ceremony at Maymorn will celebrate the physical beginning of the Rimutaka Incline Railway project. The ceremony will take place within the future rail heritage precinct, in close proximity to the future sites of the station building, rail vehicle shed and yard track. The Hon. Paul Swain MP for Rimutaka and Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy will officiate.
The ceremony will be followed by a guided coach tour of artefacts of the original railway, and commentary of proposed reinstatement, including rail heritage precinct at Maymorn, and all components of the railway infrastructure to Summit, exactly 50 years to the day since the line was closed.
The ceremony will be preceded by an exhibition at Expressions, Upper Hutt, celebrating both the launch and the 50th anniversary. The exhibition will include photographs, memorabilia of the Rimutaka Incline route and the Rimutaka Deviation from October 1955, plus displays and information on the Rimutaka Incline Railway Heritage Trust’s plans to reinstate a heritage railway between Upper Hutt, Kaitoke, Summit and beyond. The exhibition will be located in the Rotary Foyer, Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre, Upper Hutt, from Saturday 22nd October (Labour Weekend) through to Sunday 6th November.
A cocktail party and fundraising evening is also planned at Expressions on Friday 28th October to celebrate the anniversary and the launch of the Rimutaka Incline Railway project.