Upper Hutt displays
The Trust recently had displays at a couple of key Upper Hutt community events - Upper Hutt Summer Carnival on 27 February, and March Madness on 19 March.
Maymorn
The Maymorn operational base is important in a number of ways. It is the current focus of volunteer activity, which the Trust is entirely reliant upon for its future. Tranz Metro Wairarapa Line passenger services service Maymorn, which provides connection to and from Wellington, the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa — and strategically, a future life-line for tourist visitation to the railway.
The facilities under construction at Maymorn will protect the Trust’s current rail vehicle fleet, and facilitate their future restoration, operation and maintenance. Plans have also been prepared and resource consent approved for a large station building incorporating a visitor centre, historic and interpretative displays, and a cafe. These facilities will play a central role in the Trust’s future operations, being the departure point for a journey back in time over the historic Rimutaka Incline.
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.
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.
Rail vehicle 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).
Maymorn station building
An authentic heritage station building is planned for Maymorn. A full set of drawings have been prepared by conservation architects, based off a George Troup design dating from 1907.
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.
Recent posts
Loop track ballast drop
On Saturday 26 September 2015 the track gang joined up the track sets on the new loop track, and dropped three wagon loads of ballast. By the end of the day the track was able to be used to store five ballast wagons, freeing up our mainline track.
Work in progress 5 September 2015
Another ballast wagon is in the paint shop. Rust and old flaking paint has been removed with a needle-gun, making short work of this laborious job.
Individual components from shunt locomotive ORB #1 are also being prepped and painted, including areas of the frame, headstocks and sand boxes.
We have also added a lot of backfill into the floor area of the workshop extension to our shed, using a small rubber-tracked excavator to move around 20m3 of hard fill.
A few photos from recent weeks follow.
Loop track construction update
More progress with our loop track at Maymorn, following on from the previous Loop track build starts story from July and August.
Rails have been crowed to form the curve off the double slip, cut and drilled. Good to finish that part of the loop and get on to the straight lengths.
Loop track build starts
During July and August we have started building the loop track at Maymorn, which extends eastwards from the double slip. The formation is already prepared for the loop, sloping to the cess drain to the north side. The loop passes through a short curve past the slip, then its straight-running through to and past the pedestrian crossing.
The loop will initially be used as a storage siding and will be useful to shunt wagons and carriages that are 'uphill' of our shunt loco.