SteamRail Wanganui Inc. 2.57

SteamRail Wanganui Incorporated was formed in 1989 with the main purpose of preserving the Wanganui Turntable and any future Railway memorabilia. Until the late 1980’s Wanganui was a large employer of Railway personnel, with the East Town Workshops, Plant Zone at Aramoho, the Railway Station, the Goods Sheds, and the Locomotive Depot all in Taupo Quay, with a Training School in the later years. Many apprentices were put through these facilities along with a large variety of trades.

Most of this, unfortunately, has all but gone today and so SteamRail Wanganui Incorporated wants to continue, along with many other groups around New Zealand, to keep some form of Railway Heritage alive.

The Wanganui Turntable was destined to be totally dismantled for scrap and so over a period of three years, with the assistance of Steam Incorporated and FRONZ, we managed to restore this Turntable back into working condition. After many long hours scraping the paint, replacing rusted cross members, replacing rivets and bolts and a complete new decking, this Turntable was ready for its first Locomotive to be turned.

After various tests and the all clear from the then NZ Railways, the Wanganui Turntable was recommissioned and the first Official Locomotive was Ka 945 from Steam Incorporated of Wellington to be turned.

Today this Turntable is used regularly for the turning of Locomotives and any visiting excursion train that comes into the Wanganui Yard. Unfortunately most of the buildings have since gone with the exception of the Wanganui Goods Shed, a smaller building at Aramoho, part of the East Town Workshops and the East Town shunting yard building.

SteamRail Wanganui has also managed to salvage the Signal Box off the Aramoho Railway Station (since demolished) and the North End Signal Box that was situated near Kempthorne Prosser Fertiliser Works. Both of these buildings are now situated in the yard, along with the rolling stock that SteamRail Wanganui Incorporated has acquired over the years. We have three locos in our collection, a steam crane, an 1894 built passenger car, a guards van and other rolling stock, some of which is now housed in the old goods leanto in Taupo Quay Rail Yard that we now own and have closed in to form a storage shed/ workshop.

Wanganui in itself is steeped with railway history apart from what has already been mentioned, but also it ran its own private railway out to the wharf at Castlecliff (which was taken over by the New Zealand Railways in 1955), a distance of 5½ miles (8.8 km). This serviced a vast amount of commercial businesses including the freezing works within the last few years. This line was extended on a temporary basis when a ship called the Port Bowen ran aground on the North Beach many years ago and has also had various stations along its route for the pick up and discharge of passengers, workers or those coming into the City to do their shopping or going to the Hospital. Park of this line is still in use today by KiwiRail.

SteamRail Wanganui Incorporated would be very keen to retain this line (if for some reason KiwiRail should decide to close it) because of the heritage it has created over the years. Along with its proposed settlement, Railway Station and Turntable the group feels it will have a lot to offer future tourism and still retain the history of Railway in Wanganui for many generations to come.

The group occasionally runs charter day trips to various destinations as its major fundraiser, but also to give folk the chance to travel by rail or to reminisce the past years. We now also have the occasional open day to the public which include Motor Trolley (Jigger) rides in the yard and our locos and rolling stock on display. We can also been seen displaying some of our smaller railway memorabilia at Wanganui Model Railway & Engineering Society Hobby Shows.

SteamRail Wanganui Incorporated are keen to hear from anyone who has either been a part of the Railway scene or has an interest in Railways. If you would like to share either your knowledge or just become a supporter, the group
would like to hear from you.