 |
N.Z.R Waiau Branch |
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
A602 on turntable at Waiau.
*********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
W class loco at Chaneys on run to Rangiora in October 1988, as part of the events to mark 125th anniversary of New Zealand Railways. Taken at sunset.
*********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
A class loco No.428 leaving Christchurch 10/12/83 on last stage of journey from Greymouth to Waipara for ultimate restoration and use on the Weka Pass Line.
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
At Waipara, junction for the Waiau line.
Photo taken a year after the branchline closed by NZR.
This station has now gone. as has the footbridge the photo was taken from.
Dj1210 and two Dg locos. The first Dg was having overheating problems,
hence the stop by the station water hose.
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
On the last scheduled train on the Waiau line, date 15/1/78. Timber traffic kept the line quite busy in its last few years (after storm blew down large sections of the Balmoral Forest). The last train had a passenger coach attached. Here is the scene from coach door as train approaches the Weka Pass
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
In the Weka Pass, the television cameraman preparing for an action shot.
Later when train had stopped for a photostop we successfully managed to leave the TV crew behind!
Note by John Griffiths: At a meeting of The Westport Railway Preservation Society, we were being shown films by the Christchurch film buff Ian Fisher and I suddenly realised the film we were watching was the one the cameraman in this picture was taking, and yes there was Colin on the verandah of the coach!
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
The last scheduled NZR train on the Waiau line passing Frog Rock, great to think that trains still pass by here, now that the line as far as Waikari is the Weka Pass Railway.
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
Here is the last train at Culverden (The TV crew having caught us up).
Local interest was slight in this train.
This line closed to passengers in 1939, hence station faces road for use as a bus stop.
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
The train stopped at Balmoral in the forest for the logs to be loaded.
Here we can see the passenger coach that was included in the train, which was hauled by a Dj and a Dg.
********************
|
photo: collection Colin Duthie
In September 1984 at Waipara film was shot for an episode of the TV series `Hanlon`. Weka Pass Railway members were `extras` in the film. Waipara station represented Winton in Southland. K88 hauled the train in which ` Minnie Dean` travelled. Minnie Dean can be seen on the footbridge. Hanlon was the lawyer who defended Minnie Dean, unsuccessfully, as Minnie was hanged for murder of children who had been in her care. Today there are some who doubt that she was guilty.
********************
