Blenheim Riverside Railway

The Blenheim Riverside Railway (BRRS or BRR) is a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge heritage railway in Blenheim, New Zealand. It runs along the Taylor River, which winds its way through the middle of the town. It is operated by the all-volunteer Blenheim Riverside Railway Society.

Blenheim Riverside Railway
Blenheim Riverside Railway Society
Train at Beaver Station with the George locomotive
Locale	Blenheim, Marlborough,  New Zealand
Terminus	Brayshaw Park
Coordinates	41.531551°S 173.939602°E / -41.531551; 173.939602
Preservation history
1985	Formation of Society
1990	Railway Officially Opens
1997	Brayshaw Park Station completed
2005	Extension to Beaver Station completed
2015	Extension to Omaka Corlett Station completed
Website
www.riversiderailway.nz

Blenheim Riverside Railway
0km Brayshaw Park Station Branch line to Omaka 0.4km Taylor River 0.8km Workshop 0.9km Omaka Corlett Station New Renwick Road Overbridge 2.6km Chinaman's Creek Crossing Chinaman's Creek Bridge Taylor River Bridge Bridge High Street Overbridge Bridge Murphy's Creek Bridge Fulton Stream Bridge 4.1km Fulton Station Hutcheson Street Overbridge Alfred Street Overbridge State Highway 1 overbridge Main North Line Bridge 169 5.1km Beaver Station

History

The railway society was founded in 1985 by members of the Marlborough Historical Society, and shortly after rail was sourced and a workshop constructed. The line was progressively laid from 1987 and the railway officially opened in 1990. Four carriages were built in 1989/90, and the A & G Price locomotive (later named "George") was restored and put into service. The first station at Brayshaw Park was very basic, however during 1995 Beaver Station (now Brayshaw Station) was constructed, with an extension of track from the workshop requiring a cutting and embankment with a steep gradient. In 2005 the track was extended to the current terminus at Beaver Station (with the station at Brayshaw Park renamed) by Riverside Park. Over the years the workshops have been enlarged, and concrete sleepers made by the volunteer members have been used to replace the wooden ones first used on the line. March 2015 saw the opening of a branch line extension to Omaka Airfield.

Operations

Trains run normally on the first and third Sundays of every month for the general public. Trains also run extra days during school holidays and over late December / early January. These use both the main line and branch line, with trains departing Brayshaw Park Station at 1:15 and 3:00 to Omaka and at 1:45 to Beaver Station. The train can be chartered for most days for tour groups etc.

Track

Main Line

The railway follows the Taylor River from Brayshaw Park in the southwest of Blenheim to Beaver Station, next to where the River Queen boat docks. There are passing loops at Brayshaw Park, Chinaman's Creek Crossing, Fulton Station and Beaver Station. The route is 5.1 km long. There are six bridges and five road overbridges. At Beaver Station the line passes under the Main North Line Taylor River bridge. Light ~55lb per/yard (27kg/m) ex New Zealand Railways rail is used for majority of the line, and the track is buried up to rail head level as most is laid on reserve land.

Omaka Branch Line

The 1km line to Omaka branches off shortly after leaving Brayshaw Park, crosses the Taylor River on a 46m concrete bridge, ending at Omaka Corlett Station near the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre and Omaka Classic Cars buildings. Tracklaying began during 2013/2014. It was expected that the extension would be completed in time for the 2015 Omaka Airshow,[1] and was opened on Saturday, 21 March 2015.[2] The Society's efforts in constructing the branch line were recognised with an infrastructure award from KiwiRail at the FRONZ conference over Queen's Birthday weekend 2015.[3]

Coordinates of terminal stations

• Brayshaw Park Station: 41°31′54″S 173°56′23″E
• Beaver Station: 41°30′43″S 173°57′36″E
• Omaka Station 41°32′13″S 173°55′42″E

Rolling stock

Locomotives

Name	Builder	Year built	Class	Builder's number	Wheel arrangement	Engine	Year acquired
George	A&G Price	1951	Da	166	0-4-0	Isuzu 4HF1	1986
TBD	A&G Price	1951	Da	168	0-4-0	Leyland O300	2016
Murray	Ruston and Hornsby	1934	22/28 HP	170204	0-4-0	Lister JP3	1990
Beaver	Ruston and Hornsby	1940	20DL	202969	0-4-0	Lister ST2	2012
Onahau	Homebuilt	1990s	-	-	Bo-Bo	Nissan CD17/20	2012
Donald	Probably Glasgow Railway Eng. Co.	1901	-	-	0-4-2 (originally 0-4-0)	Steam 6.5 x 10"	1990

The railway has a small collection of diesel locomotives. In 1986 the society acquired A & G Price Da 6 from Horrell & Sons of Gore, and was put to use constructing the railway while being restored. It was overhauled in 2010, replacing the original Leyland powerplant with an Isuzu, and named "George" after a long serving member of the Society. Ruston & Hornsby 170204 was purchased from the Ashburton Vintage Car Club, regauged and overhauled, officially entering service in 1997 named "Murray". The year 2012 saw the arrival of two locomotives. A homebuilt hydraulic bogie loco, formerly used at a private railway in the Marlborough Sounds was donated by the constructors' family, and named "Onahau" after its former home. A second Ruston, of 20DL type but with steam loco outline body, was purchased from Auckland and once worked at the short lived Footrot Flats theme park. November 2016 the Society purchased A&G Price Da 8, last remaining sister of "George" and two bogie carriages. These came from Totara Springs Christian Centre near Matamata. The locomotive entered service in 2017 and the carriages are pending refurbishment.

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Other rolling stock

Four carriages were built in 1989/90 with wheels from the Lake Grassmere salt collection wagons. They are all the same design, 6m long, seating 24 each, except for car Four, which has an underneath storage compartment for tools. All carriages are air braked. A bogie railcar, known as RM 1, was built in the 1990s, and sees occasional use, mostly on the Omaka line. The two new ex Matamata cars also are 6m long and have similar "toast rack" seating. Maintenance is carried out with various material and tool trolleys, spray wagon and rail mounted grass mower.

References

1. HERSELMAN, SVEN (15 May 2014). "Bridge brings rail project closer". The Marlborough Express. Blenheim: Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
2. POWELL, SELINA (23 March 2015). "Volunteers saluted at rail opening". The Marlborough Express. Blenheim: Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
3. HERSELMAN, SVEN (3 June 2015). "National plaudits for Blenheim's riverside railway". Marlborough Express. Blenheim: Fairfax New Zealand. Retrieved 4 June 2015.

External links

• BRRS Website
• BRR Facebook Page