Glenbrook Vintage Railway

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Glenbrook Vintage Railway
JA1250 leads a passenger train on the Glenbrook Vintage Railway at the railway's workshops, 3 January 2008.
Location
Place	Glenbrook, Auckland,  New Zealand
Terminus
Commercial Operations
Name	Part of the Waiuku branch line
Built by	New Zealand Government Railways
Gauge	1067mm
Preserved Operations
Owned by	Glenbrook Vintage Railway Trust Board
Operated by
Stations	Two
Length	6km (2km under construction)
Gauge	1067mm
Commercial History
Opened	1922
Closed	1967
Preservation History

The Glenbrook Vintage Railway (GVR) is a steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. One of New Zealand's premiere rail heritage sites, it is not a museum as such, but rather a fully self-supporting, operating steam railway, built almost entirely by volunteer labour. It is an ongoing project, with items being collected and restored or replicated as time, labour and finance permit.

The GVR is run by a Trust Board, comprising three trustees elected and appointed from the Railway Enthusiasts Society membership. The Board appoints a General Manager who is responsible for the day to day operation of the GVR. The 6 km long railway carries up to 30,000 passengers during the normal-operating season which is from October-to-June each year and is also available for charter throughout the year.

There is a project currently being undertaken to extend the railway line to the Tamakae Reserve, in the town Waiuku.

The Railway is staffed and maintained by volunteers and RES membership provides automatic access to all activities as a volunteer. Special Events are often held, such as "Friends of Thomas" (the tank engine) weekends, Railfan Days (with display freight trains and other unique consists), Country & Western days and Night steam runs.

[edit] History

The GVR is based on part of the old Waiuku branch line which opened in 1922 and closed (to Waiuku) in 1967. Construction of the GVR began in 1970 and in 1977 the railway opened between Glenbrook and Pukeoware. In 1986 an extension was completed to Fernleigh the current terminus, 6 km from Glenbrook.

A 2 km extension to bring the railway to the centre of downtown Waiuku is currently being constructed, with the first kilometre of track laid beyond Fernleigh terminus to Brights Road Bridge and further intensive formation costruction work nearing completion through to the Waiuku Cosmopolitan Club

1,000,000 passengers have now travelled on the GVR as of 7 January 2007.

[edit] Buildings & Facilities

[edit] Glenbrook House

Relocated from Waiuku, and restored in 1995, Glenbrook House serves as the GVR's Glenbrook caretakers home. Located alonside the railway line in the best traditions of the railway house the building also comes in handy as a preparation & storage area prior to large events such as steam festivals and the Friends of Thomas events.

[edit] Pukeoware Workshop

The Railway prides itself on undertaking impressive restoration projects at its workshop, located at Pukeoware, some four kilometres from Glenbrook. The site consists of a heavy engineering workshops in its main yard (with facilities for locomotive overhaul & mechanical engineering), a car & wagon plant in its north yard (specialising in carpentry and timber work) and three carriage storage sheds. The workshops have been recognised on numerous occasions at the annual Federation of Rail Organisations NZ (formerly National Federation of Rail Societies) conference awards evening for various locomotive and carriage restorations.

Each track in a carriage shed holds between four & six standard 50 ft carriages. As an example the third shed currently holds 12 standard 50 ft carriages across three tracks, with a recently added lean-to addition adding another 4 carriage lengths to the sheds capacity. Recently removed fill from behind it, offers even more room for expansion. This ensures ongoing conservation of historic railway items.

Apart from maintaining and restoring items for use on the GVR and national excursions, the workshops have also been involved heavily in contracted restoration work of other organisations rolling stock such as Silver Stream Railways C 847 in 1994 and Mainline Steams K^A 942 in 1990. The workshop also assisted in the preparation of two carriages for the Carriage's Cafe restaurant in Kumeu, and filming of episodes of the Heroes television series on the Tangiwai disaster and Who Dares Wins (game show).

[edit] Shady Rest

A converted former guards van has been converted into "Shady Rest" - two basic units for volunteers staying overnight. Originally built for husband and wife teams (and each unit comprising 1x double bed, and 2x bunk beds). The unit has been valuable for volunteers when preparing for major events at the railway or excursions away with the GVR's national network fleet.

[edit] Signal Boxes

Two signal boxes are on-site at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway. The restored former Auckland City 'B' box sits at Glenbrook terminal. The box use to stand in the former Auckland yards, near Gladstone Rd, on the location where the current North Island Main Trunk line now passes to go towards Britomart Transport Centre (the 'A' box still stands at the end of the former Auckland station's Platform 4 - now known as The Strand). The box has been fully restored and received a rail heritage trust award in recognition.

The second box, is currently in storage at Pukeoware Workshop, being the former Newmarket station 'B' box, originally sited next to Remuera Road overbridge at the end of the former Newmarket station box (the Newmarket 'A' box was only decommissioned in February 2008 and is now in protective storage pending restoration).

[edit] Station Buildings

The railway has a number of historic station buildings in its care, all being from former New Zealand Railways stations.

• Glenbrook Station's terminal building is made up of the original Waiuku Branchline Glenbrook station and Patumahoe station buildings.
• Glenbrook Station's picnic area shelter (and eventual platform 2 building) is the ex Kingsland suburban station shelter, moved to Glenbrook in 2003 to make way for the double tracking of Auckland's Western Line
• Morley Rd's station building is the original Pukeoware station building.

[edit] Rolling Stock

[edit] Steam Locomotives

The GVR steam roster currently comprises:

• No. 4 (Ex-Taupo Totara Timber Co. Mallet No. 7) 2-4-4-2 tender. Built 1912 by the American Locomotive Company at Schenectady, New York - awaiting overhaul. Known as the railways flagship engine. NZ's only Mallet Compound Steam Engine
• A 423 (Ex NZR) 4-6-2 tender. Built 1909 by A & G Price at Thames, New Zealand - awaiting restoration. Leased by agreement from private owners, arrived on-site in May 2008 .
• A^B 832 4-6-2 tender. Built 1925 by North British Locomotive Company at Glasgow, Scotland - awaiting restoration. Leased by agreement from MOTAT, arrived on-side in October 1996.
• F 233 (Ex NZR) 0-6-0 tank. Built 1885 by Robert Stephenson at Newcastle upon Tyne - awaiting restoration.(Registered No. 6 on the railways numbering system).
• J 1234 (Ex NZR) 4-8-2 tender. Built 1939 by North British Locomotive Company at Glasgow, Scotland - awaiting restoration. Leased by arrangement from owners Steam Incorporated, arrived on-site in April 1998.
• J^A 1250 (Ex NZR) 4-8-2 tender. Built 1949 by Hillside Workshops in Dunedin, New Zealand - operational. Named "Diana".
• Wab 800 (Ex NZR) 4-6-4 tank. Built 1927 by A & G Price at Thames, New Zealand - awaiting restoration. Leased by agreement from New Zealand Railway & Locomotive Society Waikato Branch, arrived on-site in May 2008 .
• W^W 480 (Ex NZR) 4-6-4 tank. Built 1910 by Hillside Workshops in Dunedin, New Zealand - operational. (Registered No. 1 on the railways numbering system)
• W^W 644 (Ex NZR) 4-6-4 tank. Built 1915 by Hillside Workshops in Dunedin, New Zealand - operational (Registered No. 2 on the railways numbering system)

[edit] Diesel Locomotives

The diesel roster used mainly for Ways and Works purposes, comprises:

• No. 3 (Ex-MoW 30 hp Ruston Hornsby 0-4-0) - operational, the railway's first operational locomotive.
• No. 7 (D^S 207) - under overhaul.
• No. 8 (D^E 507) - operational, also used for occasional passenger service.
• No. 9 (D^E 509) - stored awaiting restoration.
• No. 10 (D^SA 243) - Operational, a replacement for No. 5
• No. 5 (D^SA 230) was scrapped in 1993 resulting from off-site accident damage.
• D^A 1410 - Stored. Leased by agreement from Steam Incorporated, arrived on-site in September 1998
• D^A 1431 - Operational. Leased by agreement from Steam Incorporated, arrived on-site in September 1998

[edit] Self-Motivated Equipment

• Railcar R^M 32 "Pangatoru" - under restoration. Leased by agreement from New Zealand Railway & Locomotive Society Waikato Branch, arrived on-site December 2001.
• Plasser & Theurer Ballast tamper 864 - operational. Heavily used in Civil Engineering works on the line (recent large projects include tamping 900 metres of relaid track between Glenbrook & Morley Road, Waiuku Extension works beyond Fernleigh and a 1998 project to tamp most of the lightweight rail track on the Dargaville Branch in Northland.
• Cowens Sheldon crane 224 "Tanekaha" - operational. Heavily used in mechanical engineering and civil engineering works including lifting locomotive boilers, carriage bodies, track sets and other equipment. Can be towed in a train consist, or travel (albeit slowly), under its own power.

[edit] Passenger Carriages

[edit] Domestic Carriages

The Glenbrook Vintage Railways domestic passenger fleet comprises late 19th and early 20th century rolling. Most vehicles are the traditional narrow-bodied A series wooden carriages, turned out in a red livery, featuring opening windows and outdoor viewing balconies on each end. These carriages either have side-facing longitudinal seating or arrangements of paired seating on one side of the aisle and singular seating on the other. These carriages are named after the Maori migration canoes that brought the Maori people to New Zealand from Hawaiki.

The Core Fleet of carriages include...

• A^F 804 "Tainui" a 47 ^1/2 ft carriage incorpating guards compartment and luggage area.
• A 1161 "Mataatua" a 50 ft standard passenger car
• A 1162 "Aotea" a 50 ft standard passenger car
• A 1222 "Te Arawa" a 50ft standard passenger car fitted with longitudinal seating
• F 141 "Nga Tira" a former 50 ft guards van, with the luggage and storage area converted into an covered outdoor viewing carriage. Fondly known as the "Chicken Coop"
• V^B 624 "Waka Whenua" a former steam crane support wagon, converted into an uncovered outdoor viewing carriage.

• U^B 1554 "Nga Hau" was a former outdoor viewing carriage retired from service in 1998 and scrapped in 2002 following condemning. Waka Whenua was built in 1993 as a replacement.

Notable unique carriages which are operated on special occasions include...

• C 472 a very historic Clemenson-Patent 6 wheeled carriage, built by the Oldbury Car Company, England in 1879. Originally used on Auckland's first railway, the Onehunga Branch (which since its opening day utilised this style carriage), it was relocated by ship to the Donnellys Crossing Section. After being withdrawn in 1933, the carriage body was donated to the Donnellys Crossing Axemans Association. In 1989, the Railway Enthusiasts Society purchased the carriage & moved it to Pukeoware for a full restoration, which was completed in 1996. The carriage runs at special event days, such as on free Glenbrook yard rides at the Friends of Thomas event.
• A 543 "Manakura" a 44 ^1/2 Clerestory roof Kitchen / Diner carriage with seating for 25, coal fired range and stunning stained glass windows (in the clerestory). Withdrawn from service in 2002 for an overhaul, the carriage is currently stored.
• A^F 1182 "Kurahaupo" is a 60 ft carriage with a guards compartment and luggage area. Originally built with 72 seats for high capacity Auckland City commuter train work, the carriage is being restored as a dining carriage in a similar style to "Manakura". The guard compartment will incorporate heating facilities for light snacks and hot drinks. The carriage is being turned out in a green livery.

[edit] National Network Fleet

The Glenbrook Vintage Railway now owns a fleet of carriages, known as the "mainline fleet", formerly owned by the parent body (Railway Enthusiasts Society) and leased to the railway. The fleet is currently undergoing an overhaul and re-certification with Ontrack which will see it re-enter service on excursion duty in 2009. Previous excursion duty has seen them tour all around New Zealand, including tours to Gisborne, New Plymouth, Whakatane, Bay of Islands, Wellington, Christchurch, Arthurs Pass and Timaru. More recently the carriages were a popular addition to the Whangamomona Republic Day trains and Broadway Limited series of steam train rides (based on Newmarket station and the circuit on Aucklands inner southern and eastern line commuter rail network).

Turned out in the original Glenbrook Vintage Railway livery of yellow bodies, white ceilings and chocolate lining, the fleet will consist of the following vehicles...

Four carriages built in the early 20th century for the (then) newly opened North Island Main Trunk express services, before being relocated onto Auckland commuter train services post war through to retirement in the early 1970's:

• A^A 1134 - a 50 ft wide body wooden carriage with opening windows and outdoor viewing balconies on each end.
• A^A 1233 - a 50 ft wide body wooden carriage with opening windows and outdoor viewing balconies on each end.
• A^A 1258 - a 50 ft wide body wooden carriage with opening windows and outdoor viewing balconies on each end.
• A^A 1494 - a 50 ft wide body wooden carriage with opening windows and outdoor viewing balconies on each end.

Three carriages built during World War II to replace the original North Island Main Trunk express service carriages, and later relocated onto Auckland commuter train services from the 1970's through to retirement in 1994.

• A 56496 (originally A 1948) - a 56 ft steel pannelled carriage, overhauled at United Groups Hutt Railway Workshop and returned to Pukeoware in May 2008 for fitting out and introduction into service for the first time since arriving in 1996.
• A^L 56112 (originally A 1926) - a 56 ft steel pannelled carriage, with vestibule guards area, currently certified for GVR domestic use, but due to visit United Group for an overhaul and re-certification for operation on the Ontrack network.
• A^L 56037 (originally A 1991) - a 56 ft steel panelled carriage, with separated guard / luggage compartment, currently certified for GVR domestic use, but due to visit United Group for an overhaul and re-certification for operation on the Ontrack network.

Guard Van FM 1133 was originally built as a three-module van for freight service in 1981. Withdrawn when guards were no longer required on freight trains, the Railway Enthusiasts Society converted one module into a storage area, the middle module into a crew area and the third module into a fully functioning kitchen for catering on excursion trains. The van will be re-certified, with the rest of the fleet.

Along with these passenger carriages, it is expected that water support wagon U^C 686, steam locomotives J^A 1250 and W^W 644 will also be certified for national network operations at the same time as the passenger fleet, with the potential to also certify A 423 and W^AB 800 after restoration on consultation with their respective owners. Several 1930's A series 50 ft steel panneled passenger carriages were also originally purchased for network operations, however they have recently been deconstructed to anti-collision ends and underframe only as a result of the framework being substandard.

[edit] Freight Wagons & Way & Works Vehicles

Over the years, a large selection of vintage and heritage freight wagons have been purchased, donated or least to the Glenbrook Vintage Railway. The railway has found excellent use for many of the railway wagons that it has acquired and also takes great pride in displaying them on demonstration runs and for photographers specials.

[edit] See also

• List of New Zealand railway museums and heritage lines

[edit] External links

• Glenbrook Vintage Railway
• Youtube Video: Ww 644, underway from Pukeoware depot passes the north end of #3 Carriage Shed.
• Youtube Video: Ww 480 storms up the hill to Shakespeare Rd bridge, about 1km from Pukeoware Depot.
• Youtube Video: Riding the northern end of GVR's Waiuku railway extension from Country Club lane, around the corner to the north end of the present terminal at Fernleigh.
• Youtube Video: Special photographers freight at Cornwall Rd - included are Ww 480, Ww 644, No. 8, Cowans Sheldon crane "Tanekaha", carriages "Mataatua" and "Tainui" trailing.
• Youtube Video: Ja1250 "Diana" on the ONTRACK National Network at Te Kauwhata station, pulling The Overlander, operated by Tranz Scenic
• [1] Pulled by a Tranz Scenic Dcp locomotive, GVR's National Network fleet passes Papatoetoe station on Auckland's southern commuter line.