Bay of Islands Vintage Railway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
Steam locomotive Gabriel pulling passenger coaches over Bridge Five
Locale	Kawakawa, Bay of Islands, Northland,  New Zealand
Terminus	Taumarere
Commercial operations
Name	Opua Branch
Built by	Kawakawa Coal Mines (Kawakawa – Taumarere) New Zealand Government Railways (Otiria – Kawakawa, Taumarere – Opua)
Original gauge	1435mm (tramway) 1067mm (railway)
Preserved operations
Owned by	Bay of Islands Vintage Railway
Stations	Two
Length	11.5km (total length)
Preserved gauge	1067mm
Commercial history
Opened	1868 (as a tramway)
Closed	1985

The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust (BOIVRT) is a special heritage railway located in Kawakawa, in the Northland area of New Zealand. This railway runs on a section of the old Opua Branch railway line. It's a great way to experience train travel from the past!

History of the Railway

How the Railway Started

The railway began in 1985 as a private company called the Bay of Islands Scenic Railway. This happened after the main New Zealand Railways stopped their services in the area.

The railway became popular with visitors. They used a large steam locomotive named J 1211. This engine was rented from Wellington. It pulled three return trains every day during the summer seasons of 1985–86 and 1986–87.

Changes and Challenges

In 1987, the original company faced money problems and decided to stop running. But people who loved the railway didn't give up! They formed a new group called the Opua-Kawakawa Railway Preservation Society Incorporated. Another group, the Taumarere Northland Railway Trust, also formed around the same time.

In 1995, these groups joined forces to create the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Limited. The Society owned the trains and equipment. The Trust owned the tracks and rented the land for the railway. The railway kept running until 2001. At that time, the Land Transport Safety Authority stopped its operating licence.

Restoring the Line

Today, the rail line between Opua and Taumarere is part of the Twin Coast Cycle Trail. This means it has gravel laid over the old tracks.

There's a big effort to bring the railway back to its full glory. This includes fixing the old locomotives and passenger carriages. They also need to make the tracks safe again.

Right now, the railway operates on about 4.5 kilometers of track. This includes the famous part that runs right down Kawakawa's main street! The railway is now open as far as Taumarere. It passed a safety check on a bridge just before the station. The groups are working hard to raise money. They want to fix Bridge No. 9 and repair the Whangae Tunnel. Their goal is to reach Opua again.

The end of the line in Opua is on land owned by Far North Holdings. This is a company of the local council. Talks are happening to bring trains back to Opua in the future.

How the Railway Operates

A Bay of Islands Vintage Railway train, hauled by a Price shunting locomotive down the main street of Kawakawa

The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway runs all year round. As of May 2010, trains run on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They also run every day during school and public holidays.

Trains usually depart at 10:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:15 PM, and 2:30 PM. The whole round trip takes about 45 minutes. Passengers can get off the train at Taumarere. They can then catch a later train back to Kawakawa.

Most of the year, 'Gabriel the Steam Engine' is used on Saturdays and Sundays. 'Fredrick the Diesel Engine' is used on Fridays. This schedule can change during holidays. It also depends on staff and maintenance. During school holidays, 'Gabriel' often runs on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. 'Fredrick' then runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

The Engines (Motive Power)

"Motive power" is a fancy way of saying the engines that make the trains move! The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway has several interesting locomotives.