Ocean Beach Railway facts for kids
The Ocean Beach Railway (OBR) is a special heritage railway located in Dunedin, New Zealand. It runs along the city's main beach, Ocean Beach. This railway is unique because it was the first group in New Zealand to save a steam train with the goal of making it run again. It was also the first operating heritage railway in New Zealand, with its first train running way back in 1963!
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History of the Ocean Beach Railway
In 1960, a small group of railway fans bought a tiny 9-ton steam engine for just $20. This engine, called PWD 540, was the very first train saved by a heritage railway in New Zealand! Its whistle was first heard near the old Ocean Beach railway station in August 1961.
The group got permission to lay 60 yards of track. They even used old tram rails from the Dunedin City Council! Passenger trains started running in 1963. They carried 2,700 people using PWD 540 and a simple wagon. The railway then decided to make the line longer, heading towards Saint Clair. Today, the line runs about 900 metres from John Wilson Ocean Drive to Moana Rua Road.
Over time, the OBR grew its collection. They received or bought more locomotives from different companies. They also added historic passenger carriages and goods wagons. The railway built sheds to protect their trains and put up a strong fence.
Meet the Locomotives
The Ocean Beach Railway has many different locomotives (train engines). Some are steam engines, and others are diesel engines. Here's a look at some of them:
| Key: | Running Now | Running Now, Main Line Certified | Being Fixed Up | Stored Away | On Display | Taken Apart |
|---|
| Number | Builder | Year Built | Arrived at OBR | What's its story? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A 66 | Dübs & Company | 1873 | 1973 | This steam engine was used by NZR until 1904. It was displayed in Dunedin for many years. The OBR bought it in 1973. It's currently stored and leased to another railway group. |
| A 67 | Dübs & Company | 1873 | 1967 | A 67 worked for NZR and other companies. The OBR bought it in 1967 and restored it to run trains. It's currently being fixed up for a big overhaul. |
| D 6 | Neilson & Company | 1880 | 1965 | D 6 was used by NZR and then by lime companies. The OBR got it in 1965. It's now being restored and will join another historic train when finished. |
| DS 203 | Drewry | 1954 | 1982 | This diesel engine worked for NZR. The OBR bought it in 1982. It's currently being fixed up and should be ready to pull passenger trains in 2024. |
| DSA 252 | Hunslet | 1954 | 2005 | DSA 252 was used by NZR and a meat company. It was loaned to the OBR in 2005 and later fully owned by them. It is currently stored. |
| DSA 256 | Hunslet | 1954 | 2000 | This diesel engine worked for NZR. It was bought by a museum and then privately. It is now owned by the OBR and is stored. |
| F 111 | Dübs & Company | 1879 | 1966 | F 111 was an NZR steam engine. The OBR bought it in 1966 and restored it to run. It's named "Rob Roy" and is currently being overhauled. |
| F 150 | Dübs & Company | 1880 | 1974 | F 150 was displayed in a park before coming to OBR in 1974. It's now being restored by another group in Invercargill. They hope to run it on the main railway lines. |
| Kerr Stuart 4185 | Kerr Stuart | 1929 | 1960 | This steam engine was bought by the OBR and restored. It has run trains for many years. It is currently stored and needs major repairs. |
| Price 185 | A & G Price | 1958 | 1993 | This diesel engine was built for a meat company. The OBR bought it in 1993. It can run but is waiting for a full restoration. |
| PWD 540 | John Fowler & Company | 1921 | 1960 | PWD 540 was the very first locomotive saved by a heritage railway in New Zealand! The OBR bought it in 1960 and got it running in 1963. It needs major repairs and is currently stored. |
| TR 81 | Drewry | 1939 | 1988 | TR 81 was used by a coal mine railway and then NZR. The OBR bought it in 1988. It's currently in service and pulls trains for the OBR. |
| Traills Tractor | A&T Burt. | 1926 | 1997 | This small tractor was built for a cement company. It was displayed at a kindergarten before coming to OBR in 1997. It is currently stored. |
| TR 157 | A & G Price | 1958 | 2021 | TR 157 was used by NZR for shunting (moving wagons). Members of the OBR recently bought it. It's now used for shunting duties around the OBR yard and is in service. |
| NO. 1 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | 1967 | 2019 | This diesel engine worked on a main line for the Ohai Railway Board. It is not complete, but the OBR has all its parts. It is currently stored. |
Rolling Stock Collection
Besides locomotives, the OBR also has many historic passenger carriages (coaches), freight wagons, and even a hand crane! The railway is known for its excellent work in restoring freight wagons, winning awards for their efforts.
| Key: | Running Now | Running Now, Main Line Certified | Being Fixed Up | Stored Away | On Display | Taken Apart |
|---|
| Number | Builder | Type | Year Built | Arrived at OBR | What's its story? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F 11 | Unknown | Plough Van | 1886 | 2019 | This van was used as a plough van to clear tracks. It was used on excursion trains. It was moved to OBR for storage and later moved to Christchurch. |
| R 23 | NZR | Open air carriage | 1910 | 1967 | R 23 was an open-top passenger carriage. Its body was taken apart in 2019, but its wheels were used for another carriage. |
| Z 34 | NZR | Postal/Luggage Car | 1934 | 1975 | Z 34 is a unique postal and luggage car with doors at each end. It was used on a breakdown train. It is stored and is thought to be the last of its kind. |
| D 139 | Hyslops Dunedin | Crew Hut | 1877 | 1984 | D 139 started as a passenger carriage. It was later changed into a crew hut for railway workers. It is currently stored. |
| A 193 | Addington Workshops | Composite Clerestory Carriage | 1886 | 1967 | A 193 is a beautiful carriage with a special roof. It took 10 years to restore! It started running for OBR in 1986 and is still in service today. |
| A 210 | Addington Workshops | Turntable Repair Gang Carriage | 1883 | 1966 | This carriage was used by a team that repaired turntables (where trains turn around). A restoration started but was not finished. It is still stored. |
| Ra 497 | NZR | Custom Built Carriage | 1920 | 1964 | Ra 497 was changed into a special carriage. It was taken apart in 2019 because it was in poor condition. |
| A 529 | Addington Workshops | Fitters & Plumbers Carriage | 1897 | 1975 | A 529 was once a fancy ministerial carriage. It was later used by fitters and plumbers. Its body is stored at OBR. |
| K 543 | Midland Car Company | Crew Hut | 1900 | 1989 | K 543 started as a box wagon. It was changed into a crew hut for railway workers. It was restored by OBR and is now stored. |
| A 620 | American Car & Foundry Co. | Centre Entry Turtleback Carriage | 1901 | 1960s | Only half of this carriage body remained when OBR got it. It was never moved to the OBR site and is now believed to be taken apart. |
| Af 874 | Hillside Workshops | Carvan (Carriage + Guards Van) | 1905 | 1977 | Af 874 is a combination carriage and guards van. It was used as a clubroom before being donated to OBR. It was restored and is still in service today. |
| A 1002 | Addington Workshops | Underframe Only | 1907 | 1978 | The body of this carriage was burned because it was rotten. Only its underframe (the bottom part) remains at OBR. |
| A 1254 | Addington Workshops | 2nd Class Scarrett Carriage | 1913 | 1969, 2017 | A 1254 was used by NZR and then by OBR. It was leased to another group and returned in 2017. It's now being restored and should be ready in 2024. |
| A 1548 | Addington Workshops | Underframe only | 1924 | Unknown | This carriage is only an underframe. The body of carriage A 529 rests on top of it. |
| F 641 | Addington Workshops | Steel Guards Van | 1941 | 2023 | F 641 is a steel guards van. It was donated to OBR in 2021. It's waiting to be moved to the railway, and OBR has all the parts to restore it. |
The OBR also owns a 5-ton hand crane from 1874. Restoring this crane won the OBR an award! The Ocean Beach Railway is one of the few railways in New Zealand that can show what a train from the late 1800s looked like.
The OBR also has the underframes of two very old rail vehicles from 1872. These are the oldest rail items in their collection! They might have been goods wagons or even passenger carriages.
How the Railway Operates
The Ocean Beach Railway usually runs trains every Sunday during the summer. In winter, they have a smaller schedule, running on the last Sunday of each month. Diesel locomotives are used to pull the trains.
Currently, TR 81 is used for passenger trains. Other locomotives like A67 and Kerr Stuart 4185 are out of service for big check-ups. DS 203 will take over passenger trains once its restoration is finished. TR 81 will then be used for moving wagons around the yard or as a backup. DSA 252 will also return to service after its repairs.
