The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum facts for kids

Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society
The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum
Entrance road and parking lot for the railway and museum
Locale	Tinwald, Ashburton, New Zealand
Terminus	The Plains Museum
Coordinates	43°55′24″S 171°42′30″E / 43.923267°S 171.708422°E / -43.923267; 171.708422
Connections	KiwiRail Main South Line
Commercial operations
Name	Mount Somers Branchline
Built by	New Zealand Government Railways
Original gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Preserved operations
Owned by	Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society
Operated by	Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society
Stations	One
Length	2.5km
Preserved gauge	1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Commercial history
Opened	4 October 1885
Closed	1 January 1968
Preservation history
1971	Formation of Society
1973	First Operation of Trains
1981	First Operation of K 88
2011	40th Anniversary Event
2016	45th Anniversary Event

The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum is a special place in Tinwald, New Zealand. It has an old-fashioned railway and a village that looks like it's from the past. The railway is called The Plains Railway. It runs on about three kilometers of track that used to be part of the Mount Somers Branch line.

Both the village and the railway are open often for people to visit. The railway uses old locomotives (train engines) and carriages that were once part of New Zealand's national railway system. The village helps visitors imagine what life was like long ago in New Zealand.

What is The Plains Railway?

The Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society Inc. (AR&PS) started in 1971. Their main goal was to buy a part of the old Mt Somers Branch railway. They wanted to run restored trains there. They also wanted to save old farm machines that were disappearing from the area.

To do this, the AR&PS created The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum. They started collecting railway items, farm equipment, and other historical things from the local area. They also built new buildings for storage and display. Some of the most important buildings, like the cottage, church, and railway station, were moved from other places to the museum site.

The K 88 Trust Board

The K 88 Trust Board was a group formed in 1995. Their main aim was to fix up two old train engines, K 88 and K 94, so they could run again. This group was a charity.

Their plan included:

• Renting K 88 and K 94 from the Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society.
• Building a shed where K 88 could be restored.
• Fixing K 88 to make it work again.
• Raising money for the project.
• Sharing information about their work in Mid-Canterbury.

In 1996, the K 88 Trust officially rented the engines. They also bought an old supermarket building in Ashburton to use as their main workshop.

Money was raised quickly. The first goal of restoring K 88 was met in 1997. A new tender tank (which holds water and fuel for the engine) was being built.

K 88 had been stored for many years because its boiler was too old to use. The Trust Board rented it to fix it up. This included getting a new boiler and tender tank. The old boiler was unsafe because its firebox was too thin. The original tender tank was very rusty.

Work started in 1997. The new tender tank was built in Ashburton. The new boiler was planned to be like the old 1903 one. It cost $151,000 to build. In 1998, parts of K 95's tender frame were found in the Ōreti River. These parts were used for K 88 because its original frame was bent.

Building the new boiler took over a year. It was put onto K 88's frame in July 2000. The tender tank was added soon after. A new funnel was also made. K 88 was first steamed (had steam in its boiler) on November 14, 2000.

K 88 was officially put back into service on March 30, 2002. It looked just like it did when it first arrived in 1878. Today, K 88 still runs at The Plains Railway. It is famous for several reasons:

• It pulled the first inter-city express train in New Zealand between Christchurch and Dunedin.
• It was one of the original Kingston Flyer trains.
• It was the first train engine in the world to be fixed after being found in a riverbed.
• It is the oldest former NZR tender locomotive still in New Zealand.

K 94's Restoration

The restoration of K 94 never fully restarted. Its restoration began in 1986 but was stopped. Many good parts from K 94 were used to fix K 88. Today, K 94 is stored behind the carriage shed at The Plains Vintage Railway & Historical Museum. It helps visitors see how K 88 looked when it was found in the river in 1974.

2015 Workshop Fire

On January 17, 2015, the old workshop building burned down. Someone had set it on fire. The fire destroyed most of the tools, parts, and equipment inside the shed. Only a few items could be saved. Firefighters arrived around 5:00 AM. Five fire engines and a water tanker helped put out the blaze. The fire was seen as suspicious, and the police are still investigating. The locomotive shed next to the workshop was also damaged, but it has been made safe.

Locomotives, Railcars, and Carriages

The Plains Railway became well-known when a train engine, K 88, was found. It was part of the Rogers K class. K 88 was recovered on January 19, 1974, from the Branxholme Locomotive Dump in the Ōreti River in Southland. It was brought to The Plains Railway in July 1974. It was fully restored and running by November 27, 1982.

This success encouraged other train fans to find and restore more engines from where they had been dumped. Two other K class engines were found. One of them, K 94, was found by a private owner and brought to The Plains Railway. Its restoration started in April 1986 but was later stopped. It is now stored and not restored. It helps show visitors the condition K 88 was in when it was found. K 88 was restored a second time starting in 1997 by the K 88 Trust Board. This was finished on March 30, 2002. During this second restoration, it received a brand new Belpaire Boiler and tender tank.

The museum has several important historical trains and carriages. These include:

• A 64: This is the second oldest working steam engine in New Zealand.
• J^A 1260: This was the last steam engine to pull the last night train out of Invercargill and the last steam engine to pull trains out of Christchurch.
• K 88 Washington: This engine pulled the first express train between Christchurch and Dunedin. It was also one of the original Kingston Flyer engines. It was the first engine in the world to be restored after being found in a river. It is the oldest former NZR tender engine in New Zealand.
• Vulcan Railcar RM 50: This railcar holds the official New Zealand Railways speed record of 78 miles per hour.
• T^R 38: This was the first petrol (gasoline) engine in New Zealand.

NZR Steam Locomotives

Key:	In service	Stored

Original Class and Number	Builder	Year Built	Arrived	Notes
A 64	Dubs and Co.	1873	1972	This engine started working for NZR in 1875. It was used on branch lines. It was sold in 1890 and later donated to the Ashburton Steam and Model Engineers Club. It was leased to the AR&PS in 1971 for restoration. A 64 was the main working engine until K 88 was fixed. It returned to service in 2000 after a second restoration. It is now the second-oldest working steam engine in New Zealand.
JA 1260	NZR Hillside Workshops	1952	February 1973	This engine started working for NZR in 1952. It pulled passenger and freight trains. It was the last steam engine to pull express trains out of Dunedin and Christchurch. It was bought by the AR&PS in 1972 and brought to The Plains Railway in 1973. It returned to service in 1975 and again in 2008 after more work. It was taken out of service in 2013 for new parts and returned in March 2018.
K 88	Rogers Locomotive Works	1877	July 1974	K 88 started service in 1878. It is famous for pulling the first 'Express Passenger' train between Christchurch and Dunedin. It was dumped in the Ōreti River in 1927. It was recovered in 1974 and brought to The Plains Railway. Restoration began, and it moved on its own power in 1981, returning to service in 1982. It was used in TV shows and films. Its original boiler was condemned in 1987. A second restoration began in 1998 with a new boiler and tender tank. It was put back into service in 2002. K 88 is still active today.
K 94	Rogers Locomotive Works	1878	21 April 1986	K 94 started service in 1878 and was also dumped in the Ōreti River in 1926. It was recovered privately and brought to The Plains Railway in 1986 for restoration. Work stopped after the death of the people working on it. It is now stored in pieces, and some of its parts were used for other K class engines.

NZR Diesel Locomotives

Key:	In service	Stored

Original Class and Number	Builder	Year Built	Arrived	Notes
DSA 218	Drewry	1953	4 April 2014	This engine started working for NZR in 1953 for shunting (moving trains in the yard). It was sold in 1982 and used at a coal mine. It was later sold to the Oamaru Steam and Rail Restoration Society. The AR&PS bought it in 2014, and it is now being restored.
TR 38	A & G Price	1939	February 1982	This engine started service in 1938. It was the first diesel rail tractor in New Zealand. It was withdrawn in 1974 and later bought by the AR&PS in 1982. It is currently working but needs an engine overhaul.

Industrial Diesel Locomotives

Key:	In service	Stored

Type	Builder	Year Built	Arrived	Notes
Ruston	Ruston & Hornsby	1961	2003	This engine started service in 1961. It is now on a long-term lease to The Plains Railway. It is used for moving light engines and carriages, and for work trains.
Howard	J & F Howard, England	1930	28 March 1986	This engine started service in 1930. It was donated to the AR&PS in 1986 and used for shunting. It is now being actively restored.
Price	A & G Price	1960	12 September 1995	This engine started service in 1960. It was sold to the Weka Pass Railway and then to the AR&PS in 1995. Restoration was completed in 1996. It won an award in 1997. It is now used for moving JA 1260 and other carriages, and for work trains.

Railcars

Key:	In service

Original Class and Number	Builder	Year Built	Arrived	Notes
RM 50	Vulcan Foundry	1940	March 1979	This railcar started service in 1940. RM 50 reached a speed of 125.5 km/h (78 mph) in 1940, which is still the fastest speed officially recorded on New Zealand's railway network. It was involved in an accident in 1957. It was taken out of service in 1978 and sold to the AR&PS in 1979. It is usually used in the summer months and is currently the railway's main engine.

Carriages

Key:	In service	Under overhaul/restoration	Stored

Original class and number	Builder	Type	Year built	Arrived	Notes
A 184	NZR Addington Workshops	47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach	1913	1971	This carriage started service in 1913. It was used in a TV mini-series in 1984. It was repaired and repainted in 2004.
A 475	NZR Addington Workshops	43' 9" wooden body, passenger coach	1900	2 December 1988	This carriage started service in 1900. It was withdrawn in 1954 and kept on a farm. It was moved indoors in 2018.
A 784	NZR Addington Workshops	47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach	1903	2003	This carriage started service in 1903. It was withdrawn in 1955 and kept on private property. It is currently stored outside.
A 1429	NZR Addington Workshops	47' 6" wooden body, passenger coach	1915	1970s	This carriage started service in 1915. It was used in a TV mini-series in 1984. It was repainted in 1991 and again in 2002.
AA 1024	NZR Petone Workshops	50' 0" wooden body, passenger coach	1908	1974	This carriage started service in 1908 in the North Island. It was moved to the South Island in 1950. The AR&PS bought it in 1974. Restoration started in 1988 but was stopped. Active restoration began again in 2008.

Guards and Brake Vans

Key:	In service	Scrapped

Original class and number	Builder	Type	Year built	Arrived	Notes
F 322	NZR Hillside Workshops	30' wooden body, guards' van	1907	1979	This van started service in 1907. It was restored and repainted in 1984. It was also used in a TV mini-series that year.
F 532	NZR Addington Workshops	50' 0" wooden body, guards' van	1931	N/A	This van started service in 1931. It was scrapped after a fire in 2007 while being restored. Its frame and parts are now used for other projects.

Wagons

Key:	Stored

Original class and number	Type	Builder	Year built	Arrived	Notes
E 852	Tank	N/A	1880s	1974	This wagon was used as a water supply. Restoration started in 2011 for the railway's 40th Anniversary. It is now back in service for occasional use.
LA 13498	High Side	NZR Petone Workshops	1922	N/A	This wagon was in NZR service from 1922 to 1973. It is now used to store coal.
LB 9579	High Side	NZR Petone Workshops	1911	1972	This wagon was sometimes used for passengers when no carriages were available. It is now used to store parts and is waiting to be restored.
M 173	Low Side	N/A	N/A	1972	This wagon was withdrawn in 1971 and overhauled in 1995. It was sometimes used with A 64 but is now stored due to its condition.
NA 1875	Flat Deck	NZR Addington Workshops	1977	N/A	This wagon started service in 1977. It is regularly used for work trains. It is owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
UCT 1603	Tank	NZR Hillside Workshops	1970	N/A	This wagon started service in 1970. It was used to transport Tallow. It is the only one of its kind to be saved. It is owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.
V 76	Insulated Meat	Hillside Workshops	1903	2 October 2015	This wagon started service in 1903. It was donated to The Plains in 2014.
VS 863	Insulated Meat	Commonwealth Engineering, Australia (erected by NZR Addington Workshops)	1958	1979	This wagon started service in 1958. It was used for transporting chilled meats. It arrived with spare parts for the Vulcan Railcar RM 50. It is also used to store other train parts.
YB 138	Ballast	N/A	1921	N/A	This wagon was used for ballast trains (trains carrying gravel for the tracks). It is currently out of service and waiting for an overhaul.
YC 890	Ballast	NZR Addington Workshops	1961	N/A	This wagon started service in 1961. It is used for ballast trains. It is owned by the Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand.

Cranes

Key:	Under overhaul/restoration	Stored

Type	Number	Builder	Year built	Arrived	Notes
2-ton Hand Crane	N/A	Ransomes and Rapier	1877	1972	This crane was used by the NZ Electricity Department. It is on long-term loan to the AR&PS.
Wheelset Crane	360	N/A	1911/1926	1987	This crane was built in 1911 and rebuilt in 1926. It is currently being restored.
5 Ton Lift Steam Crane	N/A	Whitticker	N/A	1978	This crane was used by the Oamaru Harbour Board. It was sold to The Plains Railway and used for laying track and lifting. It has been stored out of service since the 1990s.

Jiggers

The society has many small rail vehicles called jiggers. They have three four-wheel motor jiggers, one three-wheel motor jigger, two four-wheel hand jiggers, and one three-wheel hand jigger. They also have four trailers for these jiggers.

Traction Engines

The society has three large steam-powered machines called traction engines and one portable engine. The traction engines include a smaller 1/3 scale Burrell Traction Engine built by a local engineer. There is also a McLaren engine (owned by the Ashburton District Council) and a Marshall engine.

The Society also has a portable engine from Marshall, Sons & Co. in its collection. This one is privately owned.

Traction Engines

Key:	Operational	Stored	Stored, Serviceable Condition

Type	Builder	Year built	Arrived at The Plains Railway	Notes
Burrell	Hughey Rainey	1963	1963	This engine was built in 1963 and is used on open days.
Marshall	Marshall, Sons & Co.	1910 or 1912	N/A	This engine was donated to the AR&PS. It was used until 2006.
McLaren	J&H McLaren & Co.	1925	1990s	This engine is owned by the Ashburton District Council. It is on long-term loan to the AR&PS. It is used on open days and rallies. "The Mac" is special because it is the only engine in New Zealand still owned by its original buyer.

Portables

Key:	Stored

Type	Builder	Year built	Arrived at The Plains Railway	Notes
Marshall	Marshall, Sons & Co.	1879	N/A	This engine is stored in working condition. It is privately owned.

The AR&PS also has a boiler (the part that makes steam) from a Garrett Portable Traction Engine.

Machinery

Binders

Key:	Operational	Stored

Builder	Notes
Massey Harris	Used to harvest oats.
N/A	Stored.

Images for kids

• 

  McLaren Traction Engine No. 1718 after a repaint, 22 March 2014.

• 

  A 64 at the photo stand, 27 April 2014.

• 

  D^SA 218 shortly after arriving at the museum, 4 April 2014.

• 

  J^A 1260 after being washed, 8 March 2014.

• 

  K 88 pulling a mixed train, 16 February 2014.

• 

  RM 50 leaving the station, 15 March 2014.