Blenheim Riverside Railway
The Blenheim Riverside Railway is a 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.
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 was restored and put into service. The first station at Brayshaw Park was very basic, however during 1995 Beaver 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 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 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, and was opened on Saturday, 21 March 2015. 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.Coordinates of terminal stations
- Brayshaw Park Station:
- Beaver Station:
- Omaka Station
Rolling stock
Locomotives
| Name | Builder | Year built | Class | Builder's number | Wheel arrangement | Engine | Year acquired | |
| George | A&G Price | 1951 | Da | 166 | Isuzu 4HF1 | 1986 | ||
| TBD | A&G Price | 1951 | Da | 168 | Leyland O300 | 2016 | ||
| Murray | Ruston and Hornsby | 1934 | 22/28 HP | 170204 | Lister JP3 | 1990 | ||
| Beaver | Ruston and Hornsby | 1940 | 20DL | 202969 | Lister ST2 | 2012 | ||
| Onahau | Homebuilt | 1990s | - | - | Bo-Bo | Nissan CD17/20 | 2012 | |
| Donald | Probably Glasgow Railway Eng. Co. | 1901 | - | - | 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.