Railway station work worthwhile

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 381, 9 April 1991, Page 4

Railway station work worthwhile

The visit by 200 railway enthusiasts to Ohakune over the Easter weekend was sufficient justification for the clean up and renovation of the station by the Preservation of the Ohakune Railway Station (PORS) group, according to group chairman Bob Norling.

The group was pleased and encouraged by the response of the visitors to the work, which included resealing the platform surface and a

adding a new colour scheme. Both these improvements had been accomplished with voluntary labour, Ruapehu Lions and students from

Ruapehu college and generous donations of materials, said Mr Norling. The visitors expressed their appreciation in a tangible form - they bought all 50 Tshirts commemorating the visit, which had ■been specially commissioned by the PORS group to raise funds for further restoration work. These were designed by Ron Rutherford of Ohakune and silk-screen printed by Keith Harford of Raetihi. The Easter weekend, also produced other pleasing results. The PORS group learned that a signal box was available and this would eventually . become part of the static display and museum area proposed for the junction. This could provide

a good photographic and viewing platform for future visits by steam trains and would join a former steam locomotive water tank which has- already been acquired. Other long term plans to be discussed at the groups next regular meeting this week, to which all members of the community are invited, will be the possible restoration of the turntable and pit which is currently filled in. The organisers of the Easter steam train excursion said they and Auckland rail enthusiasts would make many more trips to Ohakune if they could turn their locomotives around here instead of having to run through to the tumtables at Marton and Taumarunui.