Double steam train trip on Saturday

Ruapehu Bulletin, 24 June 1997, Page 4

Double steam train trip on Saturday

Steam train' enthu siasts converge on Ohakune again this weekend when Mainline Steam Trust and Main Trunk Rail Ohakune will again be running the "North Island Main Line Double Drivers Excursion". Two original format steam overnight trains, one from Auckland and one from Wellington will meet and combine at Taumarunui for a daytime trip on the Raurimu spiral, then staying Saturday night in Ohakune. This year Mainline Steam will be using their own steam locomotives.

From Auckland the steam train will be headed by T 1 2 1 1 , a streamlined engine. A similar non-streamlined locomotive was based here in Ohakune in the mid-60's and used on the Raetihi branch line. From Wellington 'AB' 663 will head the train. This will be the first occasion since 1967 that an 'AB' class locomotive has run in the North Island. The last occasion was the Farmers Trading Company "Santa Special" at Hamilton hauled by ' AB ' 832 in midDecember of that year. Based in Ohakune through the 50's and 60's was 'AB' 700 which worked through the central North Island and Raetihi Branch line. AB steam locomotives were built in New Zealand by AG Price of Thames and in the NZR Railway workshops at Addington and Hillside. These engines proved so successful the NZR used

them all over New Zealand for express and freight trains. 'AB' 663 spentall its NZR working life at Dunedin and Christchurch. It was brought up from the South Island for restoration and converted from a coal burner to an oil burner in the Silverstream Railway Workshops in Upper Hutt. The double header train will be arriving at 5.00pm Saturday night in Ohakune. President of MTRO, Bob Norling, invites the people of the Waimarino to come and see the Ohakune Railway Turntable in use to turn these locomotives on Saturday night. The Ohakune Fire Brigade will service the locomotives for their departure on Sunday morning. 'J' 1211 and 'AB'663 will be on display under spotlights on Saturday night at the Ohakune Railway Station. Tickets for the Ohakune Taumarunui return trip are available from MTRO for the grand steam train event.