Train-pulling event runs out of organising steam

Northland rugby players put their backs into it as they retain the community trophy at last year's Puff and Pull Carnival. Photo/Peter de Graaf

Kawakawa's biggest annual event, the Puff and Pull Carnival, has been cancelled this year after its volunteer organisers "ran out of puff".

Every May, schools, businesses and sports teams compete to see who can pull the vintage steam engine Gabriel the length of Kawakawa's main street in the shortest time.

The carnival draws thousands of people to the town and helps raise the profile of the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust.

However, event founder Frank Leadley said the organising committee volunteers had themselves run out of puff.

He was disappointed by the cancellation but understood the reason.

"It's a lot of work for our volunteers, and perhaps the time has come for a change in how we carry out the event and how it is promoted. It may well be that we need to look at having it run on a semi-professional basis, as there is no doubt it has the potential to become a nationally recognised event," he said.

As well as the disappointment to regular school and community competitors, the trust was losing an effective way of promoting the railway and raising funds, Mr Leadley said.

Anyone interested in getting involved next year can contact Kelly Stratford at sales@trainspottercafe.co.nz or Frank Leadley at frankleadley@xtra.co.nz.