Enthusiasts plan to commemorate railway protest

Train enthusiasts, history buffs, feminists and local residents all want to play a part in commemorating an all-female protest against the closure of the Nelson railway in 1955.

Organiser Mary-Lynn Boyes said a meeting of about 30 people yesterday was "abuzz with interest".

"There was a good groundswell of interest in remembering September and these women's actions."

The protest, during which a group of women lay in front of the Nelson to Glenhope train at Kiwi, was led by Sonja Davies and Takaka schoolteacher Ruth Page.

Many people had come along to the meeting because they wanted to revive and keep alive the stories of those women, Ms Boyes said.

Family members of the nine women arrested also offered support for commemoration activities, which will include a picnic, a creative re-telling of protest stories, and a re-enactment of the protest on September 30.

A steering committee of nine was formed at the meeting.

"It's just a matter of keeping the momentum up now. We've got a good head of steam up," Ms Boyes said.

The 1955 railway protest ended with the nine women being arrested and the railway lines ripped up.

- NZPA