Historic train gets new lease on life

BIG JOB: The RM31 railcar, built in 1938, suspended by cranes while members of the Pahiatua Railcar Society replace one of its two engines at the Pahiatua Station. PHOTO/STEVE CARLE

Members of the Pahiatua Railcar Society were hard at work on Friday replacing an engine in the RM31 railcar.

Built in 1938 in the Hutt Railway Workshops, the RM31 was one of six of its type made, and is the only one of the surviving four still certified to run on the main line.

The Pahiatua Railcar Society preserved the railcar and it is housed in their purpose-built storage shed and workshop located at the railway station at Mangamutu.

On Friday, two cranes lifted the railcar and four society members fitted it with a reconditioned engine.

Steve Jones, society member and project manager, said it was the biggest job ever done on a standard railcar outside of a major railway workshop in New Zealand.

The railcar has two six-cylinder Meadows diesel engines, one at either end.

"One of the motors needed to be replaced, so we had to get an engine overhaul, gear box overhaul and other bits and pieces done," said Mr Jones.

The railcar was lifted by cranes and suspended above the rail track, by about 1.8 metres.

Then the bogie, the carriage base, with the "old sick motor", got pulled out from underneath the railcar and the railcar was lowered back onto the track.

The old engine was removed from the bogie and replaced with the new one and the railcar was lifted back up so the bogie with the new gear could be put back underneath.

Mr Jones said the job took about three hours.

"We don't do a lot of runs with it so it [the engine] will be good for about 20 to 30 years, I'd say.

"That other engine is okay, but it will probably need replacing in the next five to 10 years."

On occasion, the RM31 takes excursions, such as to the Art Deco Weekend in Napier where it takes people from the station to the port and back again.

The RM fleet of six finished service on the New Zealand railways in 1972.

Mr Jones said they travelled all over the North Island, but more so in the lower and central areas, including on the Wairarapa line.

All six were named after ancient Maori canoes, "Tokomaru" belonging to RM31.

The Silverstream Railway has RM30 "Aotea" and RM34 "Tainui" and the Waikato Branch NZRLS has RM32 "Pangatoru".