Rail buff restored historic engine

GUIDING HAND: Railway buff Cliff Lea in the cab of Steam Locomotive JA1211 in Carterton in 2006. PHOTOS/FILE

One of Wairarapa's leading railway buffs who had a deep love of all history and earned a reputation as a collector and shrewd judge of curios and artifacts has died.

Clifford (Cliff) Cramley Lea, 87, of Featherston, died peacefully at Greytown Lifecare and a funeral service was held for him yesterday.

Mr Lea served as a private in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on home service during World War II but it was his work with trains and railway memorabilia for which he is best remembered.

He was a great supporter of the Fell Museum in Featherston, being one of three foundation members and at the helm of the restoration of Fell Engine H199, the last remaining workable Fell in the world after the old Cross Creek incline locomotive was finally shifted from a Featherston playground to the museum.

H199 had finished its life's work on the incline when the Rimutaka rail tunnel opened in 1955 and had then spent 26 years languishing in the playground and battered by weather before it was rescued and restored.

While that work was in progress Mr Lea began discussions with fellow Friends of The Fell Society members Anne and Patrick Clinch about how it would be great to get an original Fell Brake Van.

As fate would have it, the couple spotted Fell Brake Van F210 while on a visit to MOTAT, Auckland, and managed to convince the MOTAT organisers to loan it to the Featherston museum on condition it was restored there.

Mr and Mrs Clinch were joined by Mr Lea in the enormous work of doing just that.

When Friends of the Fell celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2005 Cliff Lea was given a special presentation to recognise his work over that entire period.

His love of railways didn't stop with the museum and the lifesize engines either.

He was instrumental in the building and organisation of Featherston's Mini Fell Engine railway, the miniature railway that runs in the town centre.

Wearing another hat, Mr Lea was responsible for returning seven antique tables to prime condition for the town's Anzac Hall.

The occasional tables were about 90 years old and thought to have originally been furniture at the World War 1 Featherston Military Camp - although they could have been part of the old hall's original furniture - but had been sadly neglected and covered in paint and shellac.

Mr Lea carefully dismantled every table and restoring it to beautifully-polished kauri.

In late 2004 Mr Lea was honoured with a Civic Award presented by South Wairarapa mayor Adrienne Staples for being an "outstanding citizen."

Last month it was revealed Mr Lea and the late Jim Foss had been responsible for dismantling the signal box at Summit Station on the Rimutaka Incline when the Fells had been silenced and had constructed Featherston's Signal Box Dairy.

Mr Lea is survived by his daughter Julie and four grandchildren Lea, Briana, Carla and Jessica.

His wife Manuroa pre-deceased him.