All aboard the Whanga Express?

POSSIBLE ideas for the mothballed Stratford-Taumarunui rail line are still emerging, with a new suggestion of running the historic Taranaki Flyer steam engine between Stratford and Whangamonona.The 50-tonne iconic steam engine once ran from New Plymouth to Wanganui on a regular basis and at present volunteers are working towards fully restoring it to its former glory.
Transrail announced recently the line will be mothballed for at least two years and the long term future of the track is uncertain.
The 88-year-old express was a familiar part of the landscape in days gone by. The big AB locomotive  came off the tracks in Hawera in 1956, and lay buried for 46 years before being dug up in 2002.
The Taranaki Flyer Society is restoring the train in a Stratford goods shed, and project manager Harry Hessell said while the restoration could take five to seven years, they are already looking at possible options where the train could run.
"If we could get a dedicated line we would have quite a tourist attraction on our hands. It could be a great boost fwor Central Taranaki."
"There are three tunnels and five bridges on the 61km line to Wanga. We could hire carriages and sell refreshments.
"It would be amazing if we could get the use of a section of the line or even buy a section. A unique dedicated tourist rail line giving a back county experience would be the very popular. There could be other activities such as bush walking or kayaking as well."
The idea is just a suggestion at this stage and while it is too early for the society to make any approach to KiwiRail, they are working with others to help find a future for the eastern Taranaki line.
We still have a long way to go but the eastern track looks attractive," Mr Hessell said.
He cited the Rotorua-Ngongotaha Rail Trust, which was gifted a disused line from KiwiRail.
"You never know, we might be able to do some such deal here," he said.
A $11,000 grant from Taranaki Electricity Trust last week will go towards boiler restoration and the purchase of more tools for the project.
A group called the Friends of AB745 has been set up, for people who want to follow the restoration process, even if they are not working on the loco.
Anyone interested can ring Harry on 067546695.