Shortage of train drivers derails steam engine plan

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The pin has been pulled on a planned visit to Wanganui by the Mainline Heritage Steam Trust's steam engine later this month.

But the trust is hopeful it will have the engine here in September to coincide with the planned Festival of Glass.

Graeme Moffatt, the trust's Wellington excursion organiser, said the decision was made because they could not get enough qualified train drivers as the excursion to Wanganui clashed with the Art Deco weekend in Napier on February 19-22.

"This is a hard decision that the trust has had to make but we've decided to bring the steam train up to Wanganui on the first feasible occasion. At this stage it will be one of the weekends during the Festival of Glass in September," Mr Moffatt said.

The Whanganui Riverboat Centre was planning to co-ordinate sailings of the PS Waimarie with the train's visit.

"It's unfortunate that we won't have the train this summer but we're pleased that Mainline Steam are planning on still bringing the train back later this year," Mr Moffatt said.

Mr Moffatt said the trust will need to adjust the timetables as the train will only be in Wanganui for a limited time.

But he said trips planned will run along the reactivated Castlecliff branch line as well as to Eastown and Kai Iwi.

People who have already booked and paid for any of the cancelled trips will be able to get a refund of their tickets from the Wanganui iSite.