THE Glenbrook Vintage Railway Raurimu Spiral route is from Hamilton to Ohakune and back - with a one hour stop in Ohakune. Passengers can board at Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga. PHOTO SUPPLIED
A booked-out passenger train run from Hamilton to Ohakune and back on July 3, is likely to be repeated in October.
Glenbrook Vintage Railway general manager Tim Kerwin said the trip, which traversed the famous Raurimu Spiral, drew positive feedback from many of its 300 passengers, some of whom boarded in Te Kūiti and Ōtorohanga.
“Of the 300 passengers on board, there was a wide variety of ages represented – elderly through to young families.
“I think it shows there is still a strong interest in travelling by train. It’s something unique which there is just not the opportunity to do much these days,” Tim said.
“We had a lot of rain, but it was not as cold as predicted.
“On the southern side of the mountain, from National Park onwards, the weather fined up, which was really good. But I’ve always thought the weather as it was – rainy and low clouds – adds to the mystique of travelling down through the King Country.”
He said it was probably the first time for many years that passengers from Te Kūiti had travelled from there to Ohakune by train.
“It’s such a great trip, you get to go over the Raurimu Spiral and there are plenty of photo opportunities at the Makatote Viaduct, near Erua. This is 78 metres high and we slowed right down to walking speed to enhance the experience.”
The route also crosses the beautifully curved, 400-metre Hapuawhenua Viaduct, at Horopito.
Tim said the plan now was to get through the worst of the winter weather so such train journeys could resume in spring.
“But even then, we hope we’ll be able to provide views of Mt Ruapehu covered in snow.”
The Glenbrook Vintage Railway aimed to stop in as many small towns as it could, but it wasn’t clear whether it would pick up passengers at Taumarunui on the next run to Ohakune.
“It is unclear whether many Taumarunui people would wish to travel through to Ohakune and back,” Tim said.
