Glenbrook Vintage Railway
The Glenbrook Vintage Railway (GVR) is a heritage steam railway in Glenbrook, New Zealand. The GVR is run by a trust board of three trustees elected and appointed from Railway Enthusiasts Society (RES) membership. The board appoints a general manager who is responsible for day-to-day operation. The long railway carries up to 30,000 passengers during the normal operating season, which is from October to June, and is also available for charter throughout the year. The railway is staffed and maintained by volunteers and RES membership provides automatic access to all activities as a volunteer. Special  Events are often held, such as "Day Out With Thomas" weekends, Railfan Days (with display freight trains and other unique consists), Country and Western days and night steam runs. History. The GVR is based on part of the old Waiuku branch line which opened in 1922 and closed from Glenbrook to Waiuku in 1967. The initial concept for a steam-powered tourist railway was initiated when the New Zealand Government Railways announced the closure of the line, which was a popular route for excursions operated by the RES. Re-construction of the GVR began in 1970, slashing back overgrown gorse  that had covered the line, renewing rail and building the Pukeoware Depot and the terminus at Glenbrook. Delivery of items of rolling stock included the "delivery" rail-tours bringing the steam locomotive fleet from the South Island back to Auckland for use at Glenbrook. Carriages were sourced out of stock being retired from the Auckland commuter network at the time, and in some cases (such as carriage "Manukura"), where the item of rolling stock had sentimental value to the members of the RES. In 1977 the railway opened between Glenbrook and Pukeoware. Early services over the railway used the line 's ex-Ministry of Works Ruston diesel (later GVR No. 3), a motor trolley, and several material trolleys fitted with longitudinal seats. For the first proper services, steam locomotive No. 1 (formerly W 480) was used with two carriages, a guard's van and an open car. In 1985, J 1250 (along with K 945) hauled the first mainline steam excursion from Auckland to Wellington and return. This was the first steam excursion to run after NZR lifted their ban on steam traction. In 1986 an extension was completed to Fernleigh, from Glenbrook. On 5 December 1986 DC 4444 and  six Cityrail branded carriages made the run from Auckland to Fernleigh (including the GVR section). The next day a special excursion train ran from Auckland, carrying Prime Minister David Lange, who presided at the opening on 6 December 1986. J 1250 and D 529 hauled a large public excursion out to Glenbrook station from Auckland dubbed the "Sunset Coast Express". Acquisitions and improvements to track and structures occurred during the late 1980s and 1990s. In 1995 plans were laid out for the extension of the railway line from the Fernleigh Terminal into the actual town of Waiuku. Planning, lobbying public  support and fundraising continued until the major physical works began in 1999. As the original Waiuku station and yards had been developed following the closure of the line in 1968, the decision was made to have the new Waiuku Station at Tamakae Reserve. As part of the work, a new bridge would be required to reach Tamakae Reserve, and so a temporary station was opened at Victoria Avenue in Waiuku, just behind the Cosmopolitan Club. When the final extension is completed, it is intended that Victoria Ave will be retained. Member preview trains ran on Easter Saturday 2010, and at  Labour Weekend 2010 the new route was opened to regular service by former Waiuku Mayor Kevan Lawrence and Mayor of Auckland Len Brown. The heritage 1922 concrete bridge known as Black Bridge has been strengthened to allow trains to operate beneath it, and laying of newly welded rail onto concrete sleepers (a first at the railway) has been completed. Work continues on planning the requirements of the final extension to Tamakae reserve. The millionth passenger was carried on 7 January 2007. Operations. Standard operating days. The railway operates selected Sunday's and public holiday weekend (except on Christmas Day and  Boxing Day) between Labour weekend and Queen's Birthday weekend. Steam train services depart from Glenbrook every 90 minutes between 11 am and 4 pm, with a round trip taking approximately 60 minutes. The return journey consists of a 20-minute non-stop run from Glenbrook to Victoria Avenue, a five-minute stop where the engine runs round the train, a ten-minute run back to Pukeoware Workshops, a 15-minute workshop inspection visit and a ten-minute run back to Glenbrook. When the train is not at Glenbrook station hand jigger rides are available within the station yard and  motor jigger rides are available to Morley Road level crossing, a round trip of four kilometres. Special operating days. During the course of an operating season, special events are organised featuring a range of unique operations. These include - Lego Weekends, Santa Days, Steam Festivals, Easter Celebrations, Day Out With Thomas Weekends, and events specific to each operating season. Day out with Thomas. The most popular events operated by the railway, two trains up to six carriages long depart Glenbrook half-hourly between 10 am and 4 pm, usually. A smaller "shuttle train" operates in the siding linking the railway to  the KiwiRail network. Often hauled by small diesel locomotive "Basil" in earlier years, the service has also been operated by W 480 "Terry the Tank Engine" and more recently by "Thomas the Tank Engine" – a visitor to the railway. The GVR's "Thomas" is Bagnall 2475, owned by the Mainline Steam Trust and formerly used at the Tomoana Freezing Works, Hastings. Double-decker buses, traction engines, vintage cars and other related displays have also been presented at these events over the years. On "Day Out With Thomas" weekends, trains only travel to Fernleigh, before returning to Pukeoware and Glenbrook. Railfan  Day. The first Railfan Day was held in February 1996, specifically a celebration to dedicate the National Network fleet van FM 1133 to the memory of past long-time treasurer Arthur Tichener and celebrate the completion of the overhaul of historic carriage C 472. A variety of passenger and mixed trains was run culminating in an impressive steam train triple-headed by Silver Stream Railway's C 847, W 480 and GVR No. 4, the ex-Taupo Totara Timber Company (Mallet). Since then various similar events have been held with special passenger and freight workings featuring a range of historic  rolling stock and locomotives. These events usually run with resident locomotives and rolling stock, although visiting locomotives have occasionally made appearances, such as the Museum of Transport and Technology's (MOTAT) L 507, which attended the 2009 Railfan Festival. Steam traction festivals. Steam festivals combine displays of various steam-powered vehicles on one major site. The Glenbrook Vintage Railway staged its first festival in Easter 2002, to celebrate its Silver Jubilee. A myriad of visiting railway locomotives, steam boats, miniature locomotives, static steam engines and even a steam-powered car were features. Trains operated on a half-hourly basis each  of the four days of the festival and the visiting Pleasant Point Model T railcar also operated in the schedule. Two DC locomotives pulled a special train on Saturday from Wellsford to Glenbrook and back (and associated empty runs from Otahuhu to Wellsford and back before and after the passenger service) to bring patrons to the event and the following day, Mainline Steam's J 1211 hauled a train from Auckland, whilst J 1236 returned the train to Auckland. Numerous steam train runs also operated across the Mission Bush branch line to Pukekohe on the Sunday also. A second steam  festival was held in February 2007, incorporating a visit from 7nhp Burrell 'Scenic Special' showman's engine "Quo Vadis" (wrks. No. 3938) and associated carousel. The weekend also celebrated the re-launch of W 644 into service after 37 years in storage and overhaul. This event was much lower-key, with no visiting engines attending this event. A third steam festival took place at Waitangi weekend 2009. The opening event was a special evening on Thursday 5 February. Historic 19th century visiting tank engine L 207 (from MOTAT) operated a demonstration freight train (including a rare mainline appearance by historic  3-axle carriage C 472), followed by the recreation of an original New Zealand "trial rail-motor" from the beginning of the 20th century (which comprised one small tank engine pulling one of four purpose built 60 ft car/vans). The train comprised L 207 and the recently restored dining car van "Kurahaupo" (A 1182), which was one of the original purpose-built trial rail-motor carriages. Between Friday 6 February and Sunday 8 February, there were many activities including ploughing, steam boats, steam cars, stalls, heritage displays and equipment. Steam trains ran half-hourly throughout the weekend including appearances  by L 207, W 644, J 1250 and Mainline Steam's J1275 which had arrived under her own power from Parnell on Saturday morning. W 480 was on standby duties outside the depot along with a number of locomotives normally in storage or awaiting overhaul such as recent arrivals A 423 and W 800. A fourth festival took place on the weekend of 23 and 24 March 2013, which included the first public showing of a half scale replica Newcomen engine, built by the Auckland Steam Engine Society. This engine stands 5.5 metres tall and is based on the engines  built 300 years before at the dawn of the industrial age to pump water from mines. Six locomotives took part in the passenger hauling during the weekend. There were displays of vintage machinery including traction engines under steam. A vintage Bell helicopter in mobile army surgical hospital colours as used in the Korean war was giving rides. Steam launches gave rides on the small lake while others were on display. Other events. Other events have included "Railroad Country", "The Great Train Race", "Santa Day" and a "Military" weekend. The first two events have only happened once in the 1990s. Volunteer  crewing. The two core teams at the heart of every operational day are the Operations Branch and the Commercial Branch. Typically Commercial Branch members can be identified by their roles associated with the functions of Glenbrook Station, while the Operations Branch can be identified by their roles associated with the functions of physically operating the train and manning the signalling system at Glenbrook Station and Pukeoware Depot. Commercial team. Based at Glenbrook Station, primary roles include the preparation of the station service scape and cleanliness prior to customers arrival, selling of tickets from the ticket office, sales of stock from  the bookstall and souvenir shop, the preparation and sales of refreshments from the refreshment rooms, operation of hand-powered and motorised jiggers, assisting of parking on special operating days and customer service within the station complex. Operations team. Based at Pukeoware Depot, roles in the operation team usually require training and qualification – usually gained after experience at entry level roles such as those in the Commercial Branch teams or as Assistant Guards aboard the train. Key roles: Buildings and facilities. Glenbrook House. Relocated from Waiuku and restored in 1995, Glenbrook House serves as the GVR's training and meeting facility . Located alongside the railway line, as was traditional of railway houses, the building is also used as a preparation and storage area prior to large events such as steam festivals and the Friends of Thomas events. Pukeoware Workshop. The railway undertakes restoration projects at its workshop, located at Pukeoware, some four kilometres from Glenbrook. The site consists of a heavy engineering workshops in its main yard (with facilities for locomotive overhaul and mechanical engineering), a car and wagon shop in the north yard (specialising in carpentry and paint work) and three carriage storage sheds. The railway has been recognised on  numerous occasions at the annual Federation of Rail Organisations NZ (formerly National Federation of Rail Societies) conference awards evening for various locomotive and carriage restorations. Each track in a carriage shed holds between three and four standard carriages. As an example the third shed holds 12 standard carriages across three tracks, with a recently added lean-to addition adding another eight carriage lengths to the shed's capacity. A further extension to the rear of the shed is now being planned after approval of a grant by the ASB Community Trust. This ensures ongoing conservation of historic railway items. Apart  from maintaining and restoring items for use on the GVR and national excursions, the workshops have also been involved heavily in contracted restoration work of other organisations rolling stock such as Silver Stream Railways C 847 in 1994 and Mainline Steams K 942 in 1990. The workshop also assisted in the preparation of two carriages for the Carriage's Cafe restaurant in Kumeu, and filming of episodes of the "Heroes" television series on the Tangiwai disaster and "Who Dares Wins". Shady Rest. A converted former guard's van has been converted into "Shady Rest" – two basic units for volunteers staying  overnight. Originally built for husband and wife teams (and each unit comprising one double bed, and two bunk beds). The unit has been valuable for volunteers when preparing for major events at the railway or excursions away with the GVR's national network fleet. The Signal Box. Glenbrook Station is the site for the restored former Auckland 'B' box. The box used to stand in the former Auckland yards, near Gladstone Rd, on the location where the current North Island Main Trunk line now passes to go towards Britomart Transport Centre. The box has been fully restored and received a  Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand Restoration Award in recognition of the work. The box controls all signals at Glenbrook, the western end mainline points and the points to the fully restored ex Papakura turntable. Station buildings. The railway has a number of historic station buildings in its care, all being from former New Zealand Railways stations. Rolling stock. Diesel locomotives. The diesel roster used for Ways and Works, Shunting, and other purposes, comprises: Passenger carriages. Domestic carriages. The domestic passenger fleet comprises late 19th and early 20th century rolling stock. Most vehicles are the traditional narrow-bodied A series  wooden carriages, turned out in a red livery, featuring opening windows and outdoor viewing balconies on each end. These carriages either have side-facing longitudinal seating or arrangements of paired seating on one side of the aisle and singular seating on the other. These carriages are named after the Māori migration canoes that brought the Māori people to New Zealand from Hawaiki. The core fleet of carriages includes or has included: Notable unique carriages which are operated on special occasions include... National network fleet. The railway owns a fleet of carriages, known as the "mainline fleet", formerly owned by the  parent body (Railway Enthusiasts Society) and leased to the railway. The fleet has undergone an overhaul and re-certification with KiwiRail. Excursions have seen them tour all around New Zealand, including to Gisborne, New Plymouth, Whakatane, Bay of Islands, Wellington, Christchurch, Arthurs Pass and Timaru. Turned out in the original Glenbrook Vintage Railway livery of yellow bodies, white ceilings and chocolate lining, the fleet consists of the following vehicles... Four carriages built in the early 20th century for the (then) newly opened North Island Main Trunk express services, before being relocated onto Auckland commuter train services post war through to  retirement in the early 1970s: These carriages are fully certified for operations on the KiwiRail network, and the original "drop toilets" have been upgraded with chemical retention holding tanks. Three carriages built during World War II to replace the original North Island Main Trunk express service carriages, and later allocated to Auckland commuter trains from the 1970s to retirement in 1994. Five 'small window' former KiwiRail charter fleet carriages. Three 'big window' former KiwiRail charter fleet (previously Overlander and Tranz Alpine) carriages. Guard's Van FM 1133 was built as a three-module van for freight service in 1981. Withdrawn  when guards were no longer required on freight trains, the RES converted one module into a storage area, the middle module into a crew area and the third module into a fully functioning kitchen for catering on excursion trains. The van is currently out of service pending major repairs including fitting of refurbished bogies. Generator and Luggage Van AG49 is currently on lease from KiwiRail and is intended to be used to power GVR's AO carriage fleet. Wooden Guard's Van F 394 (TMS F285) was built in 1913 and used on the 2008 Parliamentary Special and Governor's  Special, in green livery. Mainline Guard's Van F 601 (TMS F1397) was built in 1944 at Otahuhu Workshops, Auckland. Was stored at the Goldfields Railway and was relocated to Glenbrook in 2021. Former Auckland Transport AT MAXX SA and SD class. The Railway Enthusiasts Society purchased 9x SA and 4x SD carriages in 2021 for their future charter and tourism needs, which are in the process of being tested and certified in order to be hauled north from Taumaranui, then into storage for the time being. They were used in sets of four, five, or six with DC, DCP , DFT, or DFB locomotives until 2014/15 as they were phased out as the Auckland Suburban network was electrified: Along with these passenger carriages, it is expected that water support wagon U 686, steam locomotives J 1250, W 480, and W 644 will also be certified for KiwiRail network operations in the future. Freight wagons and way and works vehicles. A large selection of freight wagons has been purchased, donated or leased. The railway has found use for many of the railway wagons that it has acquired and displays them on demonstration runs and for photographers' specials. The set includes a  full rake of ballast wagons and plough van, which have been used during large-scale works such as the Waiuku Extension and major track renewal. Other items include replica workman's hut, refrigerated wagons, cement wagons and bulk oil tanks.