The Weka Pass Railway is a New Zealand heritage railway based in Waipara, North Canterbury. It is operated on a length of the former Waiau Branch railway between Waipara and Waikari. The railway is operated by an incorporated society which consists solely of members and volunteers, and are largely resident in the city of Christchurch, to the south. The railway began carrying passengers in 1984 and is now well established locally and nationally.
History
Beginnings
The first stage of the Waiau Branch line inland through the Weka Pass to Waikari was completed in 1882. This area is noted for its scenery and the railway passes through many large cuttings, around tight curves and on steep gradients (max 1 in 47). When originally built the line was expected to be part of the South Island Main Trunk Railway north of the city of Christchurch. Further sections of the line through Hawarden, Medbury, Balmoral, Pahau, Culverden, Achray, Rotherham and Waiau were constructed in subsequent years. The line was officially opened to Medbury in 1884 and to Culverden in 1886, but the final section to Waiau was not completed until 1919. In the 1920's the decision was made to take the Main North Line on a coastal route north out of Waipara. The Main North Line, which involved major earthworks and many engineering difficulties, was not completed until 1945. The new group began negotiating with New Zealand Railways Corporation and other parties to purchase track, locomotives, rolling stock and other facilities. In May 1983, the first major public event was held. The "Mayfair Festival" was held and featured the Canterbury Railway Societys Manning Wardle No. 1841 of 1914, and Fowler No. 16246 of 1924 from the Canterbury Steam Preservation Society, along with rakes of LA and LC "high-side" wagons, full of passengers. Shuttles ran from the old Waipara yard to the 3 km straight. A "special guest train", which was hauled by A 428, followed soon after. W<sup>D</sup> 357 sat at the end of the line at the stop block.
Turntables
The railway has a turntable at both Glenmark and Waikari. A turntable was installed in Waikari on 3 October 2002, and was recommissioned on 31 August 2003. A special train ran from Christchurch hauled by DCP 4761, as well as another train, which was hauled by A 428 and composed of the railway's own carriages. The turntable was found in a scrap heap in Middleton Yard (in Christchurch), and was purchased by the railway in the mid-1990's. A turntable was installed in Glenmark (Waipara). It took 14 months for the turntable to be restored and installed, and was reopened on 12 July 2009. There were issues with the installation with the turntable, as the land was privately owned at the time. This now enables the locomotives to be turned to face the correct way, instead of running tender-leading on the return journey to Glenmark from Waikari. In 2010, the railway won the "KiwiRail Network Infrastructure Improvement Undertaken by a Heritage Railway Award" for the restorations of the two turntables.
Buildings
Stations
Glenmark Station
250px|thumb|Glenmark Station in Waipara
The ex-Mina Railway Station was built in 1910, and served many passenger trains along the Main North Line, and had been extensively refurbished. By 1979, a new concrete front was needed to support the platform. In October 1980, the railway station became an unattended flag station, and was closed to all traffic. The station also served many passenger trains along the Main North Line. The building was purchased by the WPR, and was transported to Waikari on 29 October 1991.
Carriage Shed
Between 2005 and 2006, a two-road carriage shed was built, and was fitted with roller doors. It houses the WPR's carriage fleet, Wickham Track Inspection Car and one or both D<sup>G</sup>s. During mid-2012, the shed was fitted with four swinging doors.
Gate Huts
Because of the railway running through private farmland, Gate Keepers are assigned to Gates Nos. 1 and 2. Because of this, a hut is allocated to both gates.
thumb|Gate No. 2 on the Weka Pass Railway
During the mid to late 1980's, phone-booth huts were built. But because of the small size of them, the ex-pump-house from the former Kaiapoi rail yard was transported to Gate No. 1, and the ex-Hawarden Gangers hut was transported to Gate No. 2, to replace the phone-booth like-huts. On 8 July 2004, two new brand new huts (which were built in the WPR's yard in Waipara) replaced the second-hand huts (which have since been demolished). The new huts have been named after two late members respectfully. Used as a bunkhouse for members. It is the oldest piece of rolling stock held by the railway.
|- style="background:#f4a460;"
| A 1720
| A 50084<br>XPC 588
| NZR Addington Workshops
| steel-panelled mainline coach
|
|
| Purchased from Dunedin Railways in November 2019.
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| A 1730
| A 50132
| NZR Addington Workshops
| steel-panelled suburban carriage
|
|
| Ex-Dunedin suburban services. Overhauled from 2012 to 2018.
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| A 1731
| A 50140
| NZR Addington Workshops
| steel-panelled mainline coach
|
|
| Ex-Dunedin suburban services. Overhauled from 2004 to 2011. In 2012, it won the "FRONZ Passenger Carriage Restoration Award".
|- style="background:#f4a460;"
| A 1733
| A 50167
| NZR Addington Workshops
| steel-panelled suburban carriage
|
|
| Ex-Dunedin suburban services. Restored from 1990 – 1993. Modified as a covered viewing car and reclassified as A<sup>T</sup> 155 in 1988. Modified as an un-covered viewing car and reclassified as A<sup>T</sup> 157 in September 1993.
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| F 699
| F 2854
| NZR Addington Workshops
| wooden body brake van
|
|
| Sold in April 1987. F 699 was restored in 1994, and is one of the last wooden vans built by the NZR. Stored, awaiting restoration.
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| E<sup>A</sup> 1664
| EA 65
| Covered wooded bogie wagon
| NZR Addington Workshops
|
|
| Originally built as Z 262.
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| J<sup>C</sup> 4971
| JC 487
| 4 wheel sheep wagon
| NZR Addington Workshops
| c
|
| Formerly preserved by the now-defunct Southern Rail Group at Prebbleton.
|- style="background:#DED7B6;"
| U<sup>C</sup> 860
| UC 594
| Bogie tank wagon
| NZR Addington Workshops
|
|
| Owned by the Rail Heritage Trust.
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| V<sup>R</sup> 137
| VR 1399
| Bogie Steel Insulated wagon
| Kinki Sharyo Co. (assembled at Otahuhu Workshops)
|
|
|
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| X<sup>P</sup> 3226
| XP 2754
| 4-Wheel Ventilated Box Wagon
| NZR East Town Workshops
|
|
| Restored in 1999,
|}
Cranes
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Key:
| style="background:#f5d26c;"|In service
| style="background:#89e579;"|In service, Mainline Certified
| style="background:#f4a460;"|Under overhaul/restoration
| style="background:#ded7b6;"|Stored
| style="background:#b7a4eb;"|Static display
| style="background:#cecece;"|Scrapped
|}
{| class="sortable wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Number
! TMS class and number
! Type
! Lifting capacity
! Builder
! Builders number
! Year built
! Year arrived
! Notes
|- style="background:#F5D26C;"
| 197
| EL 1007
| Diesel
|
| Ransomes & Rapier
| F5637
|
|
| Entered service in 1943, and was the NZR's first diesel crane. It was not permitted to travel on the Rewanui or Paparoa Inclines. It was renumbered as EL 1007 on 23 July 1979. It was purchased by the WPR and restored in 1998, where it was used for coaling A 428. But the engine was replaced by a Datson 120Y petrol engine in 2002, and also had a new Nissan gear-box fitted.