MOTAT Live Steam Day

At the bottom of the Western Springs Railway within the MOTAT 2 grounds sits Keith Park station, with a small shelter. The station is the "outer" terminus of the railway

16 June 2024

On the train for the day was wagon EA 3271, complete with a loaded vintage car

16 June 2024

The train locomotive for the day's operations was Y 542, seen here from on board the carriages ahead of departure back up the hill

16 June 2024

Visible from the train on arrival back at Waititiko station, the main workshops, TR 730 sits in the yard still wearing its Tranz Rail livery

16 June 2024

Steam locomotive Bertha sits in the yard at MOTAT, with wagon L 533 coupled behind. Bertha was originally built in 1904 as a 1' 11½" (600 mm) gauge locomotive for work in coal mines in Northland, before being regauged to the national standard of 3' 6" (1067mm) in 1918 for work in Portland

16 June 2024

Y 542 sits under the water tower at the station platform before running around for another trip

16 June 2024

Inside the workshop, wagon KS 12944 is nearing the end of a restoration, with its fresh paint on show

16 June 2024

One of MOTAT's operational steam locomotives, F 180 sits in the workshop for the day while Y 542 powers the trains

16 June 2024

The other locomotive in the workshop, L 507 rests before its next outing. The locomotive is notable for hauling the Parliamentary Special in 1908, the first through passenger train from Wellington to Auckland, and taking part in the centennial celebrations 100 years later in 2008

16 June 2024

Carvan AL 50147 sits in the workshop, not in use on trains for the day. The carriage ended its NZR days on Auckland suburban services, before being withdrawn in 1984

16 June 2024

A current project in the workshop is this boiler for a Barclay steam locomotive. The written numbers on the boiler refer to the thickness of the steel at that particular point in millimetres, with 11mm being the minimum required and the boiler passing its tests

16 June 2024

An uncommon runner on the railway is ths Oberursel petrol locomotive, built in Germany in 1912 for use on metalling of the Pipiroa to Waitakaruru road. The locomotive and its hopper wagons were converted to 3' 6" gauge some time between 1920 and 1940

16 June 2024

On the tramway, Melbourne W class tram 321 arrives at the MOTAT 2 site with a load of passengers

16 June 2024

The motorman swaps the poles on tram 321 for the return run back to MOTAT. W class trams remaining in Melbourne have been upgraded to pantographs, however preserved examples like this one retain the poles

16 June 2024

Double-decker tram 47 arrives on the next run with a full load of passengers. The tram originally worked in Wellington from 1907, ending its service life in 1962 as a works tram

16 June 2024

View from on board tram 47 from the top deck prior to departure

16 June 2024

At the original MOTAT site, tram 47 drops off its passengers before switching sides to pick up another load

16 June 2024

Inside the model railway at MOTAT, a model of KiwiRail-liveried DXB 5022 was running around the layout, with two Tranz Scenic carriages resembling the S class in tow. The train is seen here crossing a model of the original Hapuawhenua viaduct

16 June 2024

The modern era train passes underneath a yard with older rolling stock on display. Hiding behind the wagons is a weathered model of DF 6317, with the real locomotive now known as DFT 7036 and shipped to Africa

16 June 2024

A model of a 1954 DF class locomotive, officially the first mainline diesel locomotives to operate in New Zealand

16 June 2024

A model of DI 1808 sits in a siding on the layout

16 June 2024

A model of DBR 1200 coupled to an AC carriage set waits for its next run

16 June 2024

A model of Dx 2617 coupled to an express train at one of the stations

16 June 2024

Outside the model railway is the original Waitakere station, with a short section of track next to the platform. The buildings arrived at MOTAT in 1972, with a concrete structure used at the station until the end of services there in 2015

16 June 2024