Silver Stream Railway

Silver Stream Railway is a heritage railway at Silverstream in the Hutt Valley near Wellington, New Zealand. It regularly operates preserved New Zealand Railways Department locomotives along a restored section of the Hutt Valley Line (part of the Wairarapa Line) before a deviation was built in 1954.

Silver Stream Railway
A steam train on the Silver Stream Railway, 6 March 2002. The locomotive is C 132.
LocaleUpper Hutt, Wellington,  New Zealand
Commercial operations
NamePart of the Hutt Valley Line
Built byNew Zealand Government Railways
Original gauge3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)
Preserved operations
Preserved gauge1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Commercial history
OpenedDecember 1875
Closed21 November 1954
Preservation history
Reopened15 February 1986.[1]

History

The beginnings of Silver Stream Railway were in 1967 when the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Railway and Locomotive Society began a collection of locomotives and rolling stock. Tracklaying on the old formation of the Hutt Valley Line did not begin until 1977. The collection of locomotives and rolling stock had previously been stored at a site by the Gracefield Branch in Seaview, and this was transferred to the present Silverstream site in 1984. The official opening of the full 1.5-kilometre (0.93 mi) track took place on 15 February 1986.[1]

List of locomotives
Key: In Service In Service, Main Line Certified Under Overhaul/Restoration Stored Static Display Scrapped
Number Builder Builder's Number Year Built Acquired by Silver Stream Notes
D 143 Neilson & Co. 1847 1874 ? Previously in use at Portland Cement, Portland. Originally named Trout. Stored awaiting future restoration.
Ww 571 NZR Hillside. 147 1914 1969 Operated at SSR 1988-2006. Stored awaiting future restoration.
C 132 Dubs & Co. 885 1875 ? Previously owned by NZ Mines Department, Rotowaro. Originally named Pounamu. Wore a brown livery since restoration, until used in filming of "The Last Samurai" where it was painted black. Black livery kept since. Withdrawn from service 2008 for comprehensive overhaul.
D 137 Scott Brothers 31 1887 ? Displayed in a park after finishing service with Gear Meat in Petone. Then to Silver Stream Railway, stored.
L 509 Avonside Engineering Co. 1207 1877 ? After NZR use, was sold to Public Works Department for construction work. Was used to construct the NIMT and was used on the Parliamentary Special, 1908. Previously at Portland Cement, Portland before being acquired by Silver Stream Railway. Used in Centennial recreation of the Parliamentary Special, 2008. In service.
Eb26 Goodman Manufacturing Company. 1929 2015 Originally built as a battery electric and later converted to diesel-electric. Used at Hutt Workshops and later Napier Workshop before moving to Pandora Diesel Depot. Withdrawn in 1998 and sold to private individuals who performed a major restoration. Gifted to SSR 2014 and moved to the railway August 2015. In Service.
P.W.D 531 Andrew Barclay Sons and Company. 1749 1921 ? Entered Service 2012. Leased from Hawkes Bay Steam Society.
Gear Meat No.3 Andrew Barclay Sons and Company. 1335 1913 1989 Bought new for Gear Meat, Petone. Withdrawn 1965 and displayed at Avalon Park, until 1989 when moved to Silver Stream Railway where it was plinthed at the entrance. Moved into storage 17 July 2010.
Andrew Barclay Sons and Company. 1181 1909 1963 Bought new for Wellington Meat Export Company. Withdrawn 1962 and stored at Southwards Engineering, until 1979 when moved to Steam Incorporated where restoration commenced in 1996. Sold to new owners and moved to Silver Stream Railway 2013 for restoration and operation.
C 847 NZR Hillside Workshops. 255 1930 ? One of the last C class in service. Stored at Silver Stream until 1990 when moved to Glenbrook Vintage Railway for restoration. Restored to "Wellington" style appearance, certified for main line running and leased to Railway Enthusiasts Society 1994-98. In service.
Rm 30 NZR Hutt 1930 1972 Standard Railcar. Named Aotea. Holds NIMT end-to-end speed record. In service.
Rm 34 NZR Hutt 1930 1972 Standard Railcar. Named Tainui. Interior under restoration.
BP Shunter Planet 2166 1939 1969 Built for BP Oil, Gracefield. To Silver Stream Railway 1969. Scrapped 2015.
KA 935 NZR Hutt Workshops 318 1941 1968 Last KA in NZR service. Purchased by the NZR&LS Wellington Branch, stored temporarily at Te Awamutu Railway Museum before moving to Seaview. Regularly run at Seaview. Has seen occasional use at Silver Stream. Awaiting overhaul.
DE 505 English Electric Co. 1743 1951 1984 One of first DE Class locomotives withdrawn. In Service.
DE 508 English Electric Co. 1746 1951 2003 Formerly part of Tranz Rail Heritage Collection. To Silver Stream Railway via Rail Heritage Trust, 2003.
Price 221 A & G Price 221 1968 2000 Built for NZ Steel, Mission Bush. To Silver Stream Railway 2000.

Rolling stock

The railway owns an assortment of rolling stock, some in operational condition while others are awaiting or under restoration. The railway has a wide selection of rolling stock and some of the items are rather rare. One of the most notable items of rolling stock is a 50' passenger carriage of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway (WMR), No. 48, later NZR A 1126, under restoration by the NZR&LS at the North End Shed. Although four WMR passenger carriages are known to exist, this is the only one under restoration. WMR No. 50 (NZR A 1130) is also stored at the railway, unrestored.

List of rolling stock
Key: In Service In Service, Main Line Certified Under Overhaul/Restoration Stored Static Display Scrapped
Number Builder Year Built Acquired by Silver Stream Notes
L 4246 NZR Addington. 1897 197? Restored 2008-2012. Won FRONZ goods wagon restoration award 2013

Operation

Trains run from 11am till 4pm on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month for most of the year except June, July, August and December when the railway is only open on the first Sunday of these months. In addition the railway is open on selected public holiday Mondays and is available for private charters throughout the year. There are several special event days held during the year, where multiple trains are run, and visitors are offered the opportunity to look behind the scenes in the railways workshop and at other locomotives and rolling stock on display.

References
  1. Churchman & Hurst 2001, p. 217.

Further reading
  • Churchman, Geoffrey B; Hurst, Tony (2001) [1990, 1991]. The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey through History (Second ed.). Transpress New Zealand. ISBN 0-908876-20-3.


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