Difference between revisions 135459092 and 135459093 on dewiki

{{Heritage Railway |
|name      = Bay Of Islands Vintage Railway|
|image =[[image:Bay_  of_  Islands_  Vintage_  Railway_-_ - Gabriel_  on_  Number_5_ 5 Bridge.JPG|300px]]|
|caption=The steam locomotive, Gabriel pulling passenger coaches over Bridge Five.|
|locale    = [[Kawakawa, New Zealand|Kawakawa]], [[Bay of Islands]], [[Northland, New Zealand|Northland]], {{NZL}}|
|terminus  = [[Taumarere]]|
linename  = [[Opua Branch]]|
|builtby   = Kawakawa Coal Mines (Kawakawa - Taumarere)<br>
[[New Zealand Railways Department|New Zealand Government Railways]] (Otiria - Kawakawa, Taumarere - Opua)| 
|originalgauge = 1435mm (tramway)<br>1067mm (railway)|
|preservedgauge = 1067mm|
|era       = |
|owned    = Bay of Islands Vintage Railway|
|operator = |
|stations = Two|
|length = 11.5km (total length)|
|originalopen =1868 (as a tramway)|
|closed =  1985|
|stageyears =  |
|stage =|
|years = |
|events = |
|years1 =
}}
The '''Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust''' ('''BOIVRT''') is a [[Railway preservation in New Zealand|heritage railway]] in [[Kawakawa, New Zealand|Kawakawa]], in [[Northland, New Zealand|Northland]] in [[New Zealand]]. The railway operates on part of the former [[Opua Branch]] railway.

==History==
The railway was formed as the Bay of Islands Scenic Railway, a private company, in 1985 following the withdrawal of [[New Zealand Railways Corporation]] services beyond [[Otiria]].<ref name="railways_of_nz">{{cite book|author=Churchman, Geoffrey B., and Hurst, Tony|title=The Railways of New Zealand: A Journey Through History|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand)|dateyear=1991  |edition=reprint}}</ref> The service began with a 4-4-0 Peckett on loan from the [[Portland Cement Company]] at [[Whangarei]]. The railway proved popular with tourists, and in the summer seasons of 1985/1986 and 1986/1987 the railway leased [[Mainline Steam]]'s [[NZR J class (1939)|J 1211]] to haul three return trains a day. The locomotive did not return for the 1987/1988 season because of the [[Ferrymead Railway|Ferrymead]] 125 years celebrations that year and because it used two and a half tons of coal a day as opposed to the Peckett using only one ton a day.

In 1987 the group was reformed as a preservation society, the Opua-Kawakawa Railway Preservation Society Incorporated. The Taumarere Northland Railway Trust was formed around the same time. A joint venture between the Society and the Trust, the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway 
Limited was incorporated in 1995<ref name="railways_of_nz" /> with the Society owning the locomotives, rolling stock, sheds and miscellaneous equipment and the Trust owning the track and leasing the rail corridor and the Kawakawa station building from New Zealand Rail (later [[Tranz Rail]]). The railway continued operations until 2001, when the [[New Zealand Transport Agency|Land Transport Safety Authority]] withdrew the line's operating licence.<ref name="boi_r">{{cite web|title=Bay of Islands Vintage Railway - Our History|url=http://www.bayofislandsvintagerailway.org.nz/history.html|dateyear=2008|accessdate=2008-06-07}}</ref>  

There is now an active campaign to restore the railway, including the rebuilding of the locomotives, refurbishment of passenger carriages, and upgrading the line to safe standards. Currently, operations cover 4.5  &nbsp;km of track, including the famous stretch along Kawakawa's main street. The railway is now opened as far as [[Taumarere]], having passed a safety audit on a bridge before the station.<ref name="boi_r" /> The group is currently raising funds to restore bridge No.9 on the line and repair the Whangae Tunnel, then on to Opua.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bayofislandsvintagerailway.org.nz/newsletters/Nov%202011.pdf|title=Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Newsletter November 2011|date=November 2011|accessdate=16 December 2011}}</ref>

The terminus in Opua is on land now owned by Far North Holdings, the trading arm of Far North District Council, and negotiations are under way for trains to return to Opua.

==Operations==
[[image:BOI-VR kawakawa.jpg|thumb|A Bay of Islands Vintage Railway train, hauled by a Price shunting locomotive down the main street of Kawakawa.]]
The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway runs throughout the year.  As of May 2010, it runs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and everyday during school and public holidays at 10.45am, 12noon, 1.15pm and 2.30pm -  the round trip takes approximately 45 minutes.  Passengers may leave the train at Taumarere and catch a later train back to Kawakawa.<ref name="boi_r">{{cite web|title=Bay of Islands Vintage Railway - Contact & Times|url=http://www.bayofislandsvintagerailway.org.nz/contact.html|dateyear=2009|accessdate=2009-12-29| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100203162952/http://www.bayofislandsvintagerailway.org.nz/contact.html| archivedate= 3 February 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref>  

For most of the year, ‘Gabriel the Steam Engine’ is used on Saturdays and Sundays, and ‘Fredrick the Diesel Engine’ is used on Fridays, however the actual engines used may vary from this depending on public and school holidays and availability of personnel and maintenance.  Specifically on school holidays ‘Gabriel the Steam Engine’ is used on Fridays, in place of ‘Fredrick the Diesel Engine’, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, with ‘Fredrick the Diesel Engine’ being used on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.  <ref name="boi_r" />

==References==
{{reflist}}⏎
⏎
==See also==
* [[List of New Zealand railway museums and heritage lines]]

==References==
{{reflist}}⏎
⏎
==External links==
* [http://www.bayofislandsvintagerailway.org.nz Bay of Islands Vintage Railway website]

{{NZR Heritage}}

{{coord missing|New Zealand}}

[[Category:Heritage railways in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Far North District]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in the Northland Region]]
[[Category:Rail transport in the Northland Region]]