Rimutaka Incline Education resource December 2009 Cover image credits:
An excursion train passes through the Siberia Valley wind protection barriers. (Jordan Collection. New Zealand Rail and Locomotive Society Archives)
Fell engine. (Derek Cross. NZ Railway & Locomotive Society archives)
Cross Creek shelter. (Sue Galbraith.)
© Copyright December 2009, New Zealand Department of Conservation
Published by Department of Conservation Wellington Hawke’s Bay Conservancy P.O. Box 5086 Wellington 6145 New Zealand
In the interest of forest conservation, we support paperless electronic publishing. Contents
Introduction 3
Map 4
Curriculum links - History of Rimutaka Incline - the railway and the people 5
History activities 6
History activities continued 7
Curriculum links - Technology used in building a railway over mountains 8
Curriculum links - How the Rimutaka Incline is used today 9
How the Rimutaka Incline is used today activities 10
Planning a trip 11
Additional information 12
Fact sheets 13
2 Introduction
The Rimutaka Incline (the track between Cross Creek and Summit) was part of the rail route between Wellington and the Wairarapa for 77 years (1878–1955). It is now jointly managed by the Department of Conservation and Greater Wellington Regional Council as the Rimutaka Rail Trail. DOC manages the Incline section from the Summit to Cross Creek carpark in the Rimutaka Forest Park, and Greater Wellington Regional Council manages the section from Kaitoke to the Summit in the Pakuratahi Forest. This education resource is designed to be used with the Explore Rimutaka Forest Park site-based resource for teachers wanting to engage students of any level in Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC).
When walking the Rimutaka Incline students can: • Explore evidence of how people have used, and impacted on, this area through time • Identify remnants of the railway buildings, bridges and tunnels used by the fell Title style engines that opened the way to the Wairarapa • Gain further awareness of the area’s range of recreational opportunities and appreciate that all users have a part to play in caring for this environment • Use safe practices and basic risk-management strategies as required on the exposed top of the incline, in tunnels, and near steep drops
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3 Map of Rimutaka Incline
4 The history of the Rimutaka Incline - the railway and the people
Curriculum links
Students can: • Develop an awareness of people’s interaction with, and impact on, this environment through time. • Debate the importance of keeping records of the past. • Links can be made to:
Social studies - Place and environment Students will understand: L2 – how different groups used the Rimutaka Incline in the past, L3 – how ruins along the old railway track reflect past interactions of people with this area, L6 – the implications of the closure of the railway track for people who had operated the railway and the environment.
Social studies - Time, continuity and change Students will understand: L3 – how the people who built the railroad to the Wairarapa changed the lives of others, L3 – how the past is recorded and remembered, L6 – how people find out about the past.
Social studies – Links can be made to a range of oral, written and visual language objectives
5 Rimutaka Incline history - suggested activities
Pre-visit On-site Post-visit
Learning about the Learning in/about the Taking action for the environment environment environment
Students can: Students can: Students can:
• Study a relief map— Wel- • Visit the site of the Cross • Write two diary entries about lington to the Wairarapa and Creek community and their trip over the Incline— consider how people would explore the remnants of the one with the class and an have travelled between these railyards – the ashpit, turn- imaginary one on a Fell areas in the past. (People, table, water tower, the centre engine prior to 1955. Present cattle and sheep had to rail that was unique to the this information to others. walk around the coast, until Fell engines that operated a track was made over the on the track. Historic photo • Write a newspaper report Rimutaka Ranges. On 10 cards will bring the commu- about the accident at Sibe- June 1856 the first dray load nity alive for students. ria when wind gusts blew of goods was taken over the carriages down the bank. In- roughly finished Rimutaka • Compare photos of the en- clude the actions that would Hill Road.) vironment 50–100 years ago be needed to ensure this with what it is like today. event was never repeated. • Discuss why people would have been interested in mak- • Observe the forest regenera- • Consider the following: ing access to the Wairarapa tion that has occurred since easier? (e.g. sheltered, fertile those photos. – The impact of opening the rail- plains) way over the mountains in 1878 • Observe the improvement • Research the History of the in the bush since the pos- – The impact of opening the new Rimutaka Incline Railway sum control operations have tunnel through the mountains in and the Fell engines that taken place. 1955. operated on it. – The closure of the Cross Creek • Discuss life at Cross Creek and Summit communities when during the days of the the Fell engines ceased opera- railway—advantages and dis- tion. advantages. Read Memories of a Cross Creek Child and – List/discuss possible advantag- compare this with the life of es and disadvantages to people, a 10–12 year old today. stock and the environment.
• Visit the Fell Engine Mu- – Think about how you would feel seum and look at how the if your community was “closed past has been remembered/ down.” Share these ideas with recorded. others
6 Rimutaka Incline history - suggested activities continued
Pre-visit On-site Post-visit
Learning about the Learning in/about the Taking action for the environment environment environment
• Visit the Fell Engine • Share artefacts from their Museum and look at how the family’s history and write a past has been remembered/ story to accompany them. recorded. • Ask local elderly people • Discuss why recording of about what the area was the past is important to like in the past. Collate their particular groups of people. memories on video, audio Share personal experiences tape, or in writing. of recording of the past. Find out how different families • Debate the importance of record the past for future keeping records of the past. generations. ‘It is/is not important to keep the last Fell engine.’ • Find out about the Wairarapa today—what part has the • Visit www.rimutaka-incline- railroad played in the devel- railway.org.nz to find out opment of this area? about people who want to reconstruct the old railway on the Rimutaka Incline.
7 Technology used in building a railway over mountains
Curriculum links
Students can: • Investigate the strategies used to build a railway track over mountains and the impact this had on the environment. • Compare this with technologies used in their local environment and their environmental impact. • Links can be made to:
Technology – Technological knowledge and understanding Students will: L4 – develop an understanding of the use and operation of technologies associated with the railway.
Technology - suggested activities
Pre-visit Pre-visit Post-visit
Learning about the Learning about the Taking action for the environment environment environment
Students can: Students can: Students can:
• Identify types of technology • Observe the range of tech- • In groups, using a range of (i.e. bridges, tunnels, cul- nology used in the building materials, construct a tunnel, verts, etc.) that were needed of the railway—bridges, tun- low or high bridge. Compare to make the railway. nels, culverts, embankments, models for strength. What windbreaks. methods are most successful?
• Observe the technology used to support banks or give protection from wind, in your school or neighbourhood. Consider the impact they have on the environment.
8 How the Rimutaka Incline is used today
Curriculum links
Students can: • Investigate how people interact with the Rimutaka Incline environment. • Consider how they value it personally and whether they feel a sense of responsibility to maintain and improve the quality of this environment. • Learn how people have taken action to protect and enhance the environment at Rimutaka Incline. • Plan a project to protect or enhance an area in their local community. • Links can be made to:
Social Studies – Place and environment Students will: L3 – how different groups use Rimutaka incline
English
Links can be made to a range of oral, written and visual language objectives.
Mathematics - Statistics
Students can gather information about numbers using the park.
The Arts
Links can be made to drama and visual arts.
9 How the incline is used today - suggested activities
Pre-visit On-site Post-visit
Learning about the Learning in/about the Taking action for the environment environment environment
Students can: Students can: Students can:
• Conduct a survey to find • Look for signs of impact • Role play the different users out who (in the class, school from people using the track of the Rimutaka Incline. Ex- and/or neighbourhood) has today. plain how you value the area visited Rimutaka Forest Park as a forest ranger, Rimutaka / Rimutaka Incline and what • Check whether signage en- Forest Park Trust volun- they did there. courages users of the tracks teer guide, mountain biker, to respect the environment. walker, hunter. • Find out how the following park user groups use the • Think about possible conflict • Help to organise a group Rimutaka Incline for work or that may exist between (family, scout, guide) trip to recreation: people using the area for dif- Rimutaka Forest Park and ferent purposes, e.g., walkers share their knowledge of the – Department of Conservation and hunters, bikers and walk- area with this group. ers. How could any conflict – Fell Locomotive Museum Inc. be resolved? • Look for opportunities to be involved in outdoor activities – Rimutaka Incline Railway Heri- • Sketch an area of the park in the local area. Write a re- tage Trust that has personal value or…• port for the school newsletter Show an example of people’s about outdoor recreational – Conservation Corps– Walkers, interaction with the environ- opportunities available in the mountain bikers, huntersStu- ment through a sketch (or a local area. dents series of sketches). • Write to the Department of Conservation to tell them about their visit to Rimutaka Incline—note highlights and suggestions for improve- ments that would enhance school trips.
10 Planning a trip
Curriculum links Students can: • Take part in preparing for a trip to Rimutaka Forest Park and consider risk minimisation strategies. • Prepare a risk assessment. • Links can be made to:
Health and physical education – personal health and physical development Students will: L1-7 – identify and use safe practices and basic risk-management strategies on a trip to Rimutaka Forest Park. Students will: L1-7 – identify and use safe practices and basic risk-management strategies on a trip to Rimutaka Forest Park. L4 – develop an understanding of the use and operation of technologies associated with the railway.
Planning a trip - suggested activities
Pre-visit Pre-visit Post-visit
Learning about the Learning about the Taking action for the environment environment environment
Students can: Students can: Students can:
• Study the Environmental • Observe the safety proce- • Revise the checklists they de- Care Code and Water Care dures the class has discussed veloped prior to their visit. Add Code. prior to the trip. any further safety precautions that they feel are important. • Locate and discuss their • Note any other suggestions Note any extra gear that they school policy on outdoor for safety procedures that would include next time. education trips. were not previously consid- ered. • Write an Environmental Care • Consider precautions they Code specific to their school or will have to take when plan- • In the event of anyone a local area. ning a trip to the Rimutaka getting injured or a ‘near Incline, e.g. be aware of ex- miss’, fill out an accident or • Find a variety of ways to pro- posed top of incline, tunnels, incident report. mote their Environmental Care etc. Code to users of the area.
• List the gear they will need • Make one change to their (torch, parka, mobile phone). personal actions that will con- Make up some scenarios to tribute to a healthy environ- use as a focus for discussion, ment, e.g. buy less packaging, e.g. A student in your group compost food scraps rather slips down a bank, twists than put them in the rubbish his/her ankle and is unable bin. Check out other ideas on to walk out of the area. What www.eeca.govt.nz will you do?
11 Additional information
Factsheets/maps Websites
www.gw.govt.nz Greater Wellington Regional Map – Wellington to the Wairarapa page 46 Council is responsible for the area from the Sum- mit tunnel to Kaitoke. Park user groups page 51 www.mountainsafety.org.nz The Mountain Safety History of the Rimutaka Incline page 47 Council provides survival information.
Environmental Care Code page 52 http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net > railways in New Zealand. For information about the railway The Fell engines page 47 and the fell engines.
Water Care Code page 53 www.dalefield.com Meccano models of the en- gines with explanation about how they worked. Memories of a Cross Creek Child page 50 www.memoryline.co.nz To order a Steam Railway video. Sounds of the engines can also be heard on this website.
12 Fact sheets
Websites History of the Rimutaka Incline Railway
New Zealand Environmental Care Code
New Zealand Water Care Code
13 History of the Rimutaka Incline railway
The Rimutaka Incline timeline Fell engines operated in only two other places in the world. Those operating on the Rimutaka Incline were the most successful and longest serving. 1875 Construction of Rimutaka Incline railway began The Fell engines were operated by a driver, a stoker, and guards—who rode in the guards vans and 1878 Fell locomotives began operating between operated the brakes. Cross Creek and Summit 1880 Train blown of track at Siberia—three people killed 1955 Rimutaka Incline Railway ceased operation 1967 Embankment at Siberia collapsed during a storm 1987 Walkway/mountain biking track officially opened
The story of the railway
The Rimutaka Incline (the track between Cross Creek and Summit) was part of the rail route between Wellington and the Wairarapa for 77 years (1878–1955). It features almost every aspect of railway engineering. In 17 kilometres you can see: • Four tunnels (one straight, three curved) • A wooden truss bridge over the Pakuratahi River Right: A guard operates the brake van. • A bridge at Ladle Bend Creek with dressed stone piers and approach embankments • Many deep cuttings and high embankments • Sharp curves Sites of interest from Cross Creek to Summit • Small bridges and culverts • Old locomotive remnants (northern end of yard at • Cross Creek locomotive depot—the home base Summit) for the Fell locomotives that operated on the Rimutaka Incline from 1878–1955. • Concrete remnants at Summit and Cross Creek—foundations for water tanks, locomotive • Cross Creek yard and railway cottages—this was and brake-van sheds, turntable pits, a tennis once home to 120–150 people who operated court, and inspection pits and maintained the Rimutaka Incline railway. There was a hall, library, signal box, cottages and other railway buildings alongside the centre Fell engines of the yard.
John Fell was a railway inventor who lived in London. In 1864 he tested his 15-ton prototype locomotive. People were amazed to see a squat little “Fell” engine pulling a 24 ton train up a 1:12 gradient. Right: H 199—the last The design of the Fell engines looked similar to train to climb the Rimutaka other engines from the outside but inside they were Incline, 29 October 1955. Photo: Derek Cross. NZ unique. Between the frames, a second engine drove Railway & Locomotive a set of four horizontal wheels that gripped a raised Society archive. centre rail.
Published by Department of Conservation, Wellington Hawke’s Bay Conservancy, P.O. Box 5086, Wellington. December 2009. • Cross Creek turntable—this was used for turning • The ganger’s house was sited 300 metres up the some of the locomotives that worked from Cross track (near the third curve past Cross Creek). Creek to Masterton. The Fell engines didn’t need The ganger maintained the track. to be turned—they travelled forwards up the • Price’s tunnel—named after Mr Price, the incline and came down backwards. Manager for the construction of the Incline. An • The start of the incline—the start of the centre rail old locomotive cab sits just beside the track. It The beginning of the (unique to the operation of the Fell engines) can was placed here during the 1940s as a shelter centre rail at Cross Creek. still be seen here. for track maintenance staff. • Between Price’s tunnel and Siberia (Horseshoe Gully)—the steep embankment on the downside of the gully can be seen from here. • Siberia gully (a desolate spot with severe winds)—a large rock and earth embankment once filled the gully so that trains could cross. It was constructed prior to 1876. An intake shaft collected and diverted the water from the stream that ran through the gully. After the railway closed the shaft was not maintained. It became blocked and this caused the embankment to collapse in a massive washout in 1967. This left the shaft exposed. You can imagine the amount of fill that would have been behind the embankment, and would have been carried away in the collapse of 1967. • • Siberia was the site of the only fatal accident on From Summit to Kaitoke the Rimutaka Incline railway. On 11 September 1880, a mixed passenger/goods train was part • Ladle Creek Bridge—this type of bridge way across the embankment when a strong construction was rarely used on railways. It gust of wind blew the carriages and some of features a central pier, abutments and approach the goods wagons off the embankment. Three embankments made from blocks of stone. children were killed and thirteen passengers • Pakuratahi Bridge—a rare surviving example received serious injuries. Windbreaks were of a type of truss once commonly used on New erected in the most exposed areas of the track Zealand railways. after this. • Pakuratahi Tunnel—73.5 metres long. Just prior to the tunnel is a concrete structure—a ventilation shaft for the Rimutaka Tunnel (built in the 1950’s) that runs directly below the old Above: A postcard of a train crossing Siberia, railway track at this point. The ventilation shaft showing the windbreak is unique. It is 2.7 metres in diameter and 116 that was constructed after metres deep—a good spot to consider the height the 1880 accident. difference between the old and new routes. • Another 45–50 minutes of walking and you will arrive a Kaitoke—the station here was a crossing Right: Memorial to some place for trains. Until 1952, it was the only station of the victims of the with refreshment rooms between Wellington and Siberia railway accident, Masterton. Remember the incline journey took 11 September 1880. 40–50 minutes and either side of the incline the Photos: NZ Railway & trains had to reassemble! Locomotive Society.
• The long straight between Siberia Tunnel (120m) and Summit Tunnel (576m)—one of the steepest sections of the incline with a gradient of 1 in 13. • Summit Tunnel—inside this tunnel the 1 in 15 gradient changed to a 1 in 1000 grade. The centre rail ended about a quarter of the way through and the line gradually levelled out to exit the tunnel into the yard. Refuges at intervals along the tunnel sides were used by track gangs to move out of the way of passing trains. • Summit—two of the Summit’s five houses were once on the bank behind today’s shelter. This area was totally isolated (no road access) and prone to all types of weather, including snow. Summit Station was the end of the line for the Fell engines. There were sidings to help in reassembling trains. Fell engines and brake vans were removed from trains that had climbed the incline, and added to those arriving from Wellington ready for the descent of the incline. The foundations of the 15,000 gallon water tank, a turntable and an ash-pit can be seen.
Summit Station signal box. Photo: NZ Railways Four Fell engines haul a train up the Incline. archives. Photo: NZ Railway & Locomotive Society archives. Memories of a Cross Creek child Cross Creek once but it got burnt down and was Peter Barry never replaced. Sometimes we went pig shooting or possum Peter Barry now lives in Australia but he returned trapping with the men. recently and shared some of his memories of life at We made sledges and had a sledge track up the Cross Creek where his dad was a guard on the fell southern side of the valley. We would pull our engines. Peter and his younger brother and sister sledges to the top of the hill and slide down. To get lived with their parents in one of the cottages. His more speed up we would haul buckets of water up older sister was away at boarding school. to the top and pour it down the track. Were there many kids at Cross Creek? What did your parents do for entertainment? Only about 13 kids of primary school age. We were There wasn’t much entertainment at Cross Creek. all in the one class in the schoolroom across the No pub. A dance was held in the community hall creek. The older kids went off to boarding school. occasionally. There was a regular shunt train to Featherston where there were shops, a hotel, and How old were you when you lived at Cross a movie theatre. We sometimes went there on a Creek? Saturday afternoon. I was ten when we first went there and twelve when we left. What was your house like? Our house was a three-bedroom railway house. What did you do in your free time? Dad had a vege garden out the back. The houses There were four guys about the same age as me had either two or three bedrooms, and were built to and we would go climbing in the hills. We would railway specifications. The houses were very small travel a fair distance but we never got lost. We would but we spent most of our time outside—we always swing on the supplejack vines, playing Tarzan, make got out, even when it rained. The single men lived in huts (we had one on the other side of the river), build a boarding house. camp fires and bake potatoes. What do you remember about the trains? Sometimes we would cause small landslides. Once we went to the top of the hill and caused a huge It was a lot of work getting them ready to go up landslide. We all got a terrible fright from that one. the incline. They were really noisy. I used to feel We got caught up in it and went home with our sorry for the stock in the open carriages. They were clothes torn and lots of skin off. Mum fussed over us exposed to all that smoke and steam. It must have but Dad definitely wasn’t happy. been terrible for them—especially going through the tunnels. We made canoes from corrugated iron sheeting and hauled them up the river then paddled down. The fell engines were really unique. The Rimutaka Incline was the only place where their operation was We tickled trout in the river. commercially successful. They did operate in two We played tennis on the tennis court. other places in the world for a short time but not with Sometimes we helped empty the coal from the the success of the ones at Cross Creek. trains. We earned a bit of money for this but there How did your life as a boy at Cross Creek were no shops to spend it. There was a shop at compare with the life of a ten year old today? It’s a totally different world today!
Cross Creek, date unknown, possibly 1940s. New Zealand Environmental Care Code
Care for the New Zealand environment and plan to leave no trace of your visit
Protect plants and animals Camp carefully Treat New Zealand’s forests and birds with care and When camping, leave no trace of your visit. respect. They are unique and often rare. Keep to the track Remove rubbish By keeping to the track, where one exists, you Litter is unattractive, harmful to wildlife and can lessen the chance of damaging fragile plants. increase vermin and disease. Plan your visits to reduce rubbish, and carry out what you carry in. Consider others People visit the back country and rural areas for Bury toilet waste many reasons. Be considerate of other visitors who In areas without toilet facilities, bury your toilet also have a right to enjoy the natural environment. waste in a shallow hole well away from waterways, tracks, campsites, and huts. Respect our cultural heritage Many places in New Zealand have a spiritual and Keep streams and lakes clean historical signifi cance. Treat these places with When cleaning and washing, take the water and consideration and respect. wash well away from the water source. Because soaps and detergents are harmful to water- Enjoy your visit life, drain used water into the soil to allow it to be fi ltered. If you suspect the water may be Enjoy your outdoor experience. Take a last look contaminated, boil, fi lter, or chemically treat it. before leaving an area; will the next visitor know that you have been there? Protect the environment for your own sake, for the sake of those who come Take care with fires after you, and for the environment itself. Portable fuel stoves are less harmful to the environment and are more effi cient than fi res. If Toitu te whenua / Leave the land undisturbed you do use a fi re, keep it small, use only dead wood and make sure it is out by dousing it with water and checking the ashes before leaving. New Zealand Water Care Code
Find out first Be careful with chemicals Find out and follow the regulations governing Use chemicals sparingly, and refuel with care. recreational use of waterways and access. They are Dispose of cooking and washing water well away designed to minimise confl ict between users and from the source. protect everyone’s health and safety. Respect our cultural heritage Stay on established tracks and use Many New Zealand waterways have special existing facilities cultural, spiritual or historical values. Treat these By using existing facilities, where these are places with consideration and respect. provided, you run less chance of disturbing wildlife and damaging riverbanks and foreshores. Take only the food you need When taking food from the sea or freshwater don’t Take care of your gear overdo it. Sustain life in our waterways by taking Careless use of equipment can harm wildlife and only what you need and no more than the legal other users. limit.
Remove rubbish Consider plants and animals Litter is unattractive, harmful to wildlife and Remember we are only visitors to water pollutes water. Plan your visit to reduce rubbish, environments. Other animal and plant species live and carry out what you carry in. there all the time.
Dispose of toilet waste properly Consider other people Improper disposal of toilet waste can contaminate Respect other visitors ... everyone has the right to water, damage the environment, and is culturally enjoy the environment in safety. off ensive. Use disposal facilities where provided or bury waste in a shallow hole at least 50 metres away Toitu te marae a Tāne from waterways. Toitu te marae a tangaroa