Pleasant Point Museum & Railway

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Pleasant Point Museum & Railway

An award-winning South Canterbury attraction preserving the golden age of steam.

We operate 2km of the former Fairlie branch line, dedicated to the restoration and celebration of our local railway heritage.

29/07/2026

🚂 HUGE COMMUNITY SHOUT-OUT! 🛠️✨

We are absolutely thrilled to extend a massive thank you to the team at Point Shingle Supplies for their incredible generosity! They have donated a whopping 100 tonnes of ballast to the Pleasant Point Museum & Railway and have done many times in previous years.

Track maintenance is one of our biggest ongoing challenges, and keeping our historic line secure requires a lot of heavy lifting. This massive supply of ballast will go directly toward stabilizing and upgrading our 2km of heritage track. It ensures that legendary local treasures like our 1878 D16 steam locomotive and the famous Ford Model T Railcar can keep running safely for generations to come.

Also thanks to Peter Kitchen from Agri Boss for the use of his digger as well, a lot easier than using a shovel.

As a society run 100% by volunteers, we completely rely on local legends like Point Shingle Supplies to keep South Canterbury’s transport history moving. We couldn’t do it without you! 🙌❤️

Drop a comment below to help us thank them for backing our railway! 👇

26/07/2026

🛠️ COLD HANDS, WARM HEARTS: WINTER MAINTENANCE AT KEANES CROSSING! 🚂❄️

The trains might not be running today, but our dedicated volunteers are still hard at work behind the scenes!

over the last few weekends, our track crew braved the winter chill out at Keanes Crossing. They have been busy working right outside the main shed, lifting old sleepers, shovelling fresh ballast, and laying down the groundwork to keep our line safe and smooth for the upcoming season.

Track maintenance is heavy, cold work, but our team are crushing it. A massive thank you to everyone who has been involved this far.

Want to help keep our local heritage on track? We are always looking for fresh hands to join the crew—no experience needed, just a willingness to get stuck in!

22/07/2026

🚂 FROM BANKRUPTCY TO HISTORY! 🚗

This week in history.

In July 1903, the newly formed Ford Motor Company was down to its very last $223.65! 😱 A single Model A sale saved the company from immediate bankruptcy, paving the way for the legendary Model T and the moving assembly line that changed the world forever. 🌍✨

Right here in Pleasant Point, we are keeping Henry Ford’s incredible history alive with our very own Model T Ford Railcar! It is a spectacular piece of living history that brings the golden age of transport right into the modern day. 🛠️

👉 What is your absolute favourite piece of vintage transport history? Drop a comment below! 👇

19/07/2026

❄️ Frosty morning hack at Pleasant Point Railway! ❄️

To help with traction and braking on these freezing South Canterbury mornings, we are currently out putting snow chains on the locomotive and carriage wheels. ⛓️🚂

(Before the rail historians attack the comments section... yes, we know it's a terrible idea. We'll stick to the sand boxes and expert throttle control instead. Please don't fire me.) 😂🤫

15/07/2026

🚂 HELP KEEP SOUTH CANTERBURY’S HISTORY MOVING! 🛠️✨

Did you know that the Pleasant Point Museum & Railway is run 100% by dedicated volunteers? For over 50 years, our passion has been keeping local history alive—from our 1878 steam locomotive D16, 1922 Steam Locomotive Ab699 to the famous Ford Model T Railcar.

But maintaining a heritage railway isn't easy. From expensive boiler maintenance to track repairs, our material costs continue to rise. As a non-profit society, we rely entirely on the generosity of our amazing community.

How you can support us today:
Donate: Every dollar helps! Give what you can on our official Pleasant Point Railway Givealittle Page.
www.givealittle.co.nz/org/pleasant-point-railway

Share: Share this post to help us spread the word across South Canterbury!
Visit: Come see us on our next running day!Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution makes a massive difference in keeping our whistles blowing for future generations.

Thank you for your support! 🙌❤️

13/07/2026

Matariki Shunter Running Day & Official Unveiling of Tr880! 🌌

We had an incredible turnout and loved celebrating with our wonderful community.

The absolute highlight of the day was officially welcoming our diesel locomotive, Tr880, into service! 🛠️ A special thanks to local MP James Meager for joining us and cutting the ribbon to mark this major milestone in our railway's history. ✂️🎉

From the train rides to the unique trips on the 1955 NZR Land Rover Series 1, it was a truly memorable day of local history and family fun. 🚜💨

Thanks to the Mackenzie Pipe Band for entertaining us with the bagpipes and piping the locomotive in and out of the station.🚂

None of this would be possible without our dedicated team of volunteers who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to get everything on track. 🙌📸

We’d love to see your photos! Did you take any great snaps of Tr880 or your family enjoying the day? Drop them in the comments below!

Photos from Tony Cameron

Mānawatia a Matariki! 🌠

09/07/2026

Mānawatia a Matariki! 🌌🚂✨

The team at the Pleasant Point Museum & Railway wishes our wonderful community, volunteers, and visitors a peaceful and meaningful Matariki.

As the Matariki cluster rises, it brings a special time to look back with gratitude on our shared heritage, celebrate the vibrant present, and look forward to the track ahead. We hope you get to spend this time relaxing, sharing stories, and keeping warm with your whānau and loved ones.✨

Join Us This Weekend!

We are keeping the celebrations rolling with a major milestone for our railway family. Bring the whole family down for a fantastic winter day out:

What: Matariki Shunter Running Day & Official Unveiling of our diesel locomotive, Tr880!

When: Sunday, 12th July 2026, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Special Event: Join local MP James Meager at 11:30 AM for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Bonus Rides: Alongside our trains, you can catch a unique ride on a beautifully restored piece of Kiwi transport history—our 1955 NZR Land Rover Series 1.
Wrap up warm, pack some winter snacks, and come create new memories with us at the station!

Ngā mihi o Matariki te tau hou Māori! 🌠

07/07/2026

𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙠𝙞 𝙎𝙝𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙍𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙖𝙮! 🚂✨

We are just days away from a historic milestone here at the Pleasant Point Museum and Railway!

Make sure you’ve got your plans locked in for this Sunday, 12th July. We cannot wait to officially welcome our diesel locomotive, Tr880, into service.

Here is the plan for the day:
11:00 AM: Gates open—come down and grab a spot!
11:30 AM: Join us for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony with local MP James Meager.

Running Times: Trains will be running until 3:00 PM.
And don't forget, you'll also get the chance to ride the 1955 NZR Land Rover Series 1!

It’s going to be a fantastic winter day out for the whole family. Wrap up warm, bring the kids, and come celebrate Matariki on the rails with us.

See you at the station this Sunday! 🏁

02/07/2026

The sound of a new diesel locomotive is set to echo through Pleasant Point this Matariki weekend. On July 12, the Pleasant Point Museum and Railway will be holding a Matariki Shunter Running Day to unveil its newly acquired TR 880 diesel shunting locomotive Treasurer Dakota Wylie said the group firs...

Address

16 Afghan Street
Pleasant Point
7903

Telephone

+6436148323

Website

http://www.pleasantpointrail.org.nz/

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