Waitara Railway Preservation Society Inc.

Waitara Railway Preservation Society Inc. The Waitara Railway Preservation Society operates a heritage railway in Taranaki, New Zealand, Group Charters are available - contact us.

The Waitara Railway Preservation Society Was formed in 1999 with the aim of preserving the 7km long Waitara branch line in rural Taranaki. Our society purchased the branch line from Tranzrail and since 2003 we have been running excursions over the branch, using a mixture of our ex-NZR rolling stock. The train ride from Waitara climbs a 1 in 40 incline (the steepest on a preserved railway in New Ze

aland), goes under the SH3 overbridge at Big Jim's Hill, passes through our depot at Waitara Road, and crosses the picturesque Waiongana Stream before ending in the Lepperton Railway Yard. Train trips run on the first and third Sundays of each month with extra trips run during holidays. Trains depart from Queen Street in Waitara (opposite New World)
11:00am & 1:30pm (October-May)

Fares;-
Adults - $20
Children - $10
Under 5’s Free
Family Concession: 2 adults and up to 2 children $40. Prices, Times and Information are subject to change without notice.

Public train rides run every first and third Sunday - all year roundTHE NEXT RUNNING DAY IS SUNDAY JUNE 21at 11am and 1....
02/06/2026

Public train rides run every first and third Sunday - all year round

THE NEXT RUNNING DAY IS SUNDAY JUNE 21
at 11am and 1.30pm

A leisurely ride
- through the Taranaki countryside
- in a vintage train
- on a 150-year-old railway line

Go to our webpage for all details -
www.waitararailway.org.nz See less

THE BOYS AND THEIR TOYS . . .The public seldom see the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep Taranaki's own herita...
22/02/2026

THE BOYS AND THEIR TOYS . . .

The public seldom see the work that goes on behind the scenes to keep Taranaki's own heritage railway operating safely and efficiently.

A case in point is the ongoing tweaking of our 150-year-old railway line, replacing old sleepers, clearing weeds and trackside vegetation, and - in this case - checking and realigning the rails to maintain a safe and comfortable ride for our passengers.

Last Saturday (February 21) this activity was concentrated on the lower end of the Waitara Rail Incline, by the community orchard, where new track ballast had been added and the track was lifted and the ballast tamped to ensure a future pleasant experience for our passengers.

Regular train rides for the public are held every first and third Sunday - next on March 1 - see www.waitararailway.org.nz for the details.

JOIN OUR TEAMas a Volunteer Train Guard!Do you enjoy meeting new people and providing excellent service? Become a volunt...
21/01/2026

JOIN OUR TEAM
as a Volunteer Train Guard!

Do you enjoy meeting new people and providing excellent service?
Become a volunteer guard on our historic heritage railway and help deliver a memorable experience for passengers as they enjoy stunning views through farmland, market gardens, and nurseries between Waitara and Lepperton Junction.

Training is provided, and you’ll be part of a fun, rewarding role in a unique setting.

Key Responsibilities: Ensure passenger safety and comfort during the journey; Share interesting stories about the history of the railway and surrounding areas; Maintain a clean and tidy environment on board the train; Assist passengers with boarding and disembarking, ensuring a smooth process.

Physical Requirements: Ability to climb a few steps and operate a spring-loaded ramp (need reasonable physical fitness)

What You'll Gain: A rewarding experience helping to create lasting memories for passengers; The opportunity to work with a passionate, fun team; A chance to enhance your customer service and communication skills.

Requirements: Aged 17+ for safety and responsibility reasons; Warm, friendly, and people-oriented with a sense of humour;
Comfortable working in a team environment.

Time commitment: Ideally available once a month on a first or third Sunday - or more often if you want; weekday support also welcome for private charter runs.

If you're interested, apply and we’ll discuss what works best for you.

Email [email protected] and we will arrange for you to come along on a public ride for you to see how it’s done.

Visit our website at waitararailway.org.nz and page waitara.railway for more.

WE WOULD BE VERY PLEASED TO HEAR FROM YOU!

NEW YEAR GREETINGSto all our followers and friends!May 2026 bring you all you wish for.We look forward to another year o...
31/12/2025

NEW YEAR GREETINGS
to all our followers and friends!

May 2026 bring you all you wish for.

We look forward to another year of providing the genuine vintage railway experience for the people of Taranaki and New Zealand.

WE ARE TARANAKI'S HERITAGE RAILWAY!

LABOUR WEEKEND CELEBRATION ON150 YEAR OLD RAILWAY LINE -A gathering of railfans from all over NZ celebrated the sesquice...
26/10/2025

LABOUR WEEKEND CELEBRATION ON
150 YEAR OLD RAILWAY LINE -

A gathering of railfans from all over NZ celebrated the sesquicentennial of the New Plymouth to Waitara Railway with several convoys of motor trolleys and train runs on the former Waitara Branch Line between Lepperton Junction and Waitara.

At the same time railcar RM31 Tokomaru, from the Pahiatua Railcar Society, was running excursions on the main line between Lepperton and New Plymouth.

The two met up a few times at Lepperton.

The celebrations remind us of the huge part that railways played in the development of the district over 150 years.

IT’S RAIL SAFETY WEEK -A good time to remind everyone that WE DON’T RUN ONLY ON WEEKENDS - we can run on any day, at any...
10/08/2025

IT’S RAIL SAFETY WEEK -

A good time to remind everyone that
WE DON’T RUN ONLY ON WEEKENDS
- we can run on any day, at any time - and we could be carrying a train-full of pre-schoolers, seniors - whatever, or it could be a work train for track maintenance.

PLEASE APPROACH OUR EIGHT ROAD CROSSINGS WITH CARE -
THERE JUST COULD BE A TRAIN!

A PIECE OF TARANAKI RAILWAY HISTORYSAVED AND RESTORED FOR THE FUTURE . . .The neglected shell of the former Waitotara St...
05/08/2025

A PIECE OF TARANAKI RAILWAY HISTORY
SAVED AND RESTORED FOR THE FUTURE . . .

The neglected shell of the former Waitotara Station was translocated from Waverley Station yard to our Brixton depot in April 2022, with funding from Toi Foundation, and expert work by Agtrans, Hawera.

The restoration began soon after, with funding from Taranaki Electricity Trust, for replacement timber, paint and electrical fittings.

The exterior restoration has now been finished by a dedicated team of volunteers over the last three years, and work now is under way on the interior.

This project has saved a piece of early Taranaki history and will provide the society with some much-needed safe storage space for old records, archives and pieces of railway memorabilia.

It joins the former Tahora Station building at our depot on Waitara Road.

CARRIAGE WINDOWS - SORTED!Our appeal for help to install windows in our railway carriage restoration project got several...
09/07/2025

CARRIAGE WINDOWS - SORTED!

Our appeal for help to install windows in our railway carriage restoration project got several offers.

Thanks to Mike Ingram, and Karl Knowles of The Glass Man, the first four windows are now done, and looking great.

Sincere thanks to everyone who offered. It's great to know that the community spirit is alive and well in Taranaki.

STORM DAMAGE CLEANUP IN WAITARAOur railway line in Waitara was blocked by a fallen tree after Friday night's storm. It w...
28/06/2025

STORM DAMAGE CLEANUP IN WAITARA

Our railway line in Waitara was blocked by a fallen tree after Friday night's storm.

It was cleared on Saturday morning by some of our track maintenance team. Great work guys!!

*** Update: We have had some great offers of help and are working our way through them. Sincere thanks to you all - your...
26/06/2025

*** Update: We have had some great offers of help and are working our way through them. Sincere thanks to you all - your community-minded spirit is appreciated ***

CAN YOU HELP US??

We are currently restoring a 1930s railway carriage and need to get the windows installed.
So far we have managed to rebuild the timber framework, add the roof and steel side panels to about one-third of the carriage, and have made doors, using our own experience and knowledge.
But now the Installation of the windows has meant we are being held up from progressing this project.
We have the windows and we have the holes cut in the steel panels, but we don’t have the skill/knack to get the glass into the holes with rubber beading and locking strips.
If you have this ability and are able to show us how it’s done, we would really appreciate your help.
We are all passionate volunteers wanting to preserve the railway history of Taranaki, but at times we need extra help from outside the society - and this is one of them.
If you would like to help please send an email to [email protected] - we would love to hear from you.

Address

Queen Street
Waitara
4320

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