Talk:Opua Branch

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203.134.189.93 edit

My name is Michael Norris and I conceived the idea of setting up a tourist train to operate from kawakawa to Opua.

A Progressive Association was formed in Kawakawa to deal in part with this, and to generally promote the historical attractions that Kawakawa had to offer.

Some background: I lived opposite the redundant Kawakawa Rail Station from 1984 to 1988. One day a Railway Corporation rail-test vehicle came along the track from the Moerewa end .......I walked down to a team of rail-workers and asked what was happening, they said that the line from kawakawa was to be lifted and taken elsewhere for re-use.

I expressed my concerns as I had already had intentions (undisclosed to others at that time) to create interest in the idea of a tourist train from Kawakawa to Opua.(at this the Progressive Association had not been active on this issue, I am not sure if the Progressive Association had even been formed yet)

Fearing the rail might be lifted before any public interest could be generated, I immediately made phone calls to newspapers and also called Richard Prebble, expressing concerns and proposed the potential benefits of a tourist railway, calling for intervention and a moratorium on the lifting of the rail-line until the idea of the tourist train had been fully considered and feasibility studies made.

The story about the plight to get the moratorium got out and was published, consequently A man from Wellington (forget his name) made contact and said he had a Steam Locomotive (J-1211) and some passenger carriages available and offered to drive them up the main-truck line to Kawakawa. By this time a friend by the name of Dick McGrath (Motel proprietor) had shown some interest in the project from a business point of view and was instrumental in getting things happening with the fellow from Wellington............. the rest is history.

I still have photos of the ,launch of the Bay of Island Scenic Steam Railway where it was officially opened by Richard Prebble the then Minister for Transport.

Should anyone seek to contact me I can be contacted by emailing - mikegain@bigpond.net.au —Preceding unsigned comment added by 203.134.189.93 (talk • contribs). 26 August 2007‎

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