The Moutohora Line
Railcar Makes Pioneer Trip

Children gathered at railway crossings, farmers in paddocks and housewives in homestead doors stopped work to watch, and little knots of people clustered on railway platforms all the way from Gisborne to Matawai on a sunny afternoon last month. The object of their attentions RM.32, the first railcar to make the 50-mile trip to Moutohora, railhead on the north-west line.

The occasion was a special one in another respect. RM.32 carried the new Minister of Railways, Mr Michael Moohan, the railways general manager, Mr A. T. Gandell, and other top brass of the department. The trip was made in the course of an inspection of the Wellington provincial railway district, which includes Gisborne.

Local residents took the Minister's visit as a sign of renewed Governmental interest in bridging the rail gap between Moutohora and Taneatua, but beyond saying that the Government intended to look into the whole question of completing the line, Mr Moohan was affably non-committal.

At line's end, party disembarks on relatively flat plain which surrounds Moutohora

The railcar made easy enough work of the steep grades (in one place, 1 in 31) which are the curse of the Moutohora line, and one of the main reasons why engineers look on it with a sceptical eye as a main line route. Around Otoko, and on the long climb through Rakauroa to the divide at Matawai (1800ft), Ab locomotives can pull only 120 tons.

In the picture, view out rear window of railcar shows typical gradient on climb to Rakauroa. Arrow shows location of line at left as it enters valley.

Party inspects remains of station at Ormond, destroyed by fire, and hears evidence on a drainage problem from local farmers.

At Matawai, Mr Moohan (who is also Minister in charge of the Post and Telegraph Department) and Mr R. A. Keeling, M.P., rejoin railcar after being driven by Mr Beaufoy, of Rakauroa, to inspect Matawai Post Office.

For children along the line, the railcar's visit was quite an occasion. At several points, school parties were drawn up at stations or level crossings, and the Minister alighted and chatted with teachers and their charges.