Rimutaka Railway
Rimutaka Railway by Norman Cameron is a great book detailing the history of the tracks that opened up the Wairarapa and the East Coast from Wellington.
If you are a train lover, then this one is for you. In 1841
Robert Stokes was giving the daunting task of finding a route over the
Rimutakas in which the railway could go. It wasn’t until 1858 that
Stokes proposed the idea that a railway actually be built over the
Rimutaka Range. Considering the sparse populations at the time and the
money needed to finance the track, it did not get off the ground. It was
not until another 15 years this idea became a reality. We then read
through the story of how the railway was built and of the locomotives
that serviced this line once it was built. There is some stunning photos
throughout the book which makes it both an informative and enjoyable read.
14 January 2008
