Mainline Steam Heritage Trust

Image:J1211 Napier 20Oct2002 JChristianson.jpg|thumb|right|Auckland based J 1211
Image:Locomotive Ka 942.jpg|thumb|right|K^A 942 at the 100-year anniversary of the North Island Main Trunk railway in Feilding being lined up for a locomotive cavalcade.
The Mainline Steam Heritage Trust is a New Zealand charitable trust devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways and overseas mainline steam locomotives. Regular day excursions and multi-day tours are operated over rail lines throughout New Zealand. Excursions are operated by the Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch branches.

WWW Official Site

About

The Trust began in October 1988 after the Ferrymead 125 events in Christchurch. Based around the collection of steam locomotives that were privately owned by Ian Welch, the first of which had just begun operating on the mainline with J 1211 with an excursion to Timaru and Arthurs Pass double-heading with the Glenbrook Vintage Railway's J^A 1250.
Depots operated by the Mainline Steam Trust included Parnell, Middleton and later Plimmerton. The Auckland depot used to be based in the former Parnell diesel depot. It was in the past the organisation's primary restoration base and most of Mainline Steam's currently active locomotives were restored there. It was closed in June 2015. Mainline Steam are developing a new depot at Mercer.
The Wellington depot, located at Plimmerton, is a purpose-built building that replaced the formerly leased Upper Hutt goods shed. It has now become the primary restoration base for the organisation. The depot in Christchurch is a former industrial building that used to be located at Studholme, it was relocated to land on the premises of CWF Hamilton. As of 2021, the trust was given notice to vacate the current Christchurch depot and is now building a new site at Midland Rail Heritage Trust's own lines and land in Springfield.
Mainline Steam is notable for having imported a number of African steam locomotives from South Africa and Zimbabwe, with more South African locomotives still overseas. It has also imported former British Rail Mark 2 carriages for use on its steam-hauled excursions and is in the process of overhauling them for New Zealand use. The organisation regularly operates excursions out of Auckland and Christchurch, the latter operating excursions primarily along the highly scenic Midland Line. Mainline Steam also has a number of diesel and electric locomotives in its care.

Heritage locomotives

Key:

In service

In service, Main Line-certified

Under overhaul/Restoration

Stored

Static display

Scrapped

Overseas locomotives

In addition to their core fleet of New Zealand locomotives, Mainline Steam owns a number of ex-South African and Zimbabwean locomotives. Four are stored in South Africa at Bloemfontein. Several engines have been shipped to the Auckland and Wellington depots. It is anticipated that some will not be shipped to New Zealand but remain in South Africa. The locomotives at Waterval Boven have reverted to the THF and are expected to be scrapped.

Key:

In service

In service, Main Line-certified

Under overhaul/Restoration

Stored

Static display

Scrapped

Rolling stock register

Passenger rolling stock

Mainline Steam rosters a large fleet of carriages which will be formed into three trains:Train One – a 1920s-era train, painted in Emerald Green.Train Two – a train of 56' steel-panelled stock, painted Midnight blue with white lettering.Train Three – a train of BR MkII coaches, painted in Midnight Blue with Pearl Grey window band.
At present the stock for these trains are kept at Plimmerton and Middleton.

Train One

Original Class and Number	TMS Class and Number	Builder	Carriage Type	Year built	Arrived	Current Depot	Notes
A 391		NZR Petone Workshops	60' high-capacity wooden-body suburban coach				Only surviving 60' suburban passenger coach. Purchased in 1967 by Milson Miniature Railway, donated in 2004 to Feilding District Steam & Rail. Placed in storage at Gladstone, Wairarapa in 2010. It is planned to install a generator for head-end power and to create a "Presidential Style" large end balcony at one end of the carriage.
A 1563	A 50480	NZR Petone Workshops	50' wooden body, passenger coach			Middleton	Purchased by Mainline Steam in running condition from Taieri Gorge Railway in 2013. Rebuilt with frame ex-F 443. Awaiting mainline certification.
A^A 1013		NZR Petone Workshops	50' wooden body, wide-body mainline coach			Plimmerton	Purchased from the NZR in 1977 and donated to the Tokomaru Steam Museum, before later being on-sold to a private individual at Pahiatua. Acquired by Mainline Steam in 2005, A^A 1013 was restored by the Wheelwright Woodworks in 2006–07 as the Premier Car and named "Aotearoa" before re-entering service in 2008. Last surviving complete coach from the Parliamentary Special of 1908, and took place in the recreation of this train in 2008.
A^A 1489		NZR Newmarket Workshops	50' 0" wooden body, wide-body mainline coach				Purchased by Mainline Steam Trust from the Bush Tramway Club and moved to Gladstone, Wairarapa in 2007. Built as a sleeping coach in 1924, but converted to a day car in 1925. Restored by the Wheelwright Woodworks in 2016 and named "Te Arawa".
A^A 1669	EA 1922	NZR Otahuhu Workshops	50' 0" vittron panelled, wide-body mainline coach		30 August 2016	Plimmerton	Purchased by Mainline Steam in 2008 and moved to Gladstone, Wairarapa. Formerly Way & Works E^A 4234, attached to a steam crane as a sleeping coach for the crane crew. Arrived in Plimmerton on 30 August 2016 where the last part of restoration will be carried out. Restored in December 2016 and named "Te Arawa".
F 458	F 721	NZR Newmarket Workshops	47' 6" wooden-bodied guards' van				Initially donated for the Train One carriage set but believed to be surplus to Mainline Steam's requirements. Purchased from NZR by Bush Tramway Club member Eric Burns who donated it to Mainline Steam in 2008. F 458 is still at Pukemiro Junction as of 2013.

Freight rolling stock

Mainline Steam has a large collection of freight rolling stock, mostly consisting of tank wagons used for oil and water storage, some of which are mainline certified. These wagons are largely of the UC class, although there is one example of each of the UCA and URK wagons preserved. The group also has a number of KP, ZA, and ZL class box wagons for use as secure storage for locomotive and carriage parts, along with several other general-use goods wagons.

Wagons

Original class and number	TMS class and number	Type	Builder	Year built	Current depots	Notes
K^P 1305	KP 4330	Box	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		N/A	Entered NZR service on 25 February 1961. Renumbered as KP 4330 in 1978. Withdrawn on 4 January 1986.
K^P 1484	KP 6224	Box	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Middleton	Entered NZR service on 7 October 1961. Renumbered as KP 7943 in 1978. Withdrawn on 29 March 1986. Used as a storage wagon.
K^P 2178	KP 13601	Box	NZR Addington Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service in 1965. Renumbered as KP 13601 in 1978. Withdrawn in April 1988. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
K^P 2367	KP 15582	Box	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries		N/A	Entered NZR service on 11 September 1965. Renumbered as KP 15582 in 1978. Withdrawn on 21 May 1988.
K^P 2650	KP 18607	Box	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service in 1967. Renumbered as KP 18607 in 1978. Withdrawn in December 1988. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
K^P 3251	KP 25011	Box	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service on 31 March 1961. Renumbered as KP 25011 in 1978. Withdrawn on 16 August 1986. Used as a storage wagon for parts.
K^P 3452	KP 27147	Box	NZR Hutt Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service on 7 December 1968. Renumbered as KP 27147 in 1978. Withdrawn on 16 August 1986. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
K^S 4130	KS 7784	Box	NZR Hillside Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service on 5 December 1970. Renumbered as KS 7784 in 1978. Used as a storage wagon. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
L^B 2048	LB 523	High Side	N/A		N/A	Entered NZR service on 31 January 1976. Renumbered as LB 523 in 1978.
L^B 2204	LB 1159	High Side	NZR Addington Workshops		N/A	Entered NZR service on 28 February 1976. Renumbered as LB 1159 in 1978.
L^B 2740	LB 8313	High Side	NZR Addington Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in June 1976. Renumbered as LB 8313 in 1978. Used as a passenger wagon on Parnell depot open days. Stored in Otahuhu.
L^B 3432	LB 14743	High Side	NZR Addington Workshops		Middleton	Entered NZR service on 6 November 1976. Renumbered as LB 14743 in 1978. Used as a storage wagon.
L^BF 1451	LB 15696	High Side	N/A	N/A	Otahuhu	Reclassified as LB 15696 at East Town Workshops in July 1986. Used as a passenger wagon on Parnell depot open days. Stored in Otahuhu.
L^C	LC 74437	High Side	N/A	N/A	Middleton	Used as a storage wagon.
L^PA 1378	LPA 4765	High Side	NZR Addington Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service on 28 April 1973. Renumbered as LPA 4765 in 1978. Used as a storage wagon. Stored in Otahuhu.
M^C 45141		Low Side	Mainline Steam	N/A	Middleton	Built by Mainline Steam at their Middleton depot. Used as a storage wagon.
Unidentified N^AK	Unidentified NAK	Flat Deck	N/A	N/A	Middleton
R^B 575	RB 651	High Side	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		N/A	Renumbered as RB 651 in 1978. Leased to Feilding and District Steam Rail Society.
U^B 1142	UB 3006	Flat Deck	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in 1945. Reclassified as UB 3006 in 1978. Withdrawn on 1 February 1984. Stored in Otahuhu.
U^C 793	UC 64	Tank	NZR Newmarket Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1927. Renumbered as UC 64 in 1978.
U^C 797	UC 104	Tank	NZR Newmarket Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1926. Renumbered UC 104 in 1978.
U^C 799	UC 127	Tank	N/A		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in 1926. Renumbered UC 127 in 1978. Stored in Otahuhu.
U^C 809	UC 231	Tank	NZR Petone Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service on 28 July 1927. Renumbered as UC 231 in 1978. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
U^C 823	UC 277	Tank	N/A		Middleton	Entered NZR service in 1927. Renumbered as UC 277 in 1978.
U^C 825	UC 300	Tank	N/A		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1927. Renumbered as UC 300 in 1978.
U^C 827	UC 323	Tank	N/A		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1927. Renumbered as UC 323 in 1978. Used as an oil tanker.
U^C 864	UC 634	Tank	N/A		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service in 1929. Renumbered as UC 634 in 1978. Used as an oil tanker. At Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
U^C 877	UC 784	Tank	N/A		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1930. Renumbered as UC 784 in 1978. Formerly an ex – Lyttelton oil storage wagon.
U^C 1215	UC 1184	Tank	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Middleton	Entered NZR service in 1955. Renumbered as UC 1184 in 1978.
U^C 1216	UC 1190	Tank	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service in 1955. Renumbered as UC 1190 in 1978. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
U^C 1234	UC 1495	Tank	NZR Addington Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1947. Renumbered as UC 1495 in 1978. Repainted yellow and is used as an oil storage wagon.
U^C 1256	UC 1783	Tank	NZR Addington Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in September 1948. Renumbered as UC 1783 in 1978. Used as an oil storage wagon.
U^C 1258	UC 1852	Tank	NZR Addington Workshops		Middleton	Entered NZR service in September 1948. Renumbered as UC 1852 in 1978.
U^C 1278	UC 2079	Tank	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Middleton	Entered NZR service in 1950. Renumbered as UC 2079 in 1978.
U^C 1288	UC 2177	Tank	NZR Addington Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1951. Renumbered as UC 2177 in 1978. Used as an oil collection vehicle.
U^C 1339	UC 2730	Tank	NZR Addington Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in 1950. Renumbered as UC 2730 in 1978. Stored in Otahuhu.
U^C 1341	UC 2753	Tank	NZR Addington Workshops		Middleton	Entered NZR service in 1950. Renumbered as UC 2753 in 1978.
U^C 1349	UC 2851	Tank	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service in 1964. Renumbered as UC 2851 in 1978. Repainted red and is used as an oil storage wagon.
U^C 1483		Tank	N/A	N/A	Plimmerton	Repainted green.
U^C 1580	UC 2995	Tank	NZR Hillside Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service on 15 July 1967. Renumbered as UC 2995 in 1978. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
U^C 1593	UC 3130	Tank	NZR Hillside Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service on 2 December 1967. Renumbered as UC 3130 in 1978. Used as a water tanker.
U^C 1624	UC 3429	Tank	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Plimmerton	Entered NZR service on 1 January 1972. Renumbered as UC 3429 in 1978. Used as an oil storage wagon.
Unidentified U^CA	UCA 155	Tank	Commonwealth Engineering		Plimmerton
U^C 1819	UC 3677 UCA 223	Tank	NZR Hutt Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in July 1976. Renumbered as UC 3677 in 1978. Reclassified as UCA 223 in 1979. Stored in Otahuhu.
U^R 1819	UR 191	Flat Deck	NZR Addington Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service on 10 October 1959. Renumbered as UR 191 in 1978. Stored in Otahuhu.
Unidentified U^RK	URK 66	Tank	N/A	N/A	Middleton	Withdrawn in 1988.
Unidentified U^SQ	USQ 8103	Flat Deck	N/A	N/A	Plimmerton	Used as a container wagon.
V^R 113	VR 1134	Insulated Meat	NZR Otahuhu Workshops		Glenbrook Vintage Railway	Entered NZR service in March 1964. Renumbered as VR 1134 in 1978. Withdrawn on 22 June 1985. Stored at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway.
X^P 2989	XP 278	Ventilated Box	NZR East Town Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in 1966. Renumbered as XP 278 in 1978. Withdrawn in September 1981. Stored in Otahuhu.
X^P 3027	XP 687	Ventilated Box	NZR East Town Workshops		Otahuhu	Entered NZR service in 1966. Renumbered as XP 278 in 1978. Withdrawn in November 1983. Stored in Otahuhu.
Z^A 1521	ZA 2712	Box	NZR Otahuhu Workshops	N/A	Middleton	Entered NZR service on 5 November 1977. Renumbered as ZA 2712 in 1978.
	ZL 387	Box	N/A	N/A	Plimmerton	Used as a storage wagon for parts.

Excursions

Mainline Steam operate regular excursions using steam locomotives from the trust's collection. These run from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch to a number of destinations. These range from short half-day excursions to an annual national tour lasting several weeks and covering much of KiwiRail's rail network.