The Carterton Station Museum is just a hop and a skip away from the motor camp, where we are currently staying over Christmas. The timber building was built in 1880, and the station is still used daily by commuters. The Wairarapa Rail Society was formed in 1990 to preserve this historic station from demolition, when it was mooted to be replaced with a small concrete shelter.
The Wairarapa Railway Restoration Society's aim is to restore the historic station building to its former glory. The development of the precinct will include facilities for steam and diesel powered trains plus restored railcars to visit and be stabled at the station precinct.
Carterton Railway Station
The tablet slings on display were a glimpse into the past. Iron tablet slings were used to exchange tablets as the trains approached, and this task could be done at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. The tablet gave the driver authority to enter that part of the line.
Train tablets
People of our vintage can remember the famous cup and saucers printed with the Railway insignia. I have sipped many delicious cups of milky coffee and eaten big slabs of fruit cake using this very same crockery from the Tea Rooms at Wellington Railway Station.
Railway crockery
The Society won the 2007 Rail Heritage Trust Restoration Award and this is proudly displayed with other memorabilia and rail artefacts in the museum.
Restoration Award
With the main trunk line being closed for maintenance, the Wairarapa line was particularly busy with extra freight trains. One was due to pass by during our visit to the museum, and a group of volunteers from the Society were keen to see what it consisted of. Our group watched and waited too, cameras at the ready.
Freight train rushing by
As the train rushed past the station, one of the volunteers did a quick count and announced, “29 wagons, 3 locos, 1 driver”. The train had passed by in too much of a blur for any of us to do this sort of count.
Talking about trains
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