Over Rusty Rails

The 50 Km Rotorua Branch Railway was opened on the 24th November 1893 and runs between Putararu and Rotorua. Construction was commenced by the Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company and was completed by the Public Works Department.
The last train to run on the line was a special excursion on the 24th February 2002 and since then the line became overgrown and many sleepers and track fastenings have been stolen.
The Rotorua Ngongotaha Railway Trust secured a lease over the whole line in December of 2009 and have subsequently begun the onerous task of reinstating it to a mainline standard. This is a film on the life and times of the line.

[@ronsurgenor745]

Excellent video. Great historic bush tramway footage - all taken for granted at the time.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

Hi, I've done part of the run on a Rail-cruiser right to the end of the line at Rotorua. I think the failure of the New Zealand government to serve it's biggest tourist area by rail is a stain on its so called green credentials. Without proper tourist trains New Zealand is impossible to tour by rail. Putting passenger trains back on the tracks should be one of the governments first priorities if it is serious about tourism and its green agenda. New Zealand does not have to make all the mistakes the British have made, it's time to stop wrecking the railways that built the nation. I really enjoyed watching the video, thanks for posting.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@Aussie Pom Sad, but in most cases true. We have had a few success stories here in the UK, such as the Borders railway in Scotland and even now the East West Rail link between Oxford to Cambridge is being restored to use. The trouble is that it costs a fortune to rebuild a defunct railway, in some cases it makes more sence to keep them as cycle tracks, at least that way the trackbed remains in tack. New Zealand's so called Greens look like a bunch of frauds, their green agenda doesn't look green to outsiders.

[@xr6lad]

I’ve done the same. Was a great afternoon. The individual ‘buggies’.

[@Timsvideochannel1]

@@xr6lad Driving your own train is a lot of fun, I enjoyed my day riding the railcarts 😊

[@chrisstaylor8377]

A great film , Rotorua historic society

[@gaius_enceladus]

Great video! I had no idea that this line existed! I really hope that the railway trust can get it back up and running again!

[@georgethomas7814]

Such a sad story and now its gone.

[@gerrigemmell9659]

great documentary 👍

[@04SURE]

Great doco
39:55 the most important fact of the whole doco! One of the only lines in the country that kiwi-rail don’t own the LAND! 30 year lease GTFOH😮
10,000 sleepers missing lol
you can find them scattered throughout the many marae & Māori homesteads used for Hangi 😂
#Raukawa ki Ngatira!
#Ngati Āhuru

[@chrisstaylor8377]

Done that run on my hand jigger plenty of times

[@keacoq]

Well done. Where are things at now?