Lakes, locomotives and landscapes

Lakes, locomotives and landscapes

As soon as we got back onto SH2 the road started climbing, and within five minutes of Te Marua we stopped at our first viewpoint.  Pushing through some bushes we came out on a platform above the Macaskill Lakes, the reservoirs that supply Upper Hutt’s water.  And, as you can tell from the photo, the sun was out!

From there, SH2 winds through the Remutaka pass between the Taraura and Rimutaka mountain ranges until it comes to the Wairarapa Valley.  We were aiming for Featherson to visit the Fell Locomotive Museum.  Like the cable car museum yesterday, this is built round one main exhibit, in this case H199, the only remaining Fell steam engine still in existence.

Designed by John Fell, this was a system for getting trains up and down steep inclines.  It used a third rail that was gripped by four internal drive wheels in the locomotive to provide stability and extra power for going up the incline.  It was also used for braking when going down the incline, with dedicated brake vans being attached to the train.  They went through a set of brake blocks on each descent.

These locomotives were used from the 1880s until 1955, when a tunnel through the mountains was built.  As well as looking around H199 and a restored brake van, the two of us sat in splendid isolation in their little cinema to see a short film about the line.  The whole place was very interesting and informative.

After that, we drove to Masterton and checked in to the Mawley Holiday Park.  We took a short walk along the riverbank and then into Queen Elizabeth Park, before visiting Aratoi, the Wairarapa museum of art and history.  The museum specialises in modern NZ art and exhibits some fascinating pieces.  And some strange ones!