Keirunga Park Railway expects to reopen early August after bridge damage

Keirunga Park Railway President Michael Newby said operators “absolutely expect” trains to be running for the public again on August 4.. Photo / Paul Taylor

Keirunga Park Railway hopes to get train rides back on track after repairs to a bridge support.

Parks maintenance contractors informed Hastings District Council on July 12, that a 3.6-metre structure supporting part of the 846-metre railway track that runs around Havelock North’s Keirunga Gardens had been damaged.

A social media post on Saturday evening from the Keirunga Park Railway operators initially said the damage was caused by an incident involving a large mower operated by a contractor.

The post said operators had been forced to cancel their public trains on Sunday despite repairs already being carried out.

A council spokesperson said the cause of the damage was unknown and it was making inquiries with people who may have been in the area.

“Council informed the Keirunga Railway operators that damage had occurred, and advised them to stop operating the trains until the structure was repaired, and to provide council confirmation that this work had been done, including an engineer’s report,” the spokesperson said.

A week after the incident, the operators sent a single photo to the council showing the repairs, but no engineer’s report and not enough accompanying information for the council to be satisfied the railway was safe to operate.

Once an engineer’s report is provided, a council building officer would visit to confirm it was safe for the train to resume operating.

“Council has a responsibility under the Health and Safety Act to ensure public safety, especially in terms of activities that take place on council land,” the spokesperson said.

A picture of the repaired support structure Keirunga Park Railway president Michael Newby sent to Hastings District Council. Photo / Keirunga Park Railway

Keirunga Park Railway president Michael Newby said operators “absolutely expect” trains to be running for the public again for their next scheduled date, August 4.

“We are not concerned about the cause of the damage, accidents happen and we are appreciative that the damage was brought to our attention promptly, so KPR was able to have a brand new trestle built by a licenced building company ready for the weekend train running,” Newby said.

“KPR sells between 40,000 to 50,000 rides a year, more than an evening at a Mission Concert. One would have thought that HDC would be asking ‘How do we help KPR get the trains running for the public this weekend?’”

Newby is a qualified civil engineer and said the letter he sent to the Council had all the information required.

“I first certified this bridge 32 years ago, so have all the experience and specific knowledge and judgement to certify.”

Council asked anyone in the community who had information regarding the cause of the damage to call 8715000.

The popular track was first completed 32 years ago and the trains running on it have carried thousands of people during the busiest weekends.

Trains typically run on the first and third Sunday of each month from 11am to 4pm.

James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz