Rail group could be on awards-winning track

Ormondville Railway Preservation Group president Tom Williamson with Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis.

Ormondville's Rail Preservation Group is about to go head-to-head with the country's best and brightest voluntary groups and organisations at the Trustpower National Community awards which begin tomorrow in Rotorua.

Joining the Ormondville Rail Preservation Group at the awards will be representatives from 24 other voluntary groups and organisations from around the country who were named supreme winners at their regional awards.

The Ormondville group will give an eight-minute presentation on what they have achieved and why they deserve the national title.

The Ormondville railway precinct, because of its completeness, has national heritage significance and the preservation group has managed to attract committee members from Ormondville, Dannevirke, Palmerston North, Napier, Wairarapa and Wellington.

"Because of national heritage significance we aimed for the highest heritage standards," committee member Paul Mahoney said.

"This has enabled us to recruit several heritage professionals as members.

"Our restoration projects are planned and executed to meet international standards and this combination has resulted in us winning three annual heritage awards, the Rail Heritage Trust national restoration award for station building restoration in 1997, the Federation of Rail Organisations overall excellence award in 2002 and the Rail Heritage Trust national restoration award for a goods-shed restoration last year."

The Ormondville Railway Station opened in 1880 and has not been altered since 1900.

The heritage aim is to preserve a complete country station precinct: station building and gardens, semaphore signals, goods shed, livestock yards, railway sidings, typical rail freight wagons plus a small shunting loco, in a small-town main-street setting, to represent the 1027 country stations that once existed.

"The Ormondville Rail Preservation Group have put together an inspiring presentation," said Teresa Partridge, Trustpower's community relations representative.

"This band of volunteers have invested an incredible amount of time into running this facility and the community has always been at the forefront of what they do, whether it is fixing something or sharing their passion for rail with others.

"The Tararua community should be really proud of what the group has achieved.

"They will make wonderful ambassadors for your community at the awards."

Attending the awards from the Ormondville Rail Preservation Group will be Paul Mahoney and Val Burr, along with Tararua District Mayor Tracey Collis and her husband Mike.