NOT only do steam trains pull big loads ? they pull big crowds, and the organisers of this year's Mauriceville Fair hope an 80-year-old locomotive will ensure a bumper turnout. On Sunday December 3, the Wab 794 engine from Feilding will puff its way through the Manawatu Gorge towing six carriageswith 350 people on board. Around 50 of these passengers are train enthusiasts from Auckland, who are planning a day in Masterton when the train gets in at 10.30am. Passengers are also being picked up in Ashurst, Woodville, Pahiatua and Eketahuna. Before that, the train will have dropped off visitors to the Mauriceville Fair, letting them down at the former train platform at the Mauriceville township. To give Wairarapa people a chance for a steam train ride, the train will leave the Masterton station at noon and a Transit bus will be on hand at Mauriceville to bring them back for $2 to Masterton after the fair. The ride on the train will cost adults $10, with tickets $5 for those aged five to 15. The Wab 794 steam engine, built in Dunedin, is the oldest working steam engine still offering a mainline passenger service in the country. It has made the Overlander journey between Feilding and Ohakune regularly for the past two years and according to Russell Wiseman, the Feilding Steam and Rail Association general manager, the trips are always fully booked. This year's fair is the ninth to be held in the Clarke Domain, just south of the township. Norma Dunn, who organised the first fair, said the event has become so popular there is now a committee in charge of organisation. The fair starts at 9am with special treats including an Elvis impersonator, wine tasting and a magician. Father Christmas will arrive at 1am.
