Park mini train running out of steam

The miniature train at Queen Elizabeth Park has been delighting children for the past 42 years but is at risk unless more people help run the station.

An iconic piece of Masterton mini train history, which has cost a dollar a ride for more than three decades, will hit the end of the line unless volunteers come to the rescue.

Masterton Miniature Railway Society members are adamant the model train, which has been running on the island in Queen Elizabeth Park since 1972, will continue delighting children and families for many more generations to come -- but they need help to do so.

Station master Barry Stroud said they were desperate for people to help run the train station on weekends and school holidays.

Most of the small group of volunteers had done so for many years but were ageing and family life was becoming busier, making it difficult for them to give time, he said.

"We want to ... no, we would love to ... run through the holidays but we just don't have the manpower to do so. We are very short of volunteers, we have been screaming out for them," he said. "It's so frustrating, because we could be open every weekend. We would love to open every weekend."

They need people mainly to operate the ticket office.

The train was stopped earlier in the year while the track was brought up to compliance and the society's operation certificate was renewed.

"We had some trouble with the hydraulics on the train, and we needed to re-do a few systems to comply with regulations so we could run, but we have done all that," Mr Stroud said.

He hopes the train will be operating on Saturday and "hopefully Sunday too" between 11am and 4pm.

Ticket prices of $1 have not risen since 1983.

It is obviously very popular, with children rushing to ride the train as Mr Stroud rolled it out of the shed to show the Times-Age.

"Kids just love it, so do the parents, everyone is so supportive. We do it for the kids, it's all about the kids, and we want to keep it going for them."

He remembers as a toddler himself running across the bridge to the station, excited about having his own turn to ride the train.

"I was a kid riding it and now I'm driving it. I don't how that happened. We've got third generation volunteers coming through now."

Annually, more than 25,000 children ride the train, with close to 1000 enjoying it last weekend.

"We just want to keep going and remain open."

If you would like to volunteer or find out more please call the station on (06) 377 0087 or Mr Stroud on 027 355 1243.