Rotorua icon Toot 'n' Whistle now on display at Te Amorangi Museum

Te Amorangi Trust Museum volunteer Chriss Taylor with the Toot 'n' Whistle at the museum. Photo / Andrew Warner

The popular Toot 'n' Whistle miniature train is a treasured memory for many people who grew up in and visited Rotorua - and this local icon has now re-emerged, proudly standing at Te Amorangi Trust Museum.

After being in storage for years, the museum is excited to be the train's new home.

The Toot 'n' Whistle was built by John Smale, who started it in 1958.

Ever since Smale was a teenager, he had had a huge fascination with steam trains.

In 1958, it drove him to begin work on what would become something of an icon in Rotorua - the Toot 'n' Whistle miniature railway at Kuirau Park. He spent hours on his hands and knees painstakingly laying the track.

In 1960, the project was complete, and Toot 'n' Whistle opened to the public.

The Toot 'n' Whistle stopped operating in Kuirau Park in 2004, as the ground became too dangerous and the train needed upgrading. It had been there for 44 years.

The locomotive had been in storage since, and the carriages were disposed of.

The last owner was Trevor Coleman, who died in the beginning of 2022. His wife Margi has donated the train to Te Amorangi Trust Museum.

Board member Silke Hackbarth says the Toot 'n' Whistle train is a part of Rotorua's heritage and community.

Toot 'n' Whistle driver Des Bellworthy taking people for a spin on the steam train at Kuirau Park in 2003. Photo / File

"It often comes up, with visitors asking whether we knew what had happened to the train that used to go around in Kuirau Park. It's nice to now being able to tell people that it's actually here."

Unfortunately, the train is just on display and not running, she says. This is because its boiler needs rebuilding, which is a very expensive task.

"Everyone – our volunteers, visitors and people in the community – would like to see the train going again.

"But our museum can't afford to pay for the work that's required. We are a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers, and like many other charities experiencing a shortage of staff and funds.

"This project would only be possible if we could find a sponsor, or a skilled person who would donate their time and do the work themselves."

In the meantime, the museum is working on doing up the Toot 'n' Whistle's display.

Silke says they have ideas for a mural on the wall in the background, but again, a skilled person would be required to help make this happen.

The museum is also keen for photos that people may have, related to the train when it was operating in Kuirau Park, to be used for the display.

"We feel it is an important part of Rotorua's tourism history, and there are a lot of memories attached for both local people and visitors from other areas of New Zealand who remember going to Rotorua for holidays and going on the train ride."

Te Amorangi Trust Board chairman Kevin Cooper agrees that the train has been part of many people's lives - "I know my kids went on it, and it's still in people's memories and it's a bit of an icon".

The Toot 'n' Whistle taking smiling families around Kuirau Park in 2003. Photo / File

The museum is also currently working on renovating the old Whakarewarewa Post Office that has been on the Te Amorangi site since 1976.

This was made possible by funding received from the Toi Ohomai/Rotorua Rotary Sunrise Charity House for painting and reroofing.

Kevin says although some progress has been made in turning the museum around this year, there is still huge potential and opportunity for improvements.

Silke says Te Amorangi Trust Museum is a hands-on and interactive museum. There are items that the kids can operate, and they can watch some machinery working. A lot of items are not behind glass and can be picked up and looked at closely.

Kevin and Silke say the museum's volunteer numbers fluctuate, and there had been times when there was hardly enough manpower to keep the museum going.

They say they are always looking for volunteers, and there's a wide range of work and various tasks to be done.

Currently, it's a priority to fill the roles of front-of-house assistant and visitor host, and also to find people with the right skills and knowledge, who for example could build display cabinets or fix machinery.

There are currently about 16 volunteers, who work at the museum on a regular basis.

For more information and to enquire about volunteering, call (07) 345 9525 or look up the museum's Facebook page, www.facebook.com/RotoruaSettlersAndSteamMuseum/